Miscellaneous Madness: Snowquestered

this is what snow looks like in D.C. -- wait, isn't it just raining?

So, in case you haven't heard, it's snowing. No, really. Promise. Snowing so much that the federal government and all schools are closed. Really. What? You can't see the snow? That's what we call a "your problem," not an "our problem."

OK, ok. So maybe the weather is less than ideal to be out and about today. And maybe it will really actually snow. That means you are gonna be inside. All damn day. What to do?!? Don't panic. First consult our handy insanely-inclement-weather list of favorite minimal supply art projects.

Or, given that it's snowing outside, the temperature must be prime for freezing ice for ice play. Then you should check out one of our ice play projects. Wait, it's not freezing outside? Then how is it snowing? It's not snowing? Wait, whaaaaauuut? Well, maybe try fake snow?

We give up. We suggest you check out the projects on our Artworks, Light Play, Miscellaneous Madness, Your Dough is My Dough, and Weird Science pages. We're going to go attempt to build a slushperson on our deck.

In Home Entertainment: Colored Ice Sculptures

As we've mentioned, between the east coast weather (and D.C.'s inability to cope with said weather), kiddo germies, and days off for parent-teacher conferences, we've been in the house A LOT. So, in frantically googling for fun ice activities to take advantage of the cold weather, mom came across this cool ice sculpture idea. Sold. Our ice sculptures had been an ongoing activity in our house until, you know, the below freezing temps jumped up to a balmy 70 degree day yesterday.

BUT, before that happened and the weather was still below freezing, we mixed gel food coloring and water into a variety of containers and stuck them outside to freeze overnight. The next day we popped them out of the molds and went to work stacking, slipping and sliding colorful sculptures together. Turns out that the ones I made (for which I refused to mix the food coloring well) were the coolest looking -- concentrated color on top and clear on the bottom. We were a little frustrated that the shapes we made weren't as easily stackable as we wanted, so we filled up tons of ice cube trays (formerly used for baby food for me -- by the time Cami was born, which wasn't that long, mom had given up on homemade baby food) with water and food coloring and set them outside for freezing.

They did. Then they turned to slush in the tropical temps yesterday. Then they were destroyed in the torrential downpour last night. Anyone else concerned about this weather!?! Well, it appears freezing temperatures will return soon, so we'll get them rigged back up and let everyone know if they stack up better!