Snow Globe Ornament – Vintage Car Snow Globe.
There’s a radio station in Chicago that gets an early start on the holiday season, switching over their format to play holiday music 24-hours-a-day. I thought this happened sometime after Thanksgiving but, to my surprise, realized they start much earlier …
as in last Friday earlier.
I was in the car driving home from the Loop when I hit the button for the station that plays the greatest hits from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. To my surprise, there was Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer crooning Baby It’s Cold Outside.
I turned up the volume and sang along – to both parts – as I cruised down LaSalle.
By the time I hopped onto Lake Shore Drive at Fullerton, I was belting out, “it’s the most hap, happiest time … of the year.”
My exit onto Belmont found me bopping my head as I rocked out to Rocking Around the Christmas Tree.
My short hop along the inner drive to Addison made me smile with an 80’s throwback to Wham’s Last Christmas (a visit to the video is worth it for the clothes and hairstyles alone).
Bringing it on home as I passed Wrigley Field was The Grinch Who Stole Christmas …
You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch
You really are a heel
You’re as cuddly as a cactus
And as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch
You’re a bad banana
With a greasy black peel
🙂
If only I could have topped it off with one of my hands-down favorites, Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You …
Ah well. Maybe next time. But all that driving and Christmas song singing made me think of my Day 8 ornament idea …
How To Make Vintage Car Snow Globe Ornament
Materials*
Large (140mm) Clear Plastic Fillable Ornament
Small Bottle Brush Trees (mine measure about 2″ tall from base to tip; here are a few buying options from Amazon. Click here and click here)
1:64 (or 1/64) vintage car (unfortunately, the car in this post has become really difficult to find or too expensive – you can try eBay – but here’s a similar look on Amazon (click here). And here are even more buying choices on Amazon (click here)).
*includes affiliate links
I found these amazing large plastic ornament balls at Michaels. They’re great because they open up down the middle.
The other materials included a vintage look car, bottle brush tree, baker’s twine, and Epsom salt.
I cut the base off the bottle brush tree using a wire cutter.
Using a length of baker’s twine, I tied the tree to the top of the car.
Place the car in one half of the ornament.
Add Epsom salt. I used about 1/4 cup’s worth.
Attach other half of plastic ball.
Add some baker’s twine …
And you’re ready to hang your new vintage car snow globe ornament on the tree!
Now it’s time to check out what my crafty friends have come up with on this 8th Day of Christmas.
Yarn Ball Ornaments | All Things G&D
Wood Burned Snowflake Ornament | Cherished Bliss
Vintage Jello Mold Ornament | Whats Ur Home Story
Simple Popsicle Stick Sled | Serendipity Refined
Mini Mason Jar Ornament | Lovely Etc.
Snow Globe Ornament | It All Started With Paint
Wispy Feather Ornament | The Happier Homemaker
Pom Pom Wreath Ornament | Remodelando la Casa
Hardware store Christmas Tree Ornament | Thrifty and Chic
Burlap and Reindeer Ornament | Bigger Than The Three of Us
Glitter Polka Dot Glass Ball Ornament | May Richer Fuller Be
Deer Head Ornament | Mom 4 Real
I wonder what Christmas songs they’ve been singing along to in their cars …
Linda
You might also like …
Vintage Car Mason Jar Snow Globe (click here)
For even more holiday inspiration, you can find more handmade ornaments by clicking here …
All 12 days – and all 144 ornaments – can be found by clicking here …
* Some of the materials used in my projects were purchased with a gift card provided by Michaels *
your funny! nothing better then rockin out to some classic christmas tunes. I just love that ornament. your series has been so much fun and everything you are doing is just amazing…photos too!
Everything is getting earlier and earlier. They never use Christmas music till the day after Thanksgiving. I started to hear Christmas music last week already.
People are just loosing touch of the True Meaning of Christmas.
I love your ornament by the way. It’s adorable.
The car; is that on the size of a Hot Wheel or Match Box car?
I gotta see if I can find a small John Deere tractor and make an ornament for this hubby of mine.
I know it’s early – but I’m truly loving the Christmas music in my car this year! And the car is the size of matchbox car. 🙂
It’s funny, we all love to sing in my family and not one of us has a great voice. Singing in the car is such a release, isn’t it?
