Create a Homemade Snow Globe

While many homemade snow globes use recycled baby food jars, there are many other ways to create these decorative holiday table-toppers. Inexpensive plastic cups are good for everyday crafting, and stem-less wine glasses create refined and classy keepsakes to give away as gifts. Your child will have the chance to express herself creatively and conjure up the many ways a snowy landscape can take shape. These snow globes, unlike the ones filled with water and glitter, remain dry inside because they have paper and non-airtight plastic bases, but are just as beautiful to behold.

What You Need:

• Plastic cup
• Thin piece of Styrofoam, approximately 1/2” thick
• Small figurines such as trees and animals (see below for items needed to make a mini-snowman)
• Iridescent flakes

What You Do:

1. Using the cup as you would a cookie cutter, gently but firmly press the mouth of the cup into the Styrofoam, twisting it slightly to push it through to the bottom of the foam.
2. Stick the base of your figurines into the Styrofoam to secure them. Use a dollop of glue on the bottom if they don’t stay secure on their own.
3. If you don't have figurines, you can make a miniature snowman:

What You Need:

• 2 miniature Styrofoam balls
• Round toothpick
• Small piece of black construction paper or felt
• Scissors
• Glue
• Short piece of ribbon or yarn
• Orange plastic bag tie
• Black felt-tip pen

What You Do:

1. Connect two small Styrofoam balls with a toothpick inserted down the center, leaving the edges of the toothpick exposed on both sides.
2. Add eyes and a dotted mouth with a black felt-tip marker.
3. Add a nose by trimming the edges of an orange plastic tie so that they come to a point. Cut it ½” to ¾” long. Secure it onto the top Styrofoam ball by inserting the other end into it.
4. Add a scarf by tying a piece of ribbon or yarn around the snowman’s “neck.”
5. Make top hat by using a rectangular piece of black construction paper or felt. Curl it around so that it forms a cylinder and glue or staple the overlapping edge together. Cut a circle larger than the circumference of the cylinder to create the brim of the hat and pierce it through the top of the toothpick. Glue the top portion of the hat to the base, covering the exposed tip of the toothpick.
6. Secure the snowman to the base of the snow globe by inserting the bottom of the toothpick into it.
7. Next, pour about a tablespoon of glitter into the bottom of the plastic cup. Carefully invert the Styrofoam base and slip it into the lip of the cup so that it fits snugly in place.
8. Turn the cup right side up. Now you have a unique display to brighten up any nook or ledge this holiday season.