Glow-in-the-Dark Crystal Snowflake

Glow-in-the-Dark Crystal Snowflake Learn how to make a glow-in-the-dark crystal snowflake or another glowing holiday ornament. This is a safe and easy project thats great for kids of all ages. The crystal ornaments are light-weight and inexpensive to make. You can use  borax to make ornaments, but if you try this project with younger children and are concerned about safety then you can use sugar (borax isnt particularly dangerous; just dont drink the solution and do wash your hands if you handle the ornaments.) The snowflake in the photo is a variation on the borax crystal snowflake project. Materials for a Glowing Ornament borax (or could use alum or Epsom salts equally well; sugar works but follow instructions for rock candy to grow the crystals)very hot water (I used water from my coffee maker)glow-in-the-dark paintpipe cleanersscissors or wire cutters (optional)butter knife or pencilglass or jar big enough for your ornamentmeasuring cup or larger glass for making the solutionpaintbrush or cotton swab (optional) Make a Glowing Ornament Shape your ornament. To make a snowflake, cut a pipe cleaner into thirds (doesnt have to be exact). Line up the pieces and twist them in the center. Bend the arms out to make the snowflake shape. Trim the arms to make them even, except the longest arm, which you can bend over a knife or pencil to suspend the ornament in crystal-growing solution. You can make other shapes, of course, like trees, stars, bells, etc.Coat the pipe cleaner shape with the glowing paint. Let your ornament dry or least set up to ensure good coverage. Allow it to sit 15-30 minutes, depending on how much paint you used.Prepare your solution. Pour hot water into your crystal-growing glass to fill it (this is measuring your volume). Dump this hot water into a larger glass or cup (where you will prepare the actual solution).Stir in borax or alum or Epsom salts until the solid stops dissolving and start collecting at the bottom of the container. The reason you are using separate containers for making the solution a nd growing the crystals is because you want a saturated solution for quick crystal growth, but no solids, which would compete with your ornament for crystal growth. Pour the clear solution into your crystal-growing glass. Rinse out your other container so no one accidentally drinks crystal solution.If your pipe cleaner has a long arm, attach the ornament directly to a knife or pencil (otherwise you will have to tie the ornament or use a second pipe cleaner, twisted onto the ornament and the knife/pencil). Rest the knife on top of the glass, being sure the ornament is completely immersed in the solution and not touching the sides or bottom of the container.Allow crystals to grow overnight or longer (until you like the way they look).Remove the ornament from the solution and allow it to dry. You can hang it over an empty glass or set it on a paper towel (unless you used sugar, for obvious reasons).You can store the ornaments wrapped in tissue paper. Tips and Safety Dont drink crystal-growing solution, dont eat the ornaments, etc. If you used sugar or alum (both found in food), the ornaments are very safe to handle. Even though the glowing paint is non-toxic, ornaments arent food.If you used borax or Epsom salts, rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Its safe to wash any of these materials down the drain.You can vary the size of the crystals by using a less saturated solution (like 3 tablespoons of borax per cup of boiling water) and by controlling the cooling rate of the solution. If you are up for some experimentation, try refrigerating your warm solution and see what happens. What do you get if you keep the solution warm, like on sunny window?