How To Make Borax Crystal Ornaments

     I mentioned in an earlier post that homemade presents are some of the best gifts you can give. But sometimes the hard part is coming up with something to make and actually being able to make it.  Well, today in Chemistry, we made crystal ornaments... And here's what you need to make them:

• Borax
• Water
• Pipe cleaners
• String
• A stick, straw, or pencil
• A cup or large container (depending on the size of your ornament)

     First, make the shape of your ornament with pipe cleaners, tie a string around it, and dangle it from the stick/straw/pencil over your container. Then, boil water and add borax.  Pour the solution into the container with your ornament.  In class, we used 300mL of water to 50g Borax. In the video, they used 2 cups of water to 1/3 cup of Borax.  It just depends on the size of your ornament. If you made a small one, you can fit it in a plastic cup and use the smaller amounts. If you made a bigger ornament, use a bigger container and the bigger amounts. Just make sure that your ornament is covered in the Borax/water solution. If it's not, the crystals won't form where it's not covered. Here's a video of the whole process:

They didn't mention it in the video, but for best results, you should make sure the Borax is completely dissolved in the water.
Day Twenty-Six Song Recommendation: "Run Rudolph Run" by Chuck Berry.  Another "Amp Up The Holidays" favorite.