How to Make Snow Globe Ornaments from Recycled Christmas Cards

Many Christmas cards are just too lovely to throw away, so I am always looking for new ways to recycle them into some form of decorative display. I have used them to decorate gift boxes, make napkin rings, ball ornaments and I have even made miniature toothpick-framed Christmas ornaments. Over the Christmas holiday, I came up with a new idea on how to recycle Christmas cards into beautiful ornaments to display on your tree.

Items Needed to Make Snow Globe Christmas Ornaments

NOTE: For demonstration purposes, I will make an ornament that is approximately four inches by four inches in size.

-Assorted colors of felt fabric (at least four inches square)
-Assorted used Christmas cards
-Plastic fillable Christmas ornaments (three inch round and clear)
-Styrofoam micro beads (approximately one tablespoon needed for each ornament)
-Christmas stencils or cookie cutters (must fit on four inch square)
-One-fourth inch wide ribbon (six inches)
-One three-inch long string of seed beads (your choice of color)
-Craft glue
-Hole punch
-Pencil
-Scissors
-Transparent tape
-Paper towel or toilet paper center cardboard roll (cut to two inches tall)
-Spanish moss or cotton (optional)
-Small figurine to fit inside plastic fillable ornament (such as an angel or tree) (optional)

Instructions for Making the Snow Globe Ornament

I trace only the outer edge of a snowflake stencil onto a square of red felt and then cut it out. I do the same on the decorative (front) side of a used Christmas card. If possible, use a card that has a scene on it, such as a snowy forest scene. Glue the cut out card and felt piece together and let dry. I position one-half of a plastic fillable ornament on the Christmas card side and lightly mark where I want it is to be centered.

I then take the plastic fillable ornament half and position the bubble side on the open end of the paper towel roll. I secure this with a couple pieces of transparent tape on each side. If there are any plastic pieces protruding from the sides of the plastic bubble, I snip them off with the scissors to make a smooth edge.

I glue a small piece of cotton to the inside wall of the plastic fillable ornament half (this is the side I am going to use as the bottom of the ornament). On top of the cotton, I glue a small figurine of a deer and let the glue dry.

With the cut out felt side lying on a flat surface, I put one tablespoon of Styrofoam micro beads in the center of the markings I made earlier. I apply a small amount of glue around the entire edge of the plastic fillable ornament half. I turn it over, align it with the markings on the card, and press in place. After this has dried, I add another small amount of glue all the way around the outer edge where the plastic half meets the card and apply my string of seed beads. To hide the two string ends I tuck them under the beads using a toothpick.

I punch a hole in the card/felt top, attach a piece of ribbon and my snow globe is now ready to hang on my tree. The Styrofoam micro beads act as falling snow when the ornament is shaken.

Sources: Personal Experience, Michaels Store