Christmas crafting: glass bauble snowglobe and other decorating ideas

 

 Last year I stocked up on clear glass baubles from Spotlight and decorated the insides with bits of tinsel, glass paint, glitter glue, sequins and pipe cleaners. Last week when Layla's preschool asked for donations for a Christmas hamper I decided to break up ALL the food that had been donated and pop in some handmade decorations (they had asked for decorations as well). So I placed some of last year's baubles in the six-pack tray they came in and whipped up a couple more. One had some simple white feathers popped inside and the other was a tiny bit more elaborate, but so pretty: a bauble snowglobe.

  I have always loved the little handmade snow globes people make from jars. Combine that with a hanging version for the tree and how adorable would that be? So I found some little trees from the hobby section of Casey's Toy World (you could try any hobby store that sells miniature train accesories as that's what this was. The actual process was easy enough - the trick is making sure the tree is small enough to fit through the mouth of the bauble - if the base fits, the actual tree will bend enough to squish through, but it will leave a little green residue (like glitter) inside the globe. Once the glue is dry, try blowing gently inside the bauble and shaking it upside down to let as much out as possible. Here's a quick and easy how-to.

See? Nothing too it. Will so pretty hanging on our tree this year (we've yet to put it up). Layla wants to make proper snowglobes for her teachers as Christmas presents, so we'll put the bigger trees to good use with some jars.

These baubles, above, are filled with sequins (spray adhesive sprayed in before sequins were popped inside); glass paint swirled around the base, and white feathers.

To wrap the gift we didn't bother with wrapping paper seeing as the colours were so pretty and it was a hamper anyway - we just tied a piece of baker's twine around it and topped it off with a handmade clay star gift tag. I think a box of handmade baubles would make a sweet present in themselves for someone like a teacher or anyone who loves Christmas!

These clay tags are my new favourite thing - the girls and I have been busy making Christmas decorations and gift tags, and more homey-based items. I'll share the results with you soon. For how-tos on the other baubles featured in the box, click here.

{All images by Belinda Graham for The Happy Home}