Create your very own galaxy in a jar — in just a few easy steps
You know those gorgeous photographs astronomers take of other galaxies far away? Well, you can make your own 3D version to add some color to your home. It's not just eye-catching, it can also provide perspective when things get stressful: if you can trap a nebula in a bottle, you can do anything!
Kids will love this project too.
You'll need:
- a mason jar or clear wine bottle
- acrylic paints
- cotton balls
- glitter
- holographic star confetti
- plastic cups with water
- wooden popsicle sticks for mixing
Here's how:
Fill four plastic cups with water and pour a different color acrylic paint into each of them (or as many plastic cups as colors you want for your nebula).
For more pastel results, use less paint. Mix the paint into the water with your mixing sticks and adjust for your desired brightness.
Then take a handful of cotton balls, pull them a little bit apart, and place them at the bottom of the jar or bottle. It's a good idea to figure out how much of each color you want first, so you know how many cotton balls to use from the start.
Pour the first color of paint over the cotton, adjusting if it gets too watery by adding more cotton. Then sprinkle a little glitter and some of your stars over this layer.
Repeat the procedure for each color: cotton, paint, glitter, stars.
When you're finished, you can add an inspirational message to the jar as this woman did, or simply place it wherever it looks best! How easy was that?
Check out this video to watch the process step by step: