Homegrown Crystals

I wanted to pay homage to my blogs name, so to honor it I will be teaching you to make homegrown geodes/crystals. No, I will not be compressing rocks and minerals. Unlike real crystals these only take about 8-9 hours to grow. Crystals usually cost around $200 and my version are a little under $20.

Materials Needed:

• 3 Tablespoons of Borax per cup of water

• 3 Cup boiling water

• Food coloring (Your Choice of Color(s), if you chose to use white pipecleaners)

• Pipe cleaners (Various Colors, preferably metallic)

• Large jar, glass or pitcher (heat-proof)

• Dish cloth or magazine (if your jar does not have a lid)

• Skewer or chop stick (if jar does not have a lid)

• Any kind of string

The color of the pipe cleaner is what decides the color of your crystals. For example, I used dark green to get the mint color. If you only have white pipe cleaners, you can use food coloring in the water to dye them (the fluffier the better!). Metallic pipe cleaners work best.

Directions:

1. Shape the pipe cleaner(s) and thread string through the edge.

2. Boil 3 cups of water, place 9 tablespoons of Borax in the jar. Place boiling water and mix the until it is completely dissolved.

3.Quickly place pipe cleaner into the solution and make sure it doesn't touch the bottom of your container.

4. Cover and let it sit for at least 6-7 hours for best results

5. Pat dry with paper towels.

6.