Make a Snow Globe – Baby Food Jar Snow Globe Gifts

It used to be that when you traveled, you could find snow globes in almost every gift shop at major tourist attractions and museums.  In fact, many people used to collect snow globes.  Not only were they a way to remember your visit to these locations, it also reminded people of winter even in the hotter months of the year.

Snow globes are almost a part of a different time and place.  They’re not as popular as they used to be as mementos, but children are still fascinated by them.  Some children still ask for them when on holiday, but anyone can make one with the right parts and some time.

This year you can help your child make their own snow globe, something just for Christmas or for any time to remember the cold of winter. 

 

Here’s what you need to make one:

* Small glass jar with a tight-fitting lid (baby food jars are great for this).
* Distilled water or water that has been boiled and allowed to cool.
* Glycerin (You should be able to find it in most drug stores or in crafts departments).
* White or silver glitter.  Don’t choose glitter that is too fine – it’ll be too small to fall like snow.
* Small waterproof ornament or toy.
* Clear silicone sealant.  Adults should be the only ones to handle the sealant.
* Small plastic lid such as a film canister lid to elevate the ornament inside the jar.  Florist’s clay would also work.
* Decorative ribbon or fabric to cover the lid.

And here’s how to make your own snow globe:

Wash and dry the baby food jar and lid to be sure they’re completely clean.  Be sure the inside of the lid is clean as well.

Build up some clay or attach the film canister lid inside the lid of the jar.  Attach the ornament, toy, or other miniature to that, building up the base so you can easily see the figurine.  To make sure the toy is at the right height, put the lid on the empty jar and check it out.  Keep adding more clay until you’re happy with how it looks.

Add cold water to the jar, leaving at least ½ inch at the top.  Sprinkle glitter into the jar, approximately ½ teaspoon for the medium to large baby food jars.  Add ½ teaspoon of glycerin so the glitter will float rather than fall.

Line the inside of the lid with silicone sealant and then screw the lid down as hard as you can.  This should make the seal waterproof.  Run a bead of silicone around the outer edge of the lid and let dry overnight, lid side up.

You can make a wooden base for the globe if you like.  If not, decorate the lid with the fabric or ribbon of your choice by hot gluing it to the lid.  Let your globe dry entirely.  Then shake it up and let the snow fall.

Since your children have helped to make them, baby food jar snow globe gifts are great to give to friends and family.  They may not be perfect like those you can buy, but they will be loved for the time and energy you and your child took to make them.

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The Best Digital Picture Frame for Your Dollar

Digital picture memory frames are all the rage.  Instead of having to flip through picture albums, the picture frame displays pictures on a rotating basis.  Which is the best digital picture frame for your dollar?

Digital picture frames have been around since year 2000.  Originally the picture frames required an Internet connection to be able to download new photographs each night.  The owner could upload digital photos to a website and then download the photos to their digital picture frame.  Friends and family could also upload their own photos to the website and those could be added to the picture frame as well.

Things you may want to consider when buying a digital picture frame include:

* Does the picture frame have Wi-Fi?  Some users aren’t computer savvy, so a Wi-Fi system may not be the best choice for everyone.

* Digital picture frames obviously use a digital format.  Most digital frames offer the user multiple memory card formats so no matter what type of digital camera you have, you should be able to use the picture frame.  You can also buy an adapter if the memory card from your camera isn’t compatible with the frame.

* What type of playback do you want?  Some digital picture frames on the market have the ability to play music or video.  This technology is relatively new, so it may not produce the results you want.

* What’s the point of having a digital photo frame if you can’t see the picture?  Less expensive digital frames are generally 5.6 inches diagonally.  This may be great if you’re holding the picture frame, but if you’re sitting across the room from it the pictures will be hard to see.  Of course, the larger the picture frame, the larger the price tag is expected to be.

* Expect to pay $100 and up for quality digital picture frames.  You may be able to find them for less, but they’re going to be limited in size and capability.

* Does the digital photo frame have internal memory or is it entirely dependent upon the Internet connection to display the photos?  Better digital frames will have internal memory, some as much as 256 megabytes.

* One of the digital picture frames available today, eMotion 3-in-1 Desktop Media Player and Digital Frame, can also be used as a portable DVD and CD player.  While it is best to plug in the frame, it can be run by battery for up to 2.5 hours.

* The Ality Pixxa Digital Picture Frame has a calendar and an alarm function.  It has 512 megabytes of memory and can program your pictures to be displayed on a certain day.  You can also add movies or music to this picture frame.

* If the size of the display area is important, you may want to consider the Alorek ADMPF311 which boasts an 11-inch digital frame.  It comes standard with 1 gigabyte of memory.  It also has a USB port so you can upload images directly from a camera, camcorder, or zip drive.  You can also upload photos with the standard memory card reader.

* Finally, you may want to wait until closer to Mother’s Day to find your new digital picture frame.  They are usually marketed heavily during this time so you may be able to find a great deal during this time.  When choosing the best digital picture frame, take into consideration cost, features, and where you intend to place it in your home.

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Don’t Overspend this Christmas

Women are asking me for advice on cooking, baking and gift-giving this Christmas. If there’s one tip I can offer you, it’s this.

    *GET OUT OF DEBT!!!!
    *STAY OUT OF DEBT!!!
    *LIVE DEBT-FREE!!!!

Unless you’ve shopped during the year, or unless you’ve diligently saved money to spend at Christmas, you will be tempted to do what many Americans do in November and December: They push prudence and wisdom aside to indulge in overspending.

Is it really worth it?

“The borrower is servant to the lender” is a nugget of wisdom found in the Bible. Have you experienced how awful it is to be “servant to the lender?” I have! I don’t enjoy having bill-collectors call repeatedly. I hate paying interest on loans, and detest paying late fees! The way to avoid the stress of trying to pay back all those credit cards, or catching up on the bills you put off is to stay out of debt in the first place!

Determine honestly how much you can afford to spend on gifts this year, and stick to it! Promise yourself (and your spouse if you’re married) that you will not borrow one penny to pay for “Christmas,” and that you will not put off paying your regular bills in order to buy gifts either.

Get creative with traveling, cooking and gift-giving. Millions of people have done it through the years, and you can too! It begins with the determination that “debt is bad” and is directly followed up with a resolve not to go there.

Decide and act. Decide to enjoy your Holiday Season, even if it means spending less money, then act on it! Do whatever you have to, to avoid debt. I’d rather be a servant to my family than to the credit card companies! How ’bout you?
Be sure to pick up your copy of Stress Free Holiday Entertaining  for some tips to help you breeze through the Holidays and enjoy your family and friends!

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