How To Make A Winter Crafts Snow Globe

We all remember the magic of snow globes from our childhood. Well, now you can create your own snow globe scene for any holiday or occasion. All you have to do is let your imagination run wild!

You might, for example, want to make a red Valentine heart for Valentine's Day, a colorful Easter/Spring display, a ghostly haunted house for Halloween, or a Thanksgiving harvest scene.

However, you don't need to limit yourself to holidays. You can also create a theme around a special birthday or event, a seashell or Victorian motif, a favorite cartoon character or superhero, or even a favorite sports team. The list of ideas goes on and on!

It's easy to gather together the elements for a really unique custom made creation once you have an event or theme in mind. Here's one example:

Winter Crafts Snow Globe

Materials:

* Clear glass jar with a tight lid (pickle, pimento, jelly, baby food)
* Small waterproof ornaments, figures or decorations
* Distilled water or water that has been boiled and cooled
* Clear silicone sealant (aquarium sealant) or florist clay
* Eggshells or foil confetti
* Glitter
* Glycerin or mineral oil
* Optional: Plastic lid to fit inside the jar's lid, circle of fabric, ribbon or lace

1. Choose a clean dry glass jar. Pimento jars have a unique ball shape, pickle jars are large enough to allow you to add several elements to your scene, and baby food jars are perfect for a small kid's craft. All you need to do is fit your jar to your desired final effect and don't forget to remove any food residue and the labels.

2. Plan your snow globe scene. For inspiration and materials, just search through your sewing kit -- sewing findings are a great source for small decorations -- and home craft supplies. Craft foam is perfect for making animals, people and trees. Look for miniatures at your local craft or hobby store and remember to shop the day after a holiday for lots of discounted items.

3. Secure the figures and decorations inside the jar lid with silicone sealant or florist clay. To ensure that your scene is elevated for a clear view, glue a plastic lid inside the jar lid or build up the area with a little extra florist clay. Before setting aside to dry, be sure to leave the edges clear so that you'll have room to screw on the lid.

4. Using the shell from a hardboiled egg, you are now ready to prepare your "snow." Separate the shell from the membrane, place in a sturdy Ziploc bag, and crush with a rolling pin. The finer the particles are the better it is, as they will fall more slowly in the snow globe and have a more pleasing effect. However, don't crush the eggshell into a powder, as they will simply float in the water instead of falling gently.

You can change your "snow" to go along with your theme. Instead of eggshells, use themed confetti to add an interesting element to your creation. When creating a Halloween or Thanksgiving scene, look for foil leaf confetti in fall colors. Use foil flower confetti for Easter. Use glitter in your favorite team's colors for a sports theme. These can all be found at craft or hobby stores.

5. Fill the snow globe. Now you're ready to fill the jar with distilled water. Be sure to leave a little space at the top to accommodate the figures. Add several drops of glycerin to keep the snow suspended and floating properly. Baby oil or mineral oil can be used in place of the glycerin and water.

6. Add snow and glitter. Make sure you have enough eggshells to cover the lid once it has settled to the bottom. To make shimmery snow use one teaspoon glitter -- along with the eggshells -- for every inch of water. Don't be afraid to experiment with different effects. Add food coloring to the water, use different colored glitters, or use a drop or two of colored lamp oil to create a swirling effect.

After you've added the snow and glitter, make sure you close the jar tightly before shaking your snow globe. Observe how the snow falls and the overall look. This will let you know if you need to tweak it a little bit more to get the desired effect.

7. Seal the dome. Does your snow to water ratio look good, and are your figures and scenery arranged to your satisfaction? If so, you are now ready to add a bead of silicone sealant around the threads of the lid and close tightly.

8. Add final touches. All you need to do for a more decorative and finished look is to cut a circle of pretty fabric a little larger than the jar lid, secure it to the lid with an elastic band, and hot glue a piece of ribbon or lace over the elastic band.

The possibilities are endless. You'll be proud to display your one-of-a-kind snow globe creation. Go ahead, be adventurous!