Make your own snowglobe
/by Jayda
Browsing the stores at Christmas I still find myself drawn to the snow globes. There is just something magical about them. Shaking up the sparkly snow and watching it settle brings a warm feeling over me.
My children are not immune to this magic. We could spend a substantial amount of time testing all the snow globes at the store. Their little cherub hands grasp the globe, gently shake it and then they watch, settled on their haunches, in pure amazement as the shimmery particulate falls. They always want to take one home, I usually decline.
The practical side of me feels that this is money we do not need to spend. Plus part of the magic is not having one...
Well, this year we decided to make our own!
Materials:
- clean glass jar
- holiday scene (plastic, aluminum or baked polymer clay are ideal for wet environments)
- snow (large glitter flakes or crushed egg shells)
- glycerin or mineral oil
- filtered water
- glue, waterproof (hot glue, epoxy, fabric)
- silicon sealant (optional)
Instructions:
- Glue (hot glue, epoxy or fabric) the object to the inside of the lid.
- Add glitter or shells to form snow and put it in the jar.
- Fill the jar with filtered water and glycerin (about 60/40). Allow room for the object, which will displace some of the liquid.
- Squeeze a strip of glue or silicone sealant around the threads of the lid.
- Screw the lid on tight. Let dry.
Shake, and watch the magic (again and again...)!
Random Snow Globe Facts
- thought to have originated in France in the 19th century
- the original snow globe contained a mini Eiffel Tower
- appear to be the successor of the glass paperweight
- the glycerin or glycol slows the falling of the snow
- in modern film and literature, snow globes often symbolize childhood/innocence
Jayda is a recovering academic, living under a co-dictatorship. She blogs about random stuff at MomPhD and nutrition at EatWhole BeVital.
