Holiday Craft: Make Your Own Snow Globes

Last year on Christmas eve, on a whim, we decided to try making snow globes for the kids to give out to friends and family. We didn’t get everything 100% right—note the yellow snowman and the embossed jars—but I love how they turned out! It was a really cute, simple project for all of us to do together. The kids were so proud of them and were thrilled when we drove around town to hand them out.

Whenever I’m looking for last-minute craft inspiration, I tend to first flip through Martha Stewart’s Crafts for Kids—which is where I found this. I also love anything Jodi Levine comes up with (a regular Stewart contributor) and recommend her Paper Goods Projects.

From Martha Stewart’s Favorite Crafts for Kids.
(Such a wonderful book—full of inspiring projects and ideas!)

You’ll Need:
Glass Jars with Lids (look for ones with smooth sides and wide mouths, if possible)
Polymer clay (Make sure it hardens when baked. Sculpey is a good brand.)
Clear Nail Polish
Silicone Glue
Distilled Water (Tap water will turn yellow over time)
Glitter (Try out different weights to see which combination you like best.)
Glycerin (we used children’s suppositories, but you can order a bottle)

*Note: The book also suggests using sandpaper to sand the inside of jar lids until surface is rough, so that glue will adhere to it. However, I think you’ll be okay skipping this step, and sanding the lid risks exposing metal which could rust and color the water.

How to:

1. Mold figures using polymer clay. Bake according to clay manufacturer’s instructions. Let cool completely, then coat with nail polish to seal. Let dry.
2. Adhere figure to inside of jar lid with silicone glue and let dry.
3. Fill the jar almost to the top with distilled water. Do not use tap water, as it can turn yellow over time. (Note: we can attest to this, a year later. If you don’t have distilled water and you can’t wait, I’d consider going a dry route, with sugar and glitter, instead.)
4. Add a pinch of glitter and a few drops of glycerin. (Go slowly with the glycerin: Too little and the glitter will fall too quickly; too much and the glitter will stick to the bottom of the jar when flipped.)
5. Apply a ring of glue to the mouth of the jar and carefully screw on the lid, tightly. Let glue dry before turning over. (You can, however, test the glitter before glueing to be sure you have the right ratios.)