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Handmade Snow Globe

December 10, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

how to make a homemade snow globe

Yesterday during a short burst of craftiness, I made a snow globe using a Mason jar. From start to finish, this handmade snow globe took less than thirty minutes which included scrubbing clean the Mason jar which contained oily, congealed, leftover Thanksgiving salad dressing inside.

Last year, Annabelle gnawed the base off the tiny white Christmas tree (pictured below). Since I couldn’t throw it away, it’s been waiting for the perfect project. I’ve had the miniature snowman candle since my children sold wrapping paper and other stuff no one needed during school fundraisers in the early 1990s. Not kidding.

Step One. Secure embellishments to the jar lid using a hot glue gun. Use whatever you have on hand. I used the snowman candle and tree. (I added a tiny piece of berry garland to my tree – visible in the last picture.)

HOMEMADE SNOWGLOBE

 Step Two. Add snow. I used a combination of granulated sugar and…wait for it…wait for it………..GRITS! Yep. (You can use that cool fake snow sold at craft stores, but I improvised. Plus, I’m partial to grits…) And I added a sprinkle of red glitter which served no purpose, and I would omit next time.

It looked pretty cute on my windowsill, and I considered stopping there, but then I would have made a snow lid instead of a snow globe. Not that there’s anything wrong with a snow lid.

homemade snow globe - snow added

Step Three. Screw the jar onto the lid. I did this backwards, but it worked. Next time, I’ll glue my embellishments onto the lid, pour my snow into the jar instead of the lid, screw the lid on and flip upside down. But whatever. It’s meant to be shaken, so no biggie.

Step Four. I glued a little festive decoration on top because once I start with the hot glue gun, I can’t leave well enough alone.

HOMEMADE SNOWGLOBE - TOP

 Step Five. Shake it up. Watch the snow (grits – heehee) fall. Admire the marshmallow world you’ve created. Gift it to a friend or keep it for yourself.

HOMEMADE SNOWGLOBE1

Mr. Snowman does look a bit freaked to be in there, doesn’t he? Bless his heart.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]I made a snow globe. Guess what I used for #snow? [/tweetthis]

P.S. I discovered through the wonderful world of Instagram, my friend Busvlogger and his adorable kids made snow globes yesterday too. If you don’t know about Busvlogger and his YouTube videos, you are truly missing out. He is a stay-at-home dad who shares his daily adventures with wit and charm. Check out his snow globe project below. He shows how to do this with children (sans hot glue). You are very welcome.

Musicial Pairing:

A Marshmallow World – Frank Sinatra / Dean Martin

 

Christmas Card Display

December 8, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

I love Christmas cards. Not only do I enjoy sending and receiving cards, but I like to display them throughout the season. The images are just too pretty to not show off. And my favorite way to display Christmas cards involves no crafting whatsoever. If you follow my blog, you may have already guessed my method. It’s the same way I display old photos.

I use vintage flower frogs.

display christmas cards using vintage flower frogs

Flower frogs make the perfect stand for displaying Christmas cards, old photos with Santa, and vintage holiday postcards. No hot glue gun required. No rules required either.Continue Reading

Handmade Ornament Ideas

December 6, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

I signed up for the Arkansas Women Bloggers handmade ornament exchange and immediately thought what on earth was I thinking? I had to come up with a homemade ornament idea just when my mind felt tired and blank. Ornament.Exchange.Remorse. With only a couple of weeks to made final edits and get my manuscript to my editor, I was doing everything except what I should have been doing. (Not gonna lie, it feels good to say my editor even though there’s always a chance she may return the thing back marked “lost cause”.)

Anyhoo.

I was matched up with Jessica who blogs at Life With the Bauer Bunch. Jessica, a small town Arkansas girl, is super busy working and raising three kids. She blogs about motherhood and figuring out life as she goes (her words). Jessica is real and normal and reading her blog is like visiting with my best friend.

I finished my edits, my manuscript has been sent and I managed to make an ornament for Jessica too. The season of eternal holiday magic.

Here it is.

Handmade Christmas Ornament

Jessica and her kids seemed to like it. Whew:))

I sort of cheated because I’ve made this ornament before. You can get the basic pattern HERE. I changed up the process somewhat by using scrapbook paper instead of vintage book pages, and I Mod Podged it to make it a bit more substantial. The buttons and rick rack are vintage. I used glitter glue instead of real glitter which is not so messy.

Now for my surprise.

Alicia who blogs at Simple Words by A drew my name. Alicia and I met last year in Helena and even canoed the Mississippi River together without incident, a bond not many people share, right?

canoeing the Mississippi River

A self-proclaimed crafter and apparent overachiever, Alicia sent me two handmade ornaments. (Sorry, Jessica. You got shortchanged…)

handmade ornaments

Her gift included a sweet, handwritten letter. When was the last time I received a letter?

The ornament on the left is filled with Hemingway quotes because she knows now much I love Ernest Hemingway. Very thoughtful! The fun ornament on the right is covered with a soft red and white yarn. Both really boosted my holiday spirit.

Now if I could just get my Christmas tree up!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis url=”http://wp.me/p58902-1aU”]#Homemade #ornaments = holiday spirit! @SimpleWordsbyA @thebauerbunch @ARWomenBloggers [/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:

Celtic Women – It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

 

 

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Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (2022)

THE THIRD ACT OF THEO GRUENE (coming 2025)

Recent Ramblings:

  • Sunday Letter: 11.23.25
  • Maggie and Miss Ladybug: My New Children’s Nature Book
  • Sunday Letter: November 9, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 26, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 5, 2025

Novels:

Coloring Books:

Fiction-Themed Coloring Books

Backyard Phenology:

Children’s Nature Book:

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