Do-It-Yourself: Water Globes
Water globes are water-filled containers that hold small objects and typically have small flecks of fake snow or glitter that float in the water when the globe is shaken. The objects inside the globes range from miniature scenes of people or nature to keepsakes, such as toys or photos. Make your own globes filled with snow instead of purchasing generic ones to give as gifts for the holidays. You could even capture a memory, such as a laminated wedding photo, with a water globe.
Things You'll Need
- Any size glass jar with a screw-on lid
- Oil-based enamel paint and paint brush
- Florist clay
- Plastic or ceramic miniature figurines or small toys
- Distilled water
- Glitter or fake snow
- Glycerin
- Hot glue gun with hot-glue sticks
- Wood block slightly wider than the jar (optional)
Instructions
-
-
1
Wash a glass jar and its matching screw-on lid thoroughly with hot soapy water to remove any food residue. Rinse well and let the pieces air-dry. Paint the outside of the metal lid to match the color scheme of your water globe using oil-based enamel paint. Let the paint dry.
-
2
Turn the lid over so you are looking at the underside of the lid. Affix small plastic or ceramic objects to the inside surface of the lid using florist clay. Include miniature people, figurines, flowers, trees or buildings to create a scene for a holiday or seasonal water globe. Use small toys, such as cars, trains, balls, clowns or animals, for a water globe made for a child.
-
-
3
Fill the glass container with distilled water, leaving approximately 1/4-inch of headspace so the objects on the lid do not cause the water to overflow when the lid is screwed on. Add 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. of glitter or fake snow, or both, to the water, depending on how large the jar is and how thick you want the snow or sparkle to fall when the globe is shaken.
-
4
Add a drop or two of glycerin to the water, but not too much or the snow or glitter will get stuck to the lid. Glycerin helps slow the floating material as it falls down in the water and is sold at drugstores.
-
5
Add a line of hot glue around the inside rim of the jar and quickly screw the lid onto the jar of water so the objects are submerged. Screw the lid on as tight as possible and add another line of hot-glue in the space between the rim of the lid and the glass jar.
-
6
Use hot glue to attach the lid of the water globe to a wood block that is painted or stained if you'd like a wooden base for your water globe.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Choose a glass jar that comes with a metal lid instead of a plastic one for a longer lasting water globe.
Examples of used glass food containers that come with metal lids include baby food jars, pickle jars or mason canning jars.
You can also paint the inside of the metal lid when you paint the outside to add a dash of color to the bottom of the water globe.
You can use the florist clay to add height to items inside the water globe by mounding it up beneath the objects.
If you notice the water is going to overflow as you are putting the lid with the objects on, stop and use a spoon to remove a small amount of water; do not let the water overflow or your hot-glue seal will not hold.
Do not include metal objects in the water globe or these will rust.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Dynamic Graphics/Creatas/Getty Images
