Ice Tray Igloo: Counter Brick House
Published on September 21, 2026
The igloo never saw a freezer. Your elf is sitting in an empty ice tray, a white napkin is the snow roof, and one cotton ball is the snowball they rolled to the door. If you already have a posable holiday elf, skip to the recipe. If you don't, start with the setup kit.
Use a dry, empty tray on the counter. Do not put the elf in the freezer.
You Will Need This:
- • Your holiday elf
- • An empty dry ice cube tray
- • A white napkin or paper towel
- • A cotton ball
- • Optional: posable holiday elf if you want hands and feet that can hold the pose.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Leave the freezer shut
Take an empty tray from the cupboard or dump and dry one from the freezer first. The scene lives on the counter, not in the cold.
Step 2: Make the snow roof
Sit the elf in the empty tray so the cube pockets look like an ice-brick floor. Arch a white napkin over their back and tuck the sides, leaving a doorway in front. A stiff tray stays flat. The napkin is the dome.
Step 3: Roll one snowball
Set one cotton ball just outside the doorway. The elf should look proud of a house that will never melt.
Step 4: Skip the ice
Do not add water. A sticky note that says “Come inside!” is the welcome mat. The tray goes back to ice duty later.
Pro Tips:
- • One cotton ball is a snowball. A bag of cotton is a craft project.
- • If the napkin slips, a tiny piece of tape on the tray edge holds the roof.
- • Shoot against a dark backsplash so the tray reads as bricks.
- • Dry plastic will not stick to felt. Frozen plastic will. Stay on the counter.
Need More Ideas?
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