Snow - Inspiration needed

[Eric the Shed]

Hi Folks
I wonder if you guys can help with some inspiration?
As a bit of a challenge I need to set up a snow blasted battlefield in the next two days – game is on Monday. The Scenario is based around the outskirts of a ruined city.
I can put out all the buildings, roads, pine trees etc but I need to give the whole thing a wintry feel.
At present I am thinking that I can cover the table in a white sheet/fleece material. But I need to dress the buildings, tree bases etc in a temporary snow.
Any thoughts on what can be used, quickly, cheaply, and readily available.
Cheers

Eric

[Burnt65]

Liberally cover with baking soda
Easy to clean up afterward

[Major_Gilbear]

I'd agree: baking soda.

[Hammers]

Yes, baking soda will fit the bill. It yellows over time though.

[Verderer]

The temporary aspect makes it a bit tricky. As suggested, sprinkling baking powder seems the quickest and most ready solution. Just hope it's not too drafty out there and that nobody spills a drink on the table?!

I seem to remember reading something model train manufacturer selling something that could be vacuumed off the trees and buildings after use, but that was ages ago. Maybe Faller? But a vacuumer would certainly be handy in the cleanup stage, maybe one of those small hand vacuumers for bread crumbs etc?

I dont' know how microballoons would work instead of baking soda, ie. are they very mobile (or do they mayb get a electrostatic charge) without fixative? What if you apply some water mist with a water spray bottle and then sprinkle baking powder/micro balloons, will they stick better (or just sizzle)? Would need some experimenting...

EDIT: by the way, I've been working with baking powder when doing some wintry bases for my miniatures, and it seems to get rather easily carried in the air and get in your nostrils, when you do a bit of applying, shaking and blowing the excess material off a base. So it might cause problems to people who are susceptile dust allergies or something? I have no idea if this would be a real healt issue, but consider this as the obligatory healt warning in the lines of 'don't put the plastic bag over your head, on account you might suffocate', alright?

EDIT 2: Yeah on the topic of table covering, I was lucky to find some paperlike 'temporary' table cloth that comes in a big roll, it has this uneven (not quite fluffy, but close to it) matte texture to it that  it seems rather handy for a winter base, and you could even draw on it, if you need to, . It folds almost like a cloth, so you can create hills by placing objects (like your green hills) under it.

[Rivera]

My local Poundland (bless 'em) is stocking some decorative snow that goes under the name of 'Confetti Snow' in 220g bags and appears to be a made of a fine plastic substance.  The only minor drawback is that it contains a very small amount of glitter, but I'm sure that there's an inventive way of removing it

So it's quick, cheap (a quid), readily available and reusable.

[emosbur]

There is a nice product named silica that is used in chemistry laboratories. It is white and very fine, but I don´t know if is easily available.
http://www.chinasilicagel.com/4-tiny-power-silica-gel.html

[Major_Gilbear]

There is a nice product named silica that is used in chemistry laboratories. It is white and very fine, but I don´t know if is easily available.
http://www.chinasilicagel.com/4-tiny-power-silica-gel.html

This stuff is dangerous, and if any of it is inhaled inadvertently (easy to do as it is very fine) it can cause silicosis. Also, it can be an irritant, so you need to keep it away from eyes and such.

Sorry, but I would really stick to baking soda.

[AndrewBeasley]

Do not go for the 'just add water' power.  It never seems to dry out!

Most of the issue will be the temporary nature - even the Woodland Scenics snow does not completely hoover up again (esp on cloth) and tends to stick to figures etc.

[emosbur]

This stuff is dangerous, and if any of it is inhaled inadvertently (easy to do as it is very fine) it can cause silicosis. Also, it can be an irritant, so you need to keep it away from eyes and such.

Sorry, but I would really stick to baking soda.

We used it at the university for chromatography without problems. Not irritant at all, because it is inert.

[zorg]

We used it at the university for chromatography without problems. Not irritant at all, because it is inert.

Any very fine dust can have nasty long-term health effects if aspirated. The results from a relatively short exposure likely won't be dramatic, but why take the risk?

[Major_Gilbear]

We used it at the university for chromatography without problems. Not irritant at all, because it is inert.

Just because it doesn't react, doesn't mean it can't be an irritant. For example, Asbestos is inert, and that's still pretty bloody dangerous... 

If you were mixing it with glue and smearing it onto a base, I could sort of understand. But sprinkling the stuff all over a table? That's too much I think, sorry.

[Engel]

I made this small little diorama for an christmas competion last year.

Something white, a peace of paper or cloth. And then some cotton to hide the bases on the tree. Maybe could be used to hide the bases of miniatures also.
Best thing is that you dont get flour or baking soda all over your place.

[emosbur]

Any very fine dust can have nasty long-term health effects if aspirated. The results from a relatively short exposure likely won't be dramatic, but why take the risk?

The stuff I used is like a fine sand. No way to aspirate it, because don´t make aerosol particles, like road dust. You may aspirate baking soda too, them.
Only a suggestion, no more from my side.

[emosbur]

Just because it doesn't react, doesn't mean it can't be an irritant. For example, Asbestos is inert, and that's still pretty bloody dangerous... 

If you were mixing it with glue and smearing it onto a base, I could sort of understand. But sprinkling the stuff all over a table? That's too much I think, sorry.

Asbestos is fibrous, and make microscopic fibres than can be aspirated, and is cancerigenous. Silica don´t. My idea was gluing it to a base, like sand or sawdust material, not sprinkling all over. Sorry if I didn´t understand the question correctly, english is not my native language.
Greetings.