Over on Tots100 this month, there’s a brilliant competition to win a spa day – in exchange for your top Christmas crafts.
Obviously, I can’t win but it seems like the perfect excuse to show you what is basically our ONLY successful Christmas craft project – home-made snow globes. They’re dead simple to make and we like to make personalised backdrops so the globes make cute presents for teachers and relatives.
How to make a Snow Globe
First, you’ll need some nice glass jars. Mason jars work well, and we also like these rounded jars from Ikea, which are £1.90 for four. Bargain.
Remove the lid from your jar and superglue the base of your chosen festive figure to the inside of the jar lid. We like to use Playmobil figures as they’re waterproof and about the right size.
Set the figure aside to dry.
Print a backdrop for your jar, and glue it to the outside of the jar. Use a layer of PVA to seal the label to the jar.
Next, fill the jar almost to the top with water, and then add a generous spoonful of glycerin.
Add your chosen glitter – confetti stars work well, but any glitter works – you only need a small amount though, about half a teaspoon full.
Once your figure is dry, turn it upside down and put the lid back onto the jar. A lining of superglue will ensure your lid remains firmly closed and watertight.
And you’re done - just shake to feel the festive magic.
About Sally
Sally is a full-time blogger and founder of the MAD Blog Awards and the Tots100, a community of almost 5,000 UK parent blogs. She is also a busy single Mum to Flea, the world's coolest seven year old.
That’s lovely! Ikea needs to move two and a half hours closer to me so I can buy those jars!
Thanks for sharing!
Claire
Claire recently posted..DKL Toys Rebecca’s Mini Corolline Doll Review
So sweet! Love the snowman with the saucepan hat, so comical!
Amanda @gidders1 recently posted..Vintage Art
Love it! We made something similar last year- my son was VERY concerned that we were messing with high explosives. Had to point out the absence of the nitro prefix to the glycerin!
Sonya Cisco recently posted..Rockin’ Around The Kitschmas Tree
Wow fantastic!
Very cute, I love this. I was going to make one in a few weeks but didn’t know about the glycerin, thanks!
TheBoyandMe recently posted..Monday 3rd December 2012 – ‘Flying Boy!’ (338/366)
Absolutely delightful. If I can get my hands on some nice jars quickly enough you may have just solved a few gift problems we had. Thanks for sharing. x
Emma Smith recently posted..Children’s Christmas Crafts: Reindeer Song
These look fab. Just don’t use baby oil instead of glycerine, disaster. x
Susan Mann recently posted..The Gallery 125 – Colour
So is that snowman a Playmobil figure? He is so cute. And from the picture I thought maybe you’d made him out of dough or clay or something. I’m having a kids party this weekend and we’re making snow globes. Finding figures has been tricky because they need to be a certain size and they need to be inexpensive.