I saw a question in the February 2013 FineScale Modeler about what to use for snow on dioramas. When I was growing up, I helped my mother make candles at Christmas. Some of these were decorated to look like snow. To accomplish this, she melted paraffin (wax) and poured it into a mixing bowl. Then, using the mixer, she whipped the paraffin into a froth that she applied to the candles by hand. When it cooled, it looked exactly like snow. Paraffin blocks are cloudy, but when melted, the liquid becomes clear. When it is whipped, it turns white from the air that is trapped in the foam. The longer you wait to apply it, the bigger the “flakes.”
Tip submitted by:Donald SchneckWest Lafayette, Indiana