Kim Archer | Mindful Living

Snow Globes Anyone?

I love snow globes and this Christmas I was determined to make a few as gifts for my mum and sister.

You may have spotted in the latest issue of Etzcetera Magazine, the big one I made using a bell jar for my mum? Well I decided to make a smaller version for my sister using a jar and a few bits and pieces.

I bought the glass jar from Freedom Furniture, but shop around the discount stores and you may pick some up less expensive compared to what I ended up paying.

The little scene is made from somebottle brush trees I bought from Etsy here at Moon and Tree. I bought white and green trees and still hope to make a few little globes for next year (my 18 year old nephew even put in an order that he would love one for next year!)

I used the Silhouette and a cut file - theres a heap of 3D village house cut files to choose from - and ater assembling it, I painted the house with Mod Podge, sprinkling on some glitter, trying to keep most of it on the roof.

I then sprayed some Heidi Swapp ColorShine to add a little colour.

The little animal came from a $1 packet of farm animals I picked up from Big W in the toy section. He also got some "sbow" treatment with some mod podge and a dusting of white embossing powder plus a dash of glitter.

To build up the scene and give it some height (it got lost in the bottom of the jar when I first started to put it all together), I used a metal watch tin to raise it all up. A hot glue gun keeps everything in place. I let some of the elements hang over the edge of the little tin so that I could fit everything in.

Once ready, it was just a case of filling the jar with Epson salts "snow" and carefully adding the lidded scene to the jar, screwing the lid firmly into place.

Tip the jar and let it snow!

 

a little tutorial

We gave my mum a magazine subscription for Mother's Day and because the notification arrived by email, we didn't have a little wrapped up present to give her on the day.

So, I spent some time on Mother's Day morning making a pretty fabric flower hanger thingy to hang in her study, by her computer, to make her smile - and it smells pretty good too.

Here's how!

supplies

• fabric scraps
• access to a sewing machine + bright red thread
• tiny buttons
• small scrap of cardstock
• a little bit of wadding or toy fill
• something to scent your flower - I used some fragrant wax chips
• length of ribbon for the "hanger".

how to

1. Choose a FIVE fabrics roughly about 12x14cm. Use all the same fabric, two types fabrics OR a different fabric for each of the five petals. 

2. Fold each piece of fabric in half WRONG sides together.

3. Head over to your sewing machine and stitch a very rough petal shape through both layers, leaving the lower edge free open. Stitch three times around your shape.

I prefer a random, shabby, uneven and imperfect flower SO I didn't make a petal template beforehand. BUT if you prefer a neater finish, by all means, create a petal shaped template on paper first to trace around for uniform shaped petals.

4. Once you have stitched your petal, use scissors to carefully snip around your stithing, leaving a narrow border.

5. Stitch all five petal shapes and snip out ready for assembly.

6. Cut TWO rough circles from fabric for your flower centre.

7. Type up a sentiment strip onto cardstock (or computer journal onto a strip of cardstock)

 

8. Machine stitch each end of your cardstock sentiment strip to your fabric centre.

9. Pin each of your petals, sandwiched between your TWO fabric circles.

10. Head back to the sewing machine and stitch all layers together ONCE, leaving a space for where your LAST petal.

11. Leave the opening where the last petal will go, open for now, so we can softly fill our flower shape with wadding.

12. Softly stuff your flower centre with some wadding/toy fill.

13. I added in a few little scented candle chips from my scented candle mishap. But you could add some lavender seeds or a cotton ball fragranced with a few drops of essential oil.

  
14. Finish off by sandwiching your last petal into place and slip a length of folded ribbon behind your petal, stitch all layers. Continue stitching, adding about three rows of messy stitching.

Trim all your threads and give yourself a BIG CLAP, gift wrap and give to someone special. Hang your little fabric flower from a drawer knob, door knob or add to a wardrobe to lightly scent your clothes.