Making a Snowman Snow Globe

DIY Winter Snow Globe

Raise your hand if you LOVE seasonal decor…  Decorating for the seasons is a fun and easy way to keep your home fresh.  And now that winter is right around the corner, it’s time for another home refresh.

Snow globes are one of my favorite winter decorations.  They remind me of when I was a little girl and my mom would collect snow globes from the different places we would visit.  Plus, the white glittery snow floating around inside is a special treat. 

The only trouble for me is that I have little ones in my house.  So whenever I decorate, it’s got to be kid-proof and kid-friendly.  In other words, unbreakable and not expensive.  Plus, whenever it’s something my kids can help me make, it’s always a plus.  

Snow Globe Variations

I experimented with making several kinds of snow globes.  Both open and closed globes were fun to make.  For open globes, I used candle holders, wine glasses, and rock glasses.  These are really pretty to look at and the pieces inside can be easily changed out.  They look very pretty as centerpieces on counters and on mantles.  The drawback here is that curious little toddler-size hands are drawn to reaching in and disturbing the village.  Not to mention, all it takes is one excited movement to send that beautiful glass over the edge.  Then you’re cleaning up glitter AND glass.

An alternative to the open glass is a closed plastic. Sounds simple, right?  It is!  You can normally find snow globe blanks and DIY kits at craft stores or your local dollar stores.  They’ll come with the globe, the base, and instructions for assembling.

The Snow Globe I Made This Year

Well, as it would turn out, the stores were out of the snow globes I originally used.  Go figure!  But where there’s a crafter, there’s always a way.  I found some small high cloche domes in the floral section of the Dollar Tree.  It was perfect!  The only thing is that since it’s meant for floral and not “snow globes”, it’s not meant to hold liquid.  But that’s ok.  I found a way to create the look of a true snow scene by using pretty opal glitter and Mod Podge.

 Come along with me as I show you how my kids and I created this cute snowman snow globe using items from our local dollar store.

Snowman Snow Globe

Materials and Supplies

• Glass or plastic container (I’ve used wine glasses, candle holders, and snow globe blanks)
• Glitter cardstock scraps (for trees)
• Black, white, orange, and red adhesive vinyl scraps
• Styrofoam circles (optional)
• White or opal glitter (I used “Olaf” and “Frozen Fractals” from Meraki Glitter Company)
• Blue acrylic or chalk paint (for the base of the snow globe)
• Glue gun
• Glue sticks (glitter glue sticks are great for this project)
• Mod Podge or other clear-drying adhesive
• Scrap ribbon (for snowman scarf)
• Snowman Faces files from Creative Fabrica
• Scissors and/ or Cricut or another cutting machine
• Transfer tape
• Alcohol, hairdryer, or heat gun

The Process

Snow Globe Prep

1. Use alcohol or heat to remove the labels from the plastic dome.
2. Wipe down the globe completely to remove fingerprints and dust.
3. Add a thin layer of Mod Podge or other adhesive to the top (rounded part) of the snow globe.
4. Sprinkle the fine glitter (“Olaf”) onto the adhesive and set aside to let dry.  Once dry, you can add another layer of glitter if you’d like.
5. Paint the base using chalk or acrylic paint.  I did 3 layers to get a smooth finish.
6. After adding the final layer of paint, sprinkle the “Frozen Fractals” glitter onto the wet paint.  

Snow Globe Scenery

You can make any kind of scenery that you want to place inside of your snow globe.  I chose to add pine trees so that I have the look of a snowy forest.  White, silver, and green glitter cardstocks all make beautiful snow scene trees.

Making the Trees

1. Use glitter cardstock to cut the shape of the trees.  You will need 2 shapes for each tree.
2. Cut a small vertical slit in the top of one tree and at the bottom of the other tree.
3. Assemble the tree by interlocking the slits.  
4. Make as many trees as you would like.
5. If your snow globe base is dry, you can use the glue gun to add the trees to the base.

Snowman Face

Now it’s time to add a face to make this into a snowman.  This step is completely optional.  If you prefer, you can leave the face off and just set up your snow globe as is.  For that, just skip this section and scroll down to the “Finishing Off” section.

File Download

1. Purchase and download Snowman Faces files from Creative Fabrica
2. Unzip the file and choose the snowman face you want to use.
3. Upload either the SVG or PNG file into your cutting software (i.e. Cricut Design Space)

Decal Design

1. Open the file in your design software (I’ll be using Cricut Design Space).
2. Size your design to fit your globe.  I sized mine to just under 2” wide.
3. Send your design to cut.  This is a great way to use up the vinyl scraps we all tend to collect.

If you do not have a cutting machine, it’s still ok.  You can cut the pieces by hand.  Just open and print the “PDF” version of the snowman face you want to use.  You can then use them as a pattern for cutting out the vinyl pieces.  You can even print them on sticker paper and then cut them out.  There is always more than one way to make a project work for you.

Dressing Your Snowman

We’re almost done.  Let’s dress up our snow globe to make it look like a snowman.

1. Clean the outside of your globe using alcohol and let it dry.
2. Use transfer tape to put the snowman face on the outside of the globe
   1. Another idea is to add the face to the INSIDE of the globe.  Remember that your vinyl likely won’t stick to any areas where you already have glitter, though.
3. Cut ribbon or fabric scraps to make a scarf for your snowman.  Tie it near the base and secure it using the glue gun.
4. Add a top hat, beret, or earmuffs to finish off the look if desired.  On the one I made, I cut off the top of a sock and tied it off to make a little beanie for my snow person.

Finishing Off

Alright, here’s the final and most fun part.  Let’s bring it all together.

1. Attach the dome to the base.
2. Feel free to add a little glue to secure the pieces together.
3. If you want, you can use a styrofoam floral round as an added base.
   1. Paint the foam using acrylic paint or chalk paint and let it dry.
   2. Glue the completed snow globe to the middle of the foam base.
   3. Add any other decorations.

Mission complete!  You have a cute and fun winter wonderland to use as a centerpiece.  What will you add to your snow globe?  

I’d love to see your creations.  If you make this, please tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.  I am EJsFunCrafting on all platforms.