For a refreshing alternative to the age-old snowman, try building a tower of ice for a lazy afternoon weekend project.
James Gurney describes exactly how to make these ice towers in his video above. Basically, you take an industrial-strength bucket, fill it with water, and allow it to freeze. Naturally, very cold weather is best.
To get the ice block out of the container, you thaw the outer layer with warm water and then slide out the block. Alternatively, you can allow the bucket to freeze partially (it will start freezing on the outside first) and then pour out the unfrozen water on the inside. This will give you a hollowed out shell that you can then use as a cover for a candle or other light, or as the artist has done before, an interesting ice helmet.
To spice things up a bit, you can also add food coloring and layer the ice block with your own design.
Ice Towers [Gurney Journey]