Homemade Snow Globes

I still remember making my first homemade snow globe at a church activity when I was probably about 6 years old.  I haven’t made one since.  This is one of those crafts that takes a little effort as many of these supplies aren’t readily on hand and often that extra effort steers me away from certain crafts.  But for some reason I really wanted to make these babies, and while gathering the supplies alone probably took the majority of the time, in the end it was worth it–as some things are.  I actually made these last year, but upon getting them out again this year and having to remake 3 of them I’ve learned a few things.  Also, while kiddos can’t do everything on this craft, they can certainly help with most of the steps.

Supplies:  
–jars of varying size
–spray paint for lids (optional)
–glue.  I got better results with hot glue, could also use epoxy, or water resistant silicon based glue  
–little figurines like deer and bunnies, snowflake buttons, sprigs of greenery (plastic), and small      rocks   to give some examples
–glycerin (helps thicken the water so glitter floats down more slowly)
–glitter
–distilled water 

1.  Wash jars, remove labels and spray paint lids.

2.  Gather supplies and figure out which arrangement you want in which jar lids.  Most of these guys were found at Hobby Lobby, in the plastic animal and miniature section.  Top left are little snowflake buttons I found, I just cut off the back part of the button.  The sprigs of greenery are from some plastic garland.   Plastic is great because it won’t rust over time and discolor water.

4.  Next fill jar with distilled water, a little glycerin and then glitter.

5.  Glue around base and carefully screw lid on.  You want to make sure you have plenty of glue.  And if you’re doing hot glue be careful!  You need to work fast so the glue doesn’t dry too early, but you need to have enough glue to make a proper seal.  My problem last year was that I didn’t use the right kind of glue–the figurines came off, the jars leaked, etc.  So when I went to re-do them with the same lids I didn’t get a great seal again due to the previous glue residue.  This year I re-did them properly by starting over with new jars/lids.  Pain in the arse, but lesson learned.  

 6.  Let the glue dry with jars upside down. Check glue drying times.  To be extra safe, run another ring of glue around the outside of where the lid and jar meet.

Then you’re done!
I know these are a little bit of effort, but I’m such a fan of charming, homemade Christmas decorations.  If done right they should last for a few years (hopefully!) if not more.

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Notes:  
*Again, really make sure you’re using a water proof glue.  I thought my glue was water proof last year, but it all fell apart.  I’ve had success with plain ol’ hot glue.  Also, if you find yourself having to take the lid off and try again you had better get all the glue off the jar and lid, otherwise it won’t screw back on properly and then you’ll just need a new jar.  Grrrr…
*Sometimes the glitter sits at the top of the jar instead of floating to the bottom.  Not sure why this happens…some sites say too much glycerin, others say use a drop of dish soap to break water tension.  Totally clueless as to why this happens.  
*Store in zip lock baggies.  Since 3 of my jars leaked, this saved me a lot of grief when it came time to get them out again this year.  

I’d love to hear any snow globe tips from you other veterans out there.