Step 1: Prepare a design drawing of the snowflake at the size you want to make it.
Step 2: Start with a 6 mm rod and attach a cold seal punty to the end. Heat the rod about 1/4" from the end and pull out slightly to create a thinned section.
Step 3: Remove the punty and melt the end into a small ball
Step 4: Add bits onto either side of the rod just below the thinned section of the rod.
Step 5: Melt in the bits on either side of the rod and then gather the glass ball that you created in Step 3 further while allowing the flame to splash on the tops of the two side balls so that as it collapses you don't create any cold seals where the arrows are.
Step 6: Add two larger bits on either side of the rod about 1/2" down from the cluster at the tip.
Step 7: Add two more bits lower down on the rod. When applying these heat the rod and the back side of the smaller bit above it so that the union between the two "arms" flows together as much as possible.
Step 8: Use a pinpoint flame to melt in all of the cold seals.
Step 9: Now make 5 more - or whatever your design calls for.
Step 10: Make a maria on a 10 mm rod.
Step 11: Punty onto the maria face then melt off the 10 mm rod.
Step 12: Melt the excess 10 mm rod back into the maria and use a marble mold to round out the face. Fire polish out any chill marks.
Step 13. Here you can do something interesting if you want to enhance the optical effects of the clear glass. I just heated the back and used a push to make a depression in the glass then fire polished it, but you're all more creative than I am so I'm sure you'll come up with something better.
Step 14. Now add all the branches onto the maria you've made and add a loop and your done.
Happy Holidays!