HOW TO MAKE A SNOW GLOBE
Do you like snow globes? Have you ever thought “I would like to know how to make a snow globe”? Look no further. You came to an easy tutorial that presents you with a professional result.
What do you need?
Snowball Kit . They usually include: glass ball open at the base, rubber stopper and wooden base. You can buy only the crystal ball plus the cap to attach another base. There are different sizes.
They are not easily found in Spain. These are my options on Internet:
National ArtCraft . In USA. For me they are the best. Depending on the country you buy from, you have to add customs duties to the price of the product plus shipping and, if you are unlucky, a considerable amount of time in customs.
www.amazon.com , www.ebay.com, the latter works with an Irish distributor, which facilitates the process if you by from Europe. The search criteria is “snow globe kit diy”.
- Distilled water. In any supermarket (iron products).
- Pure glycerin . In pharmacies
- A block of polymer clay . Two common brands are Fimo and Sculpey
- Snow Fimo Some kits include their own sachets.
- Fimo water cleaning fluid
- Clear sealant (silicone)
- Extra strong and waterproof glue
- A figurine that you like . Almost any material will do except wood and metal. Water enlarges the figure (magnifying glass effect). Look for figurines whose height leaves 3-4 cm free at the top.
Now, we’ll see how to make a snow globe in 8 steps.
Let’s do it!!! Steps 1-2
1.- Put the snow to “soak”.
Wash the crystal ball, rinsing it well. Place it, opening side up, in a container with an old cloth in the bottom. This prevents the ball from breaking when hitting the walls of the container.
Fill halfway with distilled water. Pour in the snow flakes; if you use Fimo a quarter pot will suffice. Cover with aluminum foil or similar.
Every day, stir well and remove the floating flakes. They will be fewer and fewer Minimum time 7 days. Some indications indicate 24-48 hours. For me this time is clearly insufficient.
2.- Make a clay base.
To improve the support of the figure. Knead a circle about 0.5-1 cm thick. For the diameter always leave about 0.5 cm between the edge of the base and the edge of the cap.
Before baking the base, lay the figure down and apply a little pressure to mark the contact points.
TIP – Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Never increase the oven degrees. On Internet you will find countless tutorials on the different brands. Consult some of them if you are using this material for the first time.
Let’s do it!!! Steps 3-4
3.- Glue the figure to the base .
Put some glue on the contact points and press down. Clean the possible remains. 
In the case of this image, the clay base was part of the composition, simulating the terrain on which the dinosaurs moved. That’s why it is thicker than usual.
TIP : It is not essential but it is highly recommended that once the figure is fixed, you apply one or two layers of two-component epoxy resin to the clay base. Epoxy resin is not easy to work with, but doing this is not very complicated. A well-known Spanish brand is La Pajarita. Follow the instructions and if there is any space between the base and the cap, fill it with the resin.
4.- Glue the clay base to the plug.
Press for a couple of minutes to ensure the fixation and clean any glue residue that has overflowed from the base.
TIP: Use tiny “sash clamps” to hold down the cap and base for a few hours. This ensures even more fixation.
Let’s do it!!! Steps 5-6
5.- Decorate the base
Varnishing, painting, applying pieces of fabric, patchwork type, stikers, making a stencil …, you have many possibilities. The important thing is that there is coherence between the figure and the base. At the base of the image, in addition to paint, “homemade” stickers have been applied.
TIP : As I was never good at painting, I use spray paint. It is much more comfortable for me and I get a better finish. I use Montana 94
6.- Insert the figure in the crystal ball.
The most delicate step in the whole process. Fill with more distilled water up to ¾ of the volume of the crystal ball. Add:
– 3 or 4 drops of glycerine that will provide the slowness of the snow falling when the ball is shaken.
– 4 or 5 drops of Fimo cleaning liquid.
Stir with a teaspoon. When the water stops moving, add more distilled water to the very edge of the crystal ball. Remove any snow flakes that have risen to the surface.
Position the plug over the opening. Very carefully, press on all the edges, until it is fully inserted.
TIPS :
– Some tutorials recommend, before inserting the cap, keep it in the refrigerator for about ten minutes. I’m personally not convinced this works.
– You have to go little by little. Water exerts a pressure that you have to fight against. Patience is the key to success
– It may be good, for the first few times, or if the ball is very large, to have someone else hold the crystal ball while you press the stopper.
Let’s do it!!! Steps 7-8
7: Seal the crystal ball.
Apply the silicone at the junction of the cap and the glass ball. Dry for the time recommended by the manufacturer.
8: Join the crystal ball and the base
Apply glue to the inside edge of the top of the base. Enter the crystal ball and hold for a while. Very carefully turn the ball over, to make sure it doesn’t come off. AND YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO MAKE A SNOW GLOBE IN 8 STEPS !!!
If you feel like it …
In the page “Tutorials” you will find many other ideas related to snow globes. If you want to know more about my creations go to“My projects” .
Credits
The title image is a creation of Adrianna Calvo in Pexels
