The Christmas decorations are out in force now. If you have a few hours to spare over the next few days you could get the family together and make some interesting decorations out of recycled bits and bobs that are floating around the house. Young children usually come away from school at this time of year with a little something to add to the tree, usually made from a dissected egg box or toilet roll tube and cotton wool, and very good they are too. I would like to suggest a couple of ideas that also rely on things that have been used.
CHRISTMAS SNOW GLOBE
You can get snow globes from the shops for next to nothing, but to make one yourself will be far more satisfying.
What you will need:
- Glass jar with tight fitting lid (Any type of jar will do)
- Distilled water, or boil some water and use it when it's cool (Adult supervision needed)
- Glycerine (this helps to slow down the snow fall and is available in most chemists)
- White or silver glitter (avoid the ultra-fine glitters, they tend to float rather than fall!)
- Clear silicone sealant (a tube of aquarium sealant or the stuff you get from the DIY shop)
- Small waterproof ornament or figures
- Plastic jar lid, to fit inside the jar as a base to elevate the ornament within the jar, if needed
- Another plastic jar lid, or wooden circle plaque, just a bit larger than the diameter of your jar, to use as a stand (optional)
- Acrylic paint for the base of the ornament in your choice of colour
- Coiled Christmas rope
- Craft glue to attach the decorative rope
How to Make Your Own Snow Globe:
Check to make sure that the ornament you have chosen will fit within the diameter of your jar.
Make a trial run. Invert your globe jar and remove the glass part, leaving only the lid. Place the plastic base in the centre of the lid, then position the ornament on top of this. Place the jar over the ornament and check the fit. If the ornament is high enough to view clearly, use silicone or aquarium sealant to glue the ornament firmly to the lid. If you need to raise it up a bit put it on the other upturned lid and then stick that to the original lid. Use another small jar to test the snowfall. Fill the test jar with distilled water, or boiled water that has cooled, then add a teaspoon of glitter. Put the lid on and shake it to see if you like the effect. If the snow is too sparse, add a little more glitter. Add a few drops of glycerine and test it again. The glycerine should slow the rate of the snowfall quite nicely.
Working over a sink, pour the water and glitter into the globe jar, filling it to the very top. Invert the ornament assembly into the water and screw the lid into place. Some water will be displaced and spill over the top of the jar. Wipe the jar dry and shake it up! You can use the sealant to glue the jar to a wooden base or another plastic lid, if you like, for extra stability.
Paint the base and the jar lid in your choice of colour. Once the paint is dry, use craft glue to add your choice of Christmas coiled rope, a circle of Christmas lace, or whatever you wish to add as embellishments.
CHRISTMAS SNOW GLOBE
You can get snow globes from the shops for next to nothing, but to make one yourself will be far more satisfying.
What you will need:
- Glass jar with tight fitting lid (Any type of jar will do)
- Distilled water, or boil some water and use it when it's cool (Adult supervision needed)
- Glycerine (this helps to slow down the snow fall and is available in most chemists)
- White or silver glitter (avoid the ultra-fine glitters, they tend to float rather than fall!)
- Clear silicone sealant (a tube of aquarium sealant or the stuff you get from the DIY shop)
- Small waterproof ornament or figures
- Plastic jar lid, to fit inside the jar as a base to elevate the ornament within the jar, if needed
- Another plastic jar lid, or wooden circle plaque, just a bit larger than the diameter of your jar, to use as a stand (optional)
- Acrylic paint for the base of the ornament in your choice of colour
- Coiled Christmas rope
- Craft glue to attach the decorative rope
How to Make Your Own Snow Globe:
Check to make sure that the ornament you have chosen will fit within the diameter of your jar.
Make a trial run. Invert your globe jar and remove the glass part, leaving only the lid. Place the plastic base in the centre of the lid, then position the ornament on top of this. Place the jar over the ornament and check the fit. If the ornament is high enough to view clearly, use silicone or aquarium sealant to glue the ornament firmly to the lid. If you need to raise it up a bit put it on the other upturned lid and then stick that to the original lid. Use another small jar to test the snowfall. Fill the test jar with distilled water, or boiled water that has cooled, then add a teaspoon of glitter. Put the lid on and shake it to see if you like the effect. If the snow is too sparse, add a little more glitter. Add a few drops of glycerine and test it again. The glycerine should slow the rate of the snowfall quite nicely.
Working over a sink, pour the water and glitter into the globe jar, filling it to the very top. Invert the ornament assembly into the water and screw the lid into place. Some water will be displaced and spill over the top of the jar. Wipe the jar dry and shake it up! You can use the sealant to glue the jar to a wooden base or another plastic lid, if you like, for extra stability.
Paint the base and the jar lid in your choice of colour. Once the paint is dry, use craft glue to add your choice of Christmas coiled rope, a circle of Christmas lace, or whatever you wish to add as embellishments.
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