RedfieldRoad: 2011

Here is my take on the Anthropologie Snow Globes

(NOTE: I decided NOT to use any water in mine....I wanted to glitter my trees and that wasn't going to work if they ended up submerged in water. I also didn't know if they would grow mold or how long things would hold up in the water....I think it still gives the same illusion but with less mess!)

First gather your supplies...
* canning jars (1/2 pint, pint, quart) and cracker jars; wide mouth (Walmart)
* little christmas trees; 3" to 8" (21 variety pack at Lowe's)
* modge podge; I used matte - but gloss will work also (Michaels)
* silver glitter; I used Recollections (Michaels)
* crystal glitter; I used the CHEAP kind from the kids dept. (Michaels)
* epsom salt (Walgreens)
* animals; single or packaged sets in kids dept. (Michaels)
* paper or foam plates, glue gun, wire cutters (if trees need to be smaller)

Next, pour some modge podge on a plate and the silver glitter on another plate.

Now take the trees and twist them through the modge podge and then twist them in the silver glitter....add a little bit of glue if you only want a bit of glitter or add more glue if you want the glitter to be more noticeable - this is what I did - I liked the look of more glitter.

The tree on the left is glittered and the tree on the right is not glittered (I know the glitter doesn't show up too well, but you can see that it just adds a little bling to the ordinary tree - and who doesn't love bling!

Now go crazy and glitter up a whole bunch of trees - I did all 21 of mine - here are the few left I need to put in jars.

LET THESE DRY - preferably OVERNIGHT, but at least an hour or so, otherwise condensation may build up in the jar....if this does happen, you can always open the jar and let them air out.

After the trees dry, you may notice a few gaps in the needles - they kind of take on a life of their own and do weird things as the glue dries, but DON'T WORRY, by the time you put the trees together, add an animal and put them in the jars, no one will even notice.

Now is the time to assemble the jars....plug in your glue gun and start deciding which animals and trees you want in each jar. Some jars I used only trees, no animals; anything goes so get creative!

Make sure the tree will fit inside the jar...if it is a little too tall, use wire cutters and cut the bottom of the tree off (you may be able to just remove the white plastic base).

Use hot glue to hold the trees and animals in place, but make sure to NOT glue anything on the red rim of the jar lid (if the tree hangs over slightly that is fine, it will just get squeezed in the jar) otherwise the lid will not screw shut!

Now take the epsom salt and glitter adding some of each to the jar. I put about a 1/4" to 1/2" (total) in the jar (if you end up with too much or not enough, you can always open the lid and adjust the amount).

Take the lid and put in on the jar and screw it shut...you may have to squish the trees in...and make sure the writing of the jar is towards the back or you won't be able to see your cute little vignette!

Now shake them and get the 'snow' how you like it....I like it when the snow has drifts - higher in some places, rather than all at the same level.

Group a bunch of these together and ENJOY, especially since the Anthropologie jars are $38-$48 each!