Long time no post! I've been meaning for ages to post pictures and descriptions of the fun crafts projects that the kids and I do together. Here is my first stab at it!
I wrote an article in Stepmom Magazine (January edition) that included instructions for crystal snowflakes made from pipe cleaners, boiling water, and Borax. It sounds complicated but it was actually much easier than I thought! And the crystals are truly lovely, the kids and I were amazed!
After writing the article I began to experiment with different ways of doing the craft, and I found that I could make gorgeous ornaments from a person's name initial! So the kids and I decided to do these as Christmas presents for a bunch of folks.
It's so easy! All you have to do is twist pipecleaners into whatever shape you want....snowflake, initial, heart, whatever. Then boil some water. You will add 3 tablespoons Borax (found on the laundry aisle) for every cup of water. You can add food coloring if you want, but the plain ones are a beautiful sparkling white!
Pour the mixture into a deep (hot-water proof) container, then hang the pipecleaner into the mixture. I used a deep Tupperware storage container and placed wooden dowels across the top, and used clear fishing wire to hang each initial on the dowel. You just need to make sure the shape is completely submerged in the mixture, and not touching anything (other shapes, the sides or bottom of container).
Leave it undisturbed overnight, and the next day you will have lovely crystals! Here are some pictures of the process. I will say I don't think the final picture does justice to how pretty, sparkly, and "crsystally" these turn out!!
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