Valentines Snow Globes

We tend to remember our significant others on Valentine's Day. But what about all of the other loved ones in our lives?  These easy to make photo snow globes make a perfect little "gift of love" for grandmas, girlfriends, kids or even that special someone. Here are the instructions for making your own:

Supplies you will need:
Glass Jar (try a variety of sizes and shapes.  Baby food jars make adorable little shakers)
Paint (for painting lid if it doesn't match your project- spray paint works great!)
Laminated Photos or Other Artwork (You will want two for each jar so that it can be double-sided)
Mini Glass Beads (try plain clear or coordinating colors)
Decorative Elements (ribbon, rhinestones, stickers, charms, rubons)
*I used Bo Bunny's two new, beautiful Valentine lines for all of the decorative elements in my globes. To check out the entire lines, visit their website at http://www.bobunny.com/crushcollection.html

Instructions:

1. Clean out jars and lids and paint lids desired colors.  I found that spray paint works much better than acrylic, but either is fine.  You will probably have to paint several coats to get the lids really covered.  Allow to dry well before proceeding through next steps. 

2. Measure your jars and print and cut artwork so that it will fit in each jar. The artwork should fit tightly once it is laminated (laminating will add up to 1/4 inch or more so cut your photos accordingly). The most important dimension is the height of the photo.  After you laminate it, the lid needs to be able to close securely without touching the photo.  You will want two pieces of art for each jar so that you can glue them back to back. Print artwork on the thinnest possible material so that it laminates easily.

3. Laminate your photos and cut so that you avoid the air pocket around the photo.  Be sure to cut outside the seal line so that water can't leak into your photos. *It is better to cut far outside the seal so that you don't have any close calls.

4. Place your artwork in your jar.  Your artwork should be snug in your jar.  It will bend slightly, but that is okay.  It just adds to the "snow globe" effect.  If you are concerned about your photo shifting, you can secure it to the rim and top of the jar using some E6000 epoxy.  However, if your photo is snug in the jar, you shouldn't need the glue.

5. Add mini glass beads to the jar.  You really don't need very many beads to create the fun effect. Just pour a few into the bottom of the jar and you are all set.

When ready, your jar should look like this.

Notice how the artwork doesn't come up to the top of the jar. This will allow the lid to close without shifting the artwork.

6. Now you are ready to fill your jar with water.  You want to put as much water as you possibly can into the jar before sealing it. The less air left in the jar, the better.  Once you fill your jar, you can carefully place the lid on and secure it (try to avoid spilling out any water)

When the lid is secure, you can flip it over and see how the beads flow to the bottom.

7. Now comes the fun part...the decorating.  Use your embellishments to add a little flair to your jars.  Here are a few ideas to get you going.

This is my little "vintage girl" globe.  I kept this  really sweet and simple by just adding a few paper punched flowers with some bling in the centers.  Of course, I bent up the edges of the flowers and added a little distress ink to make them pop just a bit. 

You can see how just a few glass beads go a long way.  I could just shake this one up and watch it flow all day!

This globe (made from my favorite "Wild Coyote Ranch" jar) would be an awesome gift for a grandma!  On one side, it has a picture of the grandkids and on the other is a full family shot.  To decorate this globe, I added some Bo Bunny border stickers, lace, ribbon and a little charm to finish it off.  I love the vintage, rustic feel of this one.

Try adding a word or phrase in sticker letters to larger globes.  

These round stickers from Bo Bunny made the perfect topper for my globe. Placing a little something on the top just finishes up the look.

This globe was made from a larger (peanut butter sized) jar.  I fancied it up with a bit of pom pom trim, some cardstock stickers, and a heart charm.

Instead of doing a photo on both sides of this globe, I added a handwritten "love you list".  This idea is great for sweethearts.  You could also try having your kids write a personalized note or draw a picture for grandma or grandpa. They will love it!

I think this little gem has got to be my favorite.   Try making individual globes of your children and giving them to them to keep in their rooms.  *a little love note on one side would be a great addition*. 

This globe got a little glam by adding a paper flower, black lace trim and of course...bling!  I love the rhinestones on the top of this jar that just finish it off nicely.  Clear beads went into this jar as well.

For a final touch, I added the girl's names in black rubons to the side of the jar.  Super simple and subtle, but they add  just the right amount of chic!