I have an old Martha Stewart Living magazine that I have kept for years, probably decades if I do the math, because I have always wanted to make a homemade snow globe. I never could get past that exotic ingredient, glycerin, of which the importance was stressed, so that the snow/glitter floated instead of dropping.
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| MARTHA's |
Flash forward to the age of DIY and of course, there are a ton of tutorials for how to make them and someone mentioned that glycerin is available at the the drug store. AH HA! At the same time, my aging cat Rocket has developed a serious baby food addiction. For a while she tricked me into thinking that she could only digest the $1.09 Gerber yucky chicken pasty stuff that makes me heave. And was eating 3-4 jars a day. Do the math! I don't spend that much on my own food everyday! But, the pile of adorable little glass jars were so perfect for my beads and baubles as mentioned here previously. Then, I remembered Martha's snow globes. Yep, just in time for the holidays.
First step, find little trinkety items that wouldn't rust, melt, mold or get icky in water and could fit in the tiny jars. I found trees at at Michaels and adorable miniature sleighs ($3 each - ouch!). The tress were flocked if I do say so. Remember that. And it rhymes with, well, if you ever crafted or shopped or dined or talked to me, you know what I'd say next. After about $60 on supplies - fine glitter, colored glitter, water proof glue - two varieties in case one failed, MS's pearly paint for the lid - adheres without sanding - (look closely and you will see the Ragu lid where it didn't!)!
I marched right up to the local pharmacy counter and asked the young girl behind the counter, where to find glycerin. And she walked me over to the suppositories, which by the way, are very expensive. And explained that was what was inside. I remember muttering that I didn't read that in the directions and I guess I could just squeeze them in. She quickly alerted the manager nearby to my predicament as, "can you help her? she's working on something big and needs a lot of glycerin and doesn't know how it will work..." As I stood there with the box of suppositories I quickly said that what I was working on was a CRAFT project before he thought I was really constipated. He put the box back on the shelf and took me to the next aisle,
first-aid supplies and ta-da - a cheap little bottle of glycerin. Score!
We assembled for a craft afternoon and made them. Or tried to. The timing didn't have the instant gratification that the kids wanted - wait for water-proof glue to dry fully? I'd missed that pre-planning. It quickly became a two day craft. Luckily it was all spread over mom's table not mine! I made mine extra special. With my German glass glitter in a perfect shade of pink. Fab-u-lous. By the following day that one appeared to have some type of chemical reaction - while the rest just looked a bit murky. The glass glitter looked really like toxic waste. After another day it was the murky river water we're known for here in the 'Burgh. Most of them turned out okay. A bit murky no matter water combo of water proof glue, distilled water and glitter I used. After a few days they all look good as long as you don't shake them and make them all murky again. Which makes them the saddest snow globes ever... and only $80 on supplies for these special gifts. You're welcome!
I met great people at both shows - customers and vendors. I am always humbled and inspired by the creativity and passion I encounter. This is my passion - it is pretty and trivial, but that is okay. I make my stuff with love from a happy place & the kindred spirits that buy it are sure to experience the same happiness... a great post-weekend feeling on a Monday. Need to keep that focus as the chaos of the holidays comes barreling at us. Happy. 
