Bloody Snowcones

$10 - $15 (based on 2019 prices)

Makes six cones with one tray

 

Along with the lollipop skull, I wanted to create several eye-catching treats to decorate the gory concessions display in 2019’s carnival. For this prop, I went with a simple idea of bloody snowcones. Although I chose a more blood-soaked concept, you can cater the item to your haunt’s needs by switching the food coloring to green to make a slime-drenched version.

• One 9” x 12” plastic tray
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat brown*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in metallic silver*
• Six three-inch Styrofoam balls
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in glossy maroon
• Six paper party hats
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
• One 0.3 fluid ounce bottle of red food coloring*
• One 4 oz. bottle of clear, all-purpose tacky glue gel*

1. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give the tray one or two even coats of metallic silver spray paint. To ensure the paint sticks to the prop, purchase a paint which adheres to plastic.

2. To add additional age and distress, dust the tray with a light coat of black and brown spray paint, starting with brown and ending with black. To give the appearance of dirt, hold the can over twelve inches away from the tray’s surface and make quick flicking motions.

3. Give the Styrofoam balls two to three coats of the maroon paint, allowing each one to thoroughly dry between coats. To make this step easier, insert a wooden stick into the ball to serve as a handle as you paint them (since part of the ball will not be seen after it is added to the cone, you do not need to worry too much about the hole).

4. Remove the elastic bands from the part hats, separate them at the seam, and resize them to fit the Styrofoam balls. Then, glue the balls into the cones. Depending on the balls’ weight, you may need to use hot glue or superglue for a sturdier hold.

5. In a plastic container (because the food coloring will stain, use something disposable or that you won’t mind dying), pour in your desired amount of clear glue gel and slowly add red food coloring to the solution until it achieves the sanguine hue you desire. To give the blood further density, add blue food coloring and mix well.

6. Arrange the cones on the tray and, on a newspaper-lined surface, apply the blood glue to the prop. You can use an old spoon or plastic utensil to dribble the liquid or haphazardly pour it for a gory mess.

7. If the cones refuse to stand upright or you plan to display the prop in windy conditions, glue them to the tray with a small amount of hot glue.

8. The prop can be enhanced further with additional details, such as swarms of insects crawling across its surface or a few random ears, eyes, fingers, or teeth dangling from its sides.

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.