I know I’m not alone in being completely charmed by all of the pretty snow globes that have popped up all over Pinterest the past couple of holiday seasons. I mean, is there anything as sweet and nostalgic as snow globes? I kind of think not. So this year I decided to try my hand at making my own snow globes and called on my girl Alice to join me in the fun!
How to Make Homemade Snow Globes
I’ve shared a walk through of each step here, but scroll below for the printable DIY instructions card to make your crafting even easier!
First up, make sure your jars are cleaned and dried thoroughly. Using your sandpaper, scuff up the underside of the lid and then attach your chosen figurines using a bit of epoxy. (You can find mini Christmas trees, plastic deer and other little characters at places like Hobby Lobby and Michaels.) Epoxy is going to be your best defense against water over time, but it can be a bit thick and stinky so be sure to use it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Let the epoxy set completely and then fill your jar just short of full with distilled water. (You can get distilled water anywhere that you buy bottled water.)
Next up, add the tiniest drop of glycerin to the water. If you add too much it’s going to make the water kind of thick and chunky so depending on the size of your jar, you’re likely not going to want more than one drop. (But don’t skip this step because the glycerin helps suspend the glitter in the water giving it that snowy effect.)
Add your glitter to the jar, using more or less depending on how snowy you’d like your snow globe to appear. For best results, I found using tinsel glitter (which has larger glitter particles) worked best and gave the best snow-like look.
And that’s about it! Insert your figurine and screw the lid on firmly and give it a good shake! I absolutely love how these turned out.
For a bit of extra fun, you could paint or decorate the lid of the jar. Mine was white so I kind of liked the simple look, but you could spray paint the lids first or gussy it up with washi tape. These are perfect to give as gifts or to spend an afternoon crafting with the kiddos. Trust me, kids of all ages love snow globes!
[Art direction + styling by Cyd Converse | Photos by Alice G. Patterson.]
How to Make Homemade Snow Globes
Follow this easy DIY tutorial to make charming homemade snow globes - a beautiful, DIY twist on a classic holiday tradition.
Materials
- Clean jars with lids
- Distilled water
- Glycerin (available at most pharmacies)
- Plastic or ceramic animals, trees and/or figurines
- Tinsel glitter (mine is from Michaels)
- Epoxy
- Sand paper
Instructions
1. Make sure your jars are cleaned and dried thoroughly.
2. Using your sandpaper, scuff up the underside of the lid and then attach your chosen figurines using a bit of epoxy. (You can find mini Christmas trees, plastic deer and other little characters at places like Hobby Lobby and Michaels.) Epoxy is going to be your best defense against water over time, but it can be a bit thick and stinky so be sure to use it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Let the epoxy set completely and then fill your jar just short of full with distilled water. (You can get distilled water anywhere that you buy bottled water.)
4. Add the tiniest drop of glycerin to the water. If you add too much it’s going to make the water kind of thick and chunky so depending on the size of your jar, you’re likely not going to want more than one drop.
5. Add your glitter to the jar, using more or less depending on how snowy you’d like your snow globe to appear. For best results, I found using tinsel glitter (which has larger glitter particles) worked best and gave the best snow-like look.
6. Insert your figurine and screw the lid on firmly and give it a good shake!
My Favorite Pretty and Easy Christmas Crafts
Beautiful DIY Christmas decorations from DIY Christmas ornaments to homemade snow globes and more treasures to adore for years to come.
DIY Painted Gold Leaf Ornaments
Beautiful DIY Christmas ornaments made with gold leaf and your choice of paint
DIY Eucalyptus + Pine Christmas Wreath
A beautiful Christmas wreath and with easy how-to instructions
DIY Gilded Photo Ornaments
Create beautiful photo ornaments to trim your tree or give as sweet little gifts
DIY Mini Holiday Wreaths
Pretty little wreaths make the loveliest DIY Christmas ornaments or gift toppers
DIY Mini Birdhouse Christmas Village Ornaments
Make charming Christmas village inspired ornaments to add a special touch to your holiday home
DIY Terrarium Winter Scene
Lovely DIY terrariums make for the most charming DIY Christmas decorations
DIY Gold Leaf Star Ornaments
Easy DIY ornaments made with paper ornaments and gold leaf add a bit of glamour to every tree
DIY Marquee Christmas Tree
A play on the marquee light, this DIY Christmas tree marquee is a total family heirloom
DIY Glitter Confetti Ornaments
If you love a pretty DIY Chrismtas ornament, these glitter confetti ornaments are the exact kind of sparkle to add to your tree
DIY Gold Leaf Pine Cone Garland
This pine cone garland is perfect for Christmas but keep it up all winter long
DIY Glittery Gumdrop Ornaments
Glittering gumdrop ornaments make the prettiest DIY Christmas ornaments
DIY Mini Rosemary Wreath Garland
Tiny embroidery hoops and rosemary make sweet and simple Christmas decor
DIY Snow Globes
Capture the charm of Christmas with the simplest but prettiest homemade snow globes
DIY Mini Christmas Tree Paper Ornaments
Pretty paper tree ornaments make the most charming DIY Christmas decorations
Back to Top
yay!
OMMMMMGGGGGG!! You know im all over this mini treat!!! Clara and I will be making these!!
Such a cute idea…I love it!
So cute!! where did you get the tree stand- Michaels as well?
This is so adorable!!! =)
Ergo – Blog
So cute! I pinned this and am so doing it for Christmas!
That’s such a great idea! Love it!
Love this! Scooch and I are going to make some of these during his holiday break.
Can’t wait to try these, super cute!
My children love snow globes so as new family tradition each year we are going to make our own instead of buying from the store :-)
This is so darling!! Just wondering what you used on the tree to make it look so snowy?
I have added the glycerin to the water but it won´t thicken… Is there different kinds of glycerin? I bought it in a drugstore…
Hi Cynthia! I’m really not sure why it would be working, I got mine at the drugstore too and the first two attempts I actually added way too much and the glitter was clumping up in the water. Just a note – the water itself won’t visibly appear to be thicker, the glycerin just acts to thicken it just enough to keep the glitter suspended a little longer before it falls, giving it that snow globe effect. When in doubt I’d suggest just playing with it and adding more, one drop at a time, until it seems right to you. I hope this helps!
Great tutorial! I’m sure the kids would love this :)
Such a cute project! Do you know if the bottle brush trees will last in water?
Hi Jennie! Mine seem to have help up fine, just pulled them out from last year. Hope this helps! :-)
What is tinsel glitter? I couldn’t find it at Michaels. Is it chunky glitter? Do you have a picture of the bottle?
Hi Roxann! I made these a couple years ago so I don’t have photos of the bottle, but yes it’s a chunkier glitter. I found it in the kids crafting section at Michaels vs like where the Martha Stewart glitters are, if that makes sense. I hope that helps!
Help! I made these and the jars leak! What do I do?
Hey Sarah! What kind of jar did you use? I’ve never had any issue with leaking. A small line of epoxy around the top of the jar before you close it up should help! I’d let it dry fully before flipping it back up. I hope this helps!
Question: why do you not fill the bottle a bit more full so there is less space left at the top when you upend it? Does being fuller hamper the distribution of the glitter?
Hi there! I just found it worked better that way. I played with a lot of different methods, and I just found it was best for shaking and glittering!