How To: Make a Miniature Tinsel Tree Snow Globe

A few weeks back I saw a really sweet tutorial for how to make a tinsel tree for a dollhouse. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass, so I decided to make one and put it under glass. Specifically a homemade waterless snow globe. Although there’s quite a few steps to this process, it really doesn’t take much time to make (maybe an hour). Now let’s get started.

Here’s a list of stuff you’ll need to make a miniature tinsel tree snow globe:

tinsel chenille stems (aka: pipe cleaners)
fine beading wire (I used 32 gauge, but you could use thread too)
glass beads (3mm or so)
a 3/4″ high wooden spool (optional)
white craft paint and brush
hot glue and gun
faux snow
one 4″ terra cotta pot saucer
one 6″ clear replacement light fixture globe with 3 1/4″ opening (you can find these at your local big box store; mine was about $5)

We begin with the tinsel tree. I pretty much followed the instructions found at Puchicollective, HOWEVER, I made mine even smaller and included a bunch more branches. These are the lengths I cut my tinsel pipe cleaners:

3 at 1/2″
3 at 3/4″
3 at 1″
3 at 1 1/4″
3 at 1 1/2″
3 at 1 3/4″
3 at 2″
3 at 2 1/4″
4 at 2 1/2″
2 at 8″

Like Puchi, I started with the two longest stems, twisting them together and down about 1/4″ inch (this step begins the formation of the trunk of the tree).

Then I tucked the three 1/2″ lengths into the stems and twisted the trunk 1 and 1/2 complete revolutions. Then I tucked the 3/4″ set in between the long stems and so on. The 1 and 1/2 revs will make the trunk between each set of branches about 1/8″ to 1/4″ inches long.

When you finish twisting in all your branches, glue the bottom trunk into a small spool, trimming off trunk excess. You could also bend out or spiral the two middle stems to create a ‘tree holder’.

Paint your saucer with your craft paint and let dry; then hot glue your spool (or holder) at the center of the terra cotta saucer.

“Fluff out” your stems and add a small handfull of faux snow to the saucer.

Now we’ll make some beaded garland for our tree. String your first bead onto the jewelry wire and twist the wire once or twice to fix the beads in place.