Thursday 3 December 2009

Day 3 and Pipe Cleaner Crystal Decorations



"Joseph, an angel has told me
That though it is you I shall marry.
I have been chosen to bear the Messiah
And it will be God's child I carry"

Now this is a blast from my past, something that I remember doing at my Playgroup before I started school, but you can not get Borax now, so need to use Borax substitute (I got mine from the chemist).



Materials

Pipe cleaners
Borax alternative
Water
Blue food colouring




All you need to do is shape some decorations out of the pipe cleaners.  We did snowflakes, hearts, trees and spirals (wrapped round pencils).



Then mix your borax solution with boiling water and add blue food colouring.  I used about 6 tablespoons to approximately one pint, but I just poured it in (I am not an exact type of person).



Once all the borax substitute is dissolved submerge your pipe cleaners and leave overnight.  The next morning remove and allow to dry and then you will have sparking, crystallised decorations.



Both my boys were amazed at the transformation and now MaxiMad wants to know ll the science bit!!



Now you could always do this salt I suppose, but it would take quite a while I would imagine.



MiniMad and MaxiMad have taken their decorations to school for the Christmas Tree decorating competition.  It is only 20p to enter and they really enjoyed doing this, plus for once no glitter to tidy away!



Don't they look great, MaxiMad was so excited that the first thing he did was show his daddy this morning!!!

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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow.. Takes me back. I have not seen pipe cleaners since school. I love the heart one best x

BadPenny said...

super decorations. I don't even know what Borax is !

dottycookie said...

Those are great! Where did you find the borax though?

Snafflesmummy said...

pipe cleaners are so much fun. I used them to make cobwebs at halloween

Vic said...

An exellent idea - did have to google for what borax was though.

Unknown said...

Lovely decorations, but what is borax? I have heard of it, but can't remember! suzie. xx

A Modern Mother said...

You are just a fountain of good idea, you mad woman. I had bookmarked this for ideas for Christmas crafts.

Jen Walshaw said...

OK borax is a cleaning thing, used in the olden days for scrubbing, laundry etc. I got the borax substritute as it is called at the local chemist for £1.35.

The hearts are the easiest

We love pipecleaners too

Anonymous said...

Aw pipecleaners - they take me back - what a lovely idea and what a lovely time you've had making them

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