Snow Globe Royalty: Leah Andrews and Her World Under Glass – WorthPoint

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Snow globes, regardless of whether they are high-end or kitschy souvenirs, have a unique way of capturing small moments of life in a tiny capsule. Whether they depict a forest in winter, a skyline, or an amusement park, the glitter, snowflakes, or confetti swirling inside, these glass globes make the scene come to life with every shake.

WorthPoint spoke with snow globe creator and industry expert Leah Andrews, owner and founder of The Queen of Snow Globes. Her creations have been on dozens of television shows and featured in films. She also makes globes for corporate clients who want bespoke mementos for employees or events. Her creations are not souvenir shop-level; they are custom works of art.

Andrews didn’t start her career making custom globes for clients worldwide, but she was always passionate about business and creativity. She had a run at learning about online companies and commerce in the music products industry. While those skills were valuable additions to her résumé, she wanted to apply them to something creative.

So, how did she land on snow globes?

Andrews told WorthPoint,

I was watching an episode of Sex and The City one night—the main character (Carrie) had a beautiful, huge New York snow globe and the moment I saw it, I was transfixed by how magical it was. I tried to find one online but it turned out this globe was very rare. Whilst searching for that globe, I was struck by the lack of quality globes that were available. There were so many of the usual cheap designs you might see in a travel shop or discount store—you know the ones, with air bubbles and a wonky setting? At the same time, I saw some snow globe kits for sale. I was looking for something creative to do at the time, so I ordered some and that’s how it all started.

IF YOU BUILD IT

Andrews learned a lot about snow globe construction with the kits, but her creativity also took hold. She has a background in art and sculpture, so she would create each globe with pre-made miniature animals or trees and then sculpt the base.

From making individual globes for private clients, Andrews learned that the process was time-consuming, saying, “I soon discovered how complex they are in terms of engineering—my business also evolved into a more B2B model, where I was being asked to produce larger quantities. I really enjoy the B2B world, so that became my business model, and I don’t make single pieces anymore.”

Snow globes are popular with collectors who like glass, miniature art, and kitsch, but the process of making different globes varies. WorthPoint asked Andrews about her production now that she creates globes in larger quantities.

She replied,

We utilize two modes of production. The most popular method is with my Chinese team’s factory in Xiamen, China. For the most part, China is almost the only country that produces snow globes these days. This is due to an extreme level of engineering that’s required, as well as every piece being painted by hand and hand assembled. There are secrets to keeping air bubbles out of globes and ensuring they are (almost) weatherproof, which are best achieved with a full commercial production set-up. For some years, however, I have also been extremely passionate about setting up some production in the United States, where the majority of my clients are based. We achieved that for the first time this year, with three small projects completed with my new US production team in Chicago. I am so excited for this production method to grow and improve—I have a big goal of bringing this kind of specialist, niche production back to the States, and I believe we are poised for it!

FAMOUS AND FABULOUS

One of the first creations Andrews made for television was for The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. The show was ending, and in the last scene of the final episode, there was a shot of a snow globe encompassing Craig.

She told WorthPoint she’d been lucky to work with so many creative people, saying,

Not long after that show, one of my favorite people of all time, Steve Martin, contacted me to produce a design. From there, I have also produced globes for Jason Alexander (Seinfeld), the cast and crew of Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight feature film, the TV Series Friends and Westworld, and companies like Calvin Klein, Mercedes-Benz, and Thom Browne. The cool thing about custom snow globes is that it’s kind of limitless—if we can sculpt it and create a magical miniature story, we can make it in a snow globe!

The Queen of Snow Globes website has a globe filled with golden flakes and an Oscar statue. Andrews told WorthPoint it’s one of her favorite designs: “One of our regular clients is the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles,” she explained. “We produce their Oscar snow globes and Oscar ornaments, as well as a glass-blown ornament of the Museum building itself. They are sold in the Museum Gift Shop. It’s such an honor to work with the team there.”

ADVICE FOR COLLECTORS

Andrews was never a snow globe collector, but she has a few bits of advice for collectors who want to keep their treasures in good shape. Air bubbles and leaks can come as a piece ages, and where a collector keeps the globe can impact its condition.

She explained,

There are some things that will speed that process up—for example, if a globe already has a tiny bubble and is subjected to daylight on a regular basis, the air in that bubble will basically multiply and the water will reduce over time, increasing the size of the bubble. Other things like heat will expand the size of the water molecules, while cold will shrink them. You may find that a globe with an air bubble in the winter will be completely bubble free in the summer! Each globe is sealed with a rubber plug—as that ages it can shrink a little and become less flexible, meaning that the overall water seal is a little compromised. The slowest, tiniest leak can then turn into a large air bubble in colder weather or with regular daylight. I always say to clients that snow globes are delicate, temperamental creatures because they are almost a living thing!

Snow globes will likely remain popular with collectors since there are so many types, from elegant crystal and hand-blown glass to souvenir shop trinkets. Gazing into a miniature world while snow sparks flutter around brings a little bit of magic to any space.

Brenda Kelley Kim lives in the Boston area. She is the author of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep End of Everywhere and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly News/Essex Media Group. When not writing or walking her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard sales, flea markets, and badminton.

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