How-To

Medusa Ice Face and Hands Punch

This festive Medusa punch is sure to leave your Halloween guests frozen in their tracks as they gaze into the bowl to find the serpent creature staring back at them.
Martha Stewart Living Television

Although the mythical Medusa was initially worshipped for her beauty, when Athena wrathfully turned her long, flowing tresses to snakes, Medusa was forever cursed with the alarming ability turn all those who looked at her to stone. While this festive punch won't produce quite the same effect, it's sure to leave your Halloween guests frozen in their tracks as they gaze into the bowl to find the serpent creature staring back at them.

To make a red Medusa punch, use Apple Cider, Cranberry, and Ginger Punch instead of a lemonade and ginger ale beverage and cranberry juice instead of water dyed with green food coloring.

Tools and Materials

Duct tape 
Plastic face mask
Green liquid food coloring
Clothespins
Plastic container, such as a Sterilite bin
Packing material such as Styrofoam peanuts or bubble wrap
Gummy worms
Pair of large latex gloves
Rubber bands
Sheet pan
Parchment paper
Beverages, such as ginger ale or lemonade, to make punch

Ice Face and Hands How-To

1. Using duct tape, tape up all of the mask's orifices, such as the nostril holes, inside and out. Place the mask face-down in the plastic container, stabilizing the mask in place with the packing material.

2. Using the food coloring, dye about 3 cups of water light green (this should require only about one drop of the coloring). Pour the mixture into the mask, filling it about halfway.

3. Lay the gummy worms as desired around the head of the mask, creating Medusa's hair and using clothespins to hold them in place. Freeze the mask, at least overnight.

4. To create the hands, fill the latex gloves with water (one glove holds about 1 1/2 cups water, so you'll need about 3 cups for both). Using rubber bands, tie the gloves at the wrists to seal them shut. Place the hands flat on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper, to prevent them from sticking. Freeze the hands, at least overnight.

5. Remove the mask from the container, remove the face from the mask mold, and remove the hands from the gloves. (They should come out easily, but if not, place the hands and face in another container filled with room-temperature water to loosen them from the molds.) Turn the face upside-down to reveal the green face with worm hair.

6. Prepare the punch of your choice (Martha uses lemonade and ginger ale), gently slide the face into the punch, and add the hands -- one on each side, palms facing up.

Resources

Face masks are from United Mask and Party Manufacturing. Halloween props from American Science and Surplus.

Reviews (3)

  • burtskirt
    28 Oct, 2010

    I did the last year and it was NOT easy. The duck-taped areas on the mask kept leaking water even though I added more and more. I finally ended up using a plastic bag and laid it in the mask to get the shape with no leaking. It was wrinkled looking but still very cool.

  • roriedlion
    7 Oct, 2008

    I did this with a black food dyed water and added it to the puch bowl full of diet dr.pepper. I added a little bit of red food GEL and between it and the fizz it made a slight bloody congealment that floated and it was a HUGE hit with the party goers. Esp. all the guys. They thought it was gross =]

  • roriedlion
    7 Oct, 2008

    I did this with a black food dyed water and added it to the puch bowl full of diet dr.pepper. I added a little bit of red food GEL and between it and the fizz it made a slight bloody congealment that floated and it was a HUGE hit with the party goers. Esp. all the guys. They thought it was gross =]