We made our Borax snow flake into a snow flake Christmas tree ornament by looping a ribbon around it. Carefully pack it away in a cool, dry place each year so it doesn't get broken!
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Additional Time12 hourshrs
Total Time12 hourshrs25 minutesmins
Course: Crafts
Servings: 1
Author: LittleCooksReadingBooks.com
Cost: $5
Equipment
Gloves (optional)
Ingredients
White pipe cleaners
Twine
Straw or Pencil
Large Wide Mouth Glass Jar
6TablespoonsBorax
2CupsBoiling water
Blue food coloring
Instructions
Find a straw or pencil that you can lay across the mouth of the jar without it falling in.
Cut the pipe cleaner into three equal lengths. Cross two of the pipe cleaner sections at the middle to form an + sign. Twist the pipe cleaners together at the middle. Twist the third pipe cleaner onto the connected ones to form a "star" (or asterisk) shape. Test that your snowflake fits inside of the jar without touching the sides. Set aside.
Tie a long piece of twine to the middle of a straw or pencil.
Tie the loose end of the twine to one "arm" of your pipe cleaner snowflake.
Place the straw/pencil across the mouth of the jar and let the snowflake hang into the jar. The snowflake should hang into the jar without it touching the sides or bottom. If the string is too long, wind it around the straw/pencil until you get the right length.
Carefully fill the jar with boiling water.
One tablespoon at a time, add the Borax to the boiling water. Stir after each tablespoon to help dissolved, until all Borax has been added and dissolved. (There may be some remaining Borax at the bottom. That's OK.)
Drop 2-3 drops of blue food coloring into the water. Stir.
Carefully place pipe cleaner snowflake into the water. Lay straw/pencil across the mouth of the jar so that the snowflake is completely submerged in the water, but not touching the bottom or the sides.
Allow jar to sit overnight (undisturbed) while crystals form. (Or a little longer if you want more crystals to form.)
Carefully lift straw/pencil and remove crystal snowflake. Cut twine at desired length. Loop a ribbon for a Christmas tree ornament or hang in window as a sun catcher.