Where did you buy the great car and even more important, where oh where did you get that size bottle tree?
I get mocked endlessly for my terrible voice by my kids! Ha! Those little bottle brush trees are sold in packages with multi-sizes. But I found an ebay dealer who sells them by the dozen. Let me know if you want a link to my source (though, I do guard it for my Etsy shop biz!).
This is so cute……but where do you find those little vintage looking cars?
I find my vintage looking cars at Howland Trading. Here’s the link: http://www.howlandtradingco.com/store/c/1571-Diecast-Cars.html
Oh I love this Linda! How fun! Also fun to hear you driving the routes of my old hometown area. Off to visit some of the other links and thanks for sharing this cool ornament.
I think this just might be my favorite ornament EVER!!!
Linda,
How cute is this ornament. ADORABLE!!!
Kris
Thank you Kris! 🙂
This is one of the cutest ornament ideas EVER!!! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you Lisa! That is so sweet of you to say!
This is really, really adorable, Linda! That car paired with that tree? Perfect. Love the vintage-y-ness!
Sooo Cute,, gonna make on for grandson has tree in his room & he will like this..Good JoB Thank’s…
Thank you! And this would be perfect with his favorite Hot Wheels (okay, maybe not his favorite one; he might find that frustrating)! Maybe his second favorite! 🙂 Linda
I think this one might be my favorite! I could definitely see more plays on it as well. So cute!
Love the snowglobe ornament!
So cute! This would be such a great project for my kids and I to do every year… Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you! So sweet – and the kids would love it! :)Linda
Can you please share where you found the vintage cars? I can’t find them anywhere! Love your blog, BTW!
The first one I found in a Toys R Us, but they don’t always carry them. So I found an online source where I order my cars. It’s called HOwland Tradeing Co. and here’s the link: http://www.howlandtradingco.com/store/c/1571-Diecast-Cars.html
🙂 Linda
This is so cute! I have a couple of friends who would just love this! So creative! I would love if you would share this at my blog party, Celebrate It! The party is all about celebrating our wonderful everyday life!
http://thefreshmancook.blogspot.com/2014/11/celebrate-it-blog-party-18.html
Linda, love it! You’re so talented! Pinned and shared 🙂
Debbie
This is GENIUS!!! And thank you for inspiring me with a few Christmas prezzies! And I have to tell you how much I LOVE your narrative of the city streets…I grew up in Chicago and this was a wonderful reminder of home!! (and I think the music started Friday because Michigan Ave lighting was Saturday)
The Christmas music actually started 2 Fridays ago! And I’m so happy to have shared some fond Chicago memories with you! It’s such a beautiful city! Thanks so much for stopping by! :)Linda
HI Linda,
Got to admit that I originally clicked on your post from Met Monday to answer this question: “How the heck did she get that car in there?” and I’m glad I did. Didn’t know that Michaels sold ornaments that open in half like that….opens up even more possibilities! I just love your vintage car with the tree tied to the top…so original and so very sweet. Thanks so much for sharing the tutorial with us.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Cheryl
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you stopped by! 🙂 Linda
Adorable! I will be at Michael’s tomorrow.
Eilis
My-heart-lives-here.blogspot.com
Hey! I was wondering what size ornament you used? I was debating between the 3in and 4in ones, wasn’t sure if you happened to know. Thank you!
I’m not sure. I just measured around it and it’s a 6″ radius and 12″ diameter. The car alone is 3 inches long.
This is probably the best handmade filled ornament I have ever seen. Way to go!
That is just such a sweet thing to say!!! Thank you! 🙂
Love the ornament with the tree on top of the car and the inspiration story was the best! I’m picturing this lady driving in crazy traffic (been in Chicago!) really getting into vintage Christmas songs and a big thought balloon suddenly flashes above her head! Pinned.
Hey, how did you know I’m a crazy driver! Trained on the roads of New Jersey … 🙂
I saw your adorable ornament featured at The Cottage Market. It is absolutely adorable Linda. Pinning!
Did anyone who has made this have difficulty with the epsom salts sticking to one side or the other of the globe? Mine seems to have some stuck on there with static electricity and it’s not so nice when it’s not clear… Suggestions?
Thanks!
I would dismantle & wash out the inside of the ball to get rid of the static electricity.
Thanks for the sweet idea!