Snow Globe Ornaments

Each year the kids and I make ornaments for family members. Yesterday we created these snow globe ornaments with little penguins. I had originally pictured these with miniature trees and deer and perhaps a snowman inside, but my children have been obsessed with penguins since we read Mr. Popper's Penguins this fall. And when they saw these figures at the store I couldn't talk them out of making a penguin (or "gork gorks" as they've been calling them...you'll have to read the book to understand) project.

These look beautiful on the tree with the lights around them shimmering the glitter inside. And I must say the penguins are adorable. This project would be great to do in the new year as well when winter is still in full force...you could simply skip the hanging loop part and make a scene to sit on a shelf.

This project is fun, easy and inexpensive to make as most of what you need you probably have on hand...I only had to buy the penguins and the cups. Here's the project blueprint:

Materials

• Clear plastic cups (the short/wide ones are the best)
• Paper plates or other cardboard
• Cotton balls
• Winter figurines
• Ribbon or wire
• Beads
• Glitter
  
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors/scalloped-edge scissors
  
• Utility knife or other sharp object
  

Instructions

1. Cut out a circle from your cardboard base a bit larger than the diameter of your cup.
   
2. Take your cotton balls and break them up a bit to give them a light snowy texture. Place them on your base and cover with a cup to be sure you have the right amount. Then hot glue the cotton to the base.
3. Place your figurines where you want them and then take your scissors and cut out the cotton in that place. Put some hot glue directly on the base and place your figurine. It's important to secure the figures directly to the base and not onto the cotton or they won't be stable. Do this for each figure until your scene is complete.
4. Sprinkle glitter over your scene...we used white to give a subtle shimmer. When it's finished wipe the glitter from the rim of the base (where your cup will be placed).
5. Take your utility knife and make a hole in the bottom center of the cup.
6. Cut about a foot of ribbon and fold it in half. String a bead so that both ends of the ribbon go in at the same time. Then put both ends of the ribbon into the hole of the cup (starting at the top of the snow globe)...and then string another bead on (so that the cup is in the middle).
   
7. Figure out how long you want your hanging loop to be and then tie a knot in place and cut the excess ribbon. Pull it tight and put a dab of hot glue under the top bead to keep the ribbon in place.
   
8. Lastly, put a circle of hot blue around the edge of your base and quickly put your cup in place. Push to secure it and then admire your work!