I was all set on my plan, ordered the fairy lights from Amazon, and went to Michael's yesterday. I couldn't find this dome on a stand thing I'd conjured in my head, and was starting to feel let down at the end of my excursion. Then within about 5 minutes, it all started coming together. I had to let go of the odd specifics I'd worked up in my head, and instead see possibilities in the materials I actually had at my disposal. A footed jar with a dome could work, even if it didn't have a perfectly flat base. A funny centerpiece with bottle brush trees could be cut down to size, as could a plain wooden bird house ornament to serve as my cabin. Little Christmas light buttons could be glued to the cabin to look just right. Yes- it was coming together!
Within a couple hours (to let things dry), and for less than $25, I ended up with this:
Success! Also a 100% original creation, which impressed my husband and made me feel proud. :) I'm so excited to share it with everyone! Please share pics if you make one. I'd love to see what other people do with this idea.
Supplies
- Medium or large lidded jar
- Cotton stuffed animal stuffing
- 3 bottle brush trees, painted green with white snow, various sizes
- Small cabin ornament, 3-d sticker, or even a tiny bird house
- 1 popsicle stick
- Elmer's glue
- 1 pack of Christmas light buttons. Sequins or plain buttons could also give the same impression in a different style.
- Hot glue gun and glue
- 1 small strand of white fairy lights (like these)
- Silver glitter
- Glue
- White paint or white spray paint
- Paint brush
- Small stick or velcro to secure fairy lights to lid
- Optional: paint for cabin, if you buy a plain one (brown for walls; green or red for roof and windows)
- Tilt lid upside down, and paint the inside of the lid with glue. I chose just to do a large splotch in the center, not the whole thing. Pour on glitter and shake off excess. Set aside to try.
- Break a popsicle stick in half, to be your cabin's chimney. Place a little bit of cotton stuffing trailing past the top of one half, then glue the other half on top (wedging the stuffing in between but floating out the top of the sticks as the chimney's smoke). Let dry. Glue to back of cabin and let dry.
- Alternative: paint a straw to be your chimney, add cotton "smoke," and glue to cabin.
- If necessary, paint cabin. Set aside to dry.
- Paint rest of lid with white paint or spray with spray paint. Set aside to dry.
- Hot glue the Christmas light buttons to the cabin.
- Twist the fairy lights inside the dried lid, taping in place as necessary so they won't pop down into your display (unless you want that!). Secure the battery pack in place, switch still accessible, with a popsicle stick wedged in place or by affixing velcro to the lid and battery pack.
- Hot glue the cabin and trees to the bottom of the jar. Place cotton snow around and under the pieces.
- Turn on your lights, put the lid on, and smile like a fool. :) Look what you did!
Glue and glitter on the lid. This will look like happy snow when done!
Painted lid. Spray paint may have been better, but I'm ok with this. Wintry AND hiding the fairy lights: double win.
Cabin cut down to size, with popsicle stick chimney and cotton smoke, painted, and button lights glued in place.
Fairy lights twisted around so the whole lid is covered, and battery pack wedged in place.
Pieces hot glued to the jar and snow arranged around everything. I even put some snow on the cabin.
Close up of the little happy scene.
This happy piece of winter looks great on the bookshelf, way out of reach of my 3-year-old. :)
This is super cute! Love it!
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