Rainbow Crystal Snowflakes

Rainbow Crystal Snowflakes

You will need:

Borax powder (This is the active ingredient for the crystals)

Pipe cleaners (White works best for rainbow colors)

Boiling water

Food coloring (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple)

Shallow clear dish or bowl (or jars for individual colors)

Spoon

String and a pencil (to hang the snowflake)

Instructions:

Shape the Snowflake: Cut your pipe cleaners into 3 equal sections. Twist them together at the center to form a 6-pointed star. If you want a specific rainbow pattern on a single snowflake, color the white pipe cleaner with markers before twisting, or use different colored pipe cleaners.

Make the Solution: Boil enough water to fill your container. Mix in the Borax powder. The ratio is usually 3 tablespoons of Borax per 1 cup of boiling water. Stir with a spoon until the powder is completely dissolved.

Add Color: Stir in your food coloring. To get the rainbow effect from the generated images, you will need to make separate jars of colored water (one for red, one for blue, etc.) or use a "tie-dye" method where you color the pipe cleaner itself with markers before putting it in clear solution.

Suspend: Tie a string to the snowflake and hang it from a pencil resting across the top of the dish or bowl. Ensure the snowflake hangs freely in the liquid without touching the bottom or sides.

Wait: Let it sit undisturbed overnight. As the water cools, the crystals will grow on the pipe cleaners.

Dry: Remove the snowflake, let it dry on a paper towel, and it is ready to display.