Wow. We had record setting cold in New England this weekend. It was downright F.R.I.G.I.D. I don’t know about other states, but Connecticut never ceases to amaze – and amuse me. It goes from the 60’s to the 20’s in a flash. Thankfully, I got our winter gear from the attic and we were semi-prepared for this sudden temperature drop.

There’s nothing that we can do about the freezing temperatures, so I say we embrace them. Today, I’m reposting a project that I did a couple years ago on how to make your own ice bucket. This was written in the second month that I launched my blog and I still remember how much fun this ice bucket was to make. I’m excited that the weather has finally gotten cold enough for this fun DIY Project!

Each year when winter rolls around, I promise myself that I am going to make an ice bucket. When I heard that there would be several days in a row with below freezing temperatures, I knew this was my chance.  Normally, I’m not a huge fan of red roses, however…when they are combined with holly I love the texture it takes on.  Ice buckets are so simple to make and have such a big impact when you are entertaining.

Ice Buckets also make a totally unique hostess gift (just transport it in a cooler until you arrive).  Even though this was made in the winter, ice buckets can be made anytime of year as long as you have a large enough freezer.  What I love about this process is that you never know how they are going to turn out, each design is different and beautiful in its own way.

How to Make a Floral Ice Bucket

 

You will need a vessel large enough to hold a plastic 2-liter bottle and large enough with enough room on the sides to insert flowers.  I used a champagne bucket, but a large round plastic bucket is a good alternative.

I used a dozen roses and some fresh cut holly from a tree in our yard.

Insert a plastic 2-liter bottle into your vessel, I filled the bottle with water to prevent it from floating.

Add the flowers.  I placed some facing up and others facing down to get an equal distribution among the ice.

Once it is frozen solid you can leave it in the sink to thaw, checking every 30 minutes or so to see if it has defrosted enough to be removed.

Alternatively, you can run warm water over the vessel, turning it every now and then to thaw all the sides.

I removed the plastic bottle first and continued to run it under water until the ice bucket came free.

I made this for my husband and added his favorite sipping vodka.  It is served ice cold the way it should be.  Cheers!