How Tuesday - Making a Dry Snow Globe

I found several folks on Pinterest who had made these and was so enamored with them I just had to make one.  When I realized how easy it was, I taught the members of the garden club.  It works so perfectly in my pine cone and snow flake decoration style this year.  Don't you agree?

My husband's family gifts him sugar-free jelly for every occasion, so I have 1/2 pint jelly jars which are perfect for this craft.  However, if you have larger one pint jars, those will work too.  These are a fun project and were a huge hit with the garden club.

Pinecone Dry Snow Globe

Jelly jar with lid
pinecone
cork coaster
cotton balls
lots of glitter
hot glue
tacky glue
length of jute

STEP 1 You need to prep the cork first.  I got bulletin board squares and cut them into circles that were about 1/4 inch smaller in diameter than the enamel canning jar lid.

STEP 2 Once you have the Cork circle, you need to glue it to the center of the backside (inside) of the canning jar lid.

STEP 3 After the cork dries, you need to add the pinecones.  I used plain and painted, Douglas fir, white pine and ponderosa pine among others, and one I even decorated with red balls or glitter.

STEP 3 continued. Attach your decoration to the cork.  I am all about pinecones this year, so the decorative items are pinecones.  I am making these for my sister, mother and in-laws for the holiday this year, so that is why you see 6 different globes in the photographs.  One cone was rather tall, so I carved out a hole to glue it into, the others were glued directly to the cork and one was too short, so I put an extra piece of cork under it.

STEP 4  After allowing the mounted cones to dry, you need to cover the cork with cotton.  I used one cotton ball for each globe (so not much.) You need to separate the fibers by pulling apart with your fingers.

Then place some glue on the cork and press the cotton down into it.  You want it to stay put when the globe is turned upside down, so you do need to glue it.  You do not need to cover the sides of the cork, as these edges will be hidden by the glitter and the finished edge of the jar (see step #8.)

Once you've created “snow covered” cork, you are ready to assemble the snow globe.

STEP 5 Add glitter.

I made a glitter of a combo of small crystal glitter and faux snow that is a mixture of sizes.  I blended them together on a plastic lid, then measured three teaspoons into the jelly jar and test to see if  it is deep enough or too deep. 

 

I added up to 6 teaspoons in some with taller cones, but stopped at 3 teaspoons for shorter.  I put in 6 teaspoons first and sealed a jar then turned it and found the snow covered the entire pine cone.  Not exactly the effect I was looking for.

STEP 6 Attach the lid to the jar.  You have to place a bead of hot glue all around the lid, turn upside down and press down onto the rim.  

Realize hot glue will make that lid edge very warm, so hold the pine cone while you apply the glue and press in the center of the lid to get the glue to hold.

I tried putting the glue on the jar rim to avoid the cotton, but the glue dripped into the jar, the cotton got tangled in the glue when I put the lid in and it did not seal very well, so although it requires more effort, put the glue on the lid edge, then turn it over and drop onto the jar rim.

STEP 7 Allow the jars to dry entirely before you turn them over.  You do not want the glitter sticking to the glue. 

STEP 8 Cover the jar threads with jute or ribbon. While I was letting them dry, I decorated the jar rim with a length of jute tied in a bow. The best technique was to use a long piece,  120 inches.  I centered it against the jar rim, 

Then wrapped right and left ends around the jar until the threads of the jar were entirely covered.  Then I tied it off with a bow or a knot.

In a couple cases I experimented with ribbon and pine garland, but the jute was by far the most attractive. And Farmhouse Chic!