Homemade snow globes hold memories

#Middlebury #SnowGlobes

There’s something magical about a snow globe. Who can resist shaking a liquid-filled decoration to watch it “snow”? I know families that collect objects for snow globes on their summer vacations. When they give the globes a good shake and turn them upright, they smile with the memories. Now you can make your own tocommemorate something special you did in 2018.

Reminisce with your kids about activities your family enjoyed this past year, and then make a memory snow globe using a small waterproof object to represent the activity or event. Here’s how:

Snow globes like these can be made at home. Fill them with objects that bring back wonderful memories. (Submitted photo)

First, you want to have a vision for your scene and how it will be contained. Will you need a little jar, fat jar or skinny jar? A tall jam jar might accommodate that plastic bear figure as a reminder of a camping trip at a national park. A baby-food jar would make a perfect home for a little rubber starfish to represent the sea life you observed at an aquarium. It’s all up to you and your imagination.

• Step 1: Fill the jar with water and shake it to test the lid for tightness. Pour the water out, remove the paper label and let it dry completely.
• Step 2: Choose a clean waterproof toy, game piece, travel souvenir or trinket to inhabit the imaginary world. Place it temporarily inside the lid and lower the jar down over it, just to make sure it fits and allows enough space for the “snow” to fall when complete. An adult should glue the object on the inside of the lid with water-resistant glue, such as aquarium sealant from your local pet store. Let it dry 24 hours.
• Step 3: Fill the jar almost to the top with baby oil, or use distilled water with a few drops of glycerin added to the water. Sprinkle glitter or waterproof confetti into the liquid. An adult should apply water-resistant glue to the outside grooves of the jar rim and carefully screw on the lid. Stand the jar with the lid end up to dry for 24 hours.

Gather your kids around and shake your 2018 memory globe. Then hold still and watch.

Grandparent Tip: Enjoy a “crafting fest” with your grandchildren and let each one make a memory globe with objects that represent something you did together, such as a fishing trip, a book you read, a movie you saw or a recipe you cooked up. Talk about the memory as you create the globe.

Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” airs on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”

© 2018 Donna Erickson
Distributed by King Features Synd.