Upcycled Snowmen With Sugru

@JagCagDesign
by @JagCagDesign
4 Materials
$5
1 Hour
Medium

Hi everyone! I am back with another fun upcycling holiday project using one of my favorite products – Sugru! If you saw the garden caddy and junk pumpkins I made, then you know that I love this moldable glue for so many reasons! This time, I am making snowmen from cast off salt & pepper shakers. So fun!

To start, gather your shakers. You could also use small bottles or jars and top your little snowmen with other types of “hats” (instead of shaker tops)… so many possibilities!

Fill your shakers with “snow”. You can use any kind of glitter. I love the old-fashioned mica glitter flakes, although they are a bit more expensive. I got a little box online a few years back.

Next, pull out some of your moldable air-dry clay. Roll it into a “head” between your hands. Tip: make sure your hands are clean. This clay picks up every little bit of fuzz off and dirt it can find! But don’t worry, if that happens I have a solution (I’ll share below). Try not to have any cracks in the clay, as they will widen when the clay dries. You can wet your fingers slightly to smooth it over, if needed.

Now put your head on top of your shaker, and set the hat on. Don’t be afraid to “squish” it down a bit. Real snowmen don’t have perfectly round heads, and you want to give these guys some character!

The next step is to poke your snowman’s eyes and mouth with a pencil. You could use anything sharp, but I like the pencil because the lead darkened the holes as I poked, making them stand out a bit more. I also poked a hole where I wanted the nose to go -- you’ll see why in a few steps! Let the head dry for 24 hours.

Now we are getting to the really the fun part – attach the head & hat, and add a nose!


Remove all the parts (the clay is not a glue, and with a gentle prod they will come apart). I used the new formula white Sugru to attach the head to the shaker, and then the hat to the head. Sugru works so much better than glue because it doesn’t drip, and it holds the pieces in place while it dries. Ever had the issue of glue running down your piece… or pieces slipping and drying at weird angles… or big blobs of hot glue showing?! (Sigh… the lift of a crafter… LOL!). These complications don’t happen when you use Sugru. And if any extra Sugru shows after you press the pieces together to join them, just scrape it off with your fingernail and use it for the next piece. A little goes a long way. Oh, and did I mention that the white Sugru blends in perfectly with the rest of the “snow” head?

It is time to add a nose! I used the brown Sugru for this part. Just make a little carrot shape and insert it into the hole that you poked earlier. So cute, and it glues itself in place!

I also used brown Sugru to attach buttons and other bits & pieces to the glass, hats, etc. Be sure to let all of your Sugru parts dry between 12 and 24 hours.

To finish off these fun little guys, you can tie on fabric or ribbon scraps for a scarf. I also used some vintage lace. And if you are like me, you may want to add little bits like keys, sparkles taken from broken necklaces, and wires with charms. I hand stamped some of the “joy” and “wish” charms. (I also make and sell stamped jewelry and accessories – you can see more on my Instagram and Facebook pages.)

Oh! I almost forgot! For a final touch, I added a little bit of rosy to their cheeks with some pink eyeshadow I had on hand. You could also use a light wash of paint (watered down).

If you make some, please share. I would love to see what you come up with! And you can enjoy 10% off your first order if you sign up for the Sugru newsletter here!

 

Happy Creating!

 

Xo,

Jamey


DIY Christmas Decorations

For more festive decor projects, discover Hometalk's best DIY Christmas snowman crafts.
 

Resources for this project:
See all materials
Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.More info
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 9 questions
  • Robin Robin on Dec 25, 2020

    This is the cutest and most clever idea I’ve seen on this site for quite some time. Excellent execution of the concept too! *****

  • Judy Benner Judy Benner on Dec 05, 2021

    I’m confused about the quantity of Sugru needed? Are the whole heads made of it or are they made of air dried clay? It looked like maybe you used clay for the head and Sugru for glueing it on?

  • Amy Amy on Nov 30, 2023

    Adorable! Love them!😁

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 97 comments
  • Eas87571672 Eas87571672 on Dec 15, 2023

    These are adorable! So whimsical and charming!! Great job!

  • Gwen Barham Loftus Gwen Barham Loftus on Dec 16, 2023

    These are adorable. I am going to remember this for next year for our crafting group project. Now to starting my quest at the thrift store for shakers.

Next