GROVE TIP
How to make borax crystals
We had a blast making borax crystals, and it’s super easy to do. The best thing about borax crystals is that they grow fast.
Step 1: Scoop 6 tablespoons of borax into a wide-mouth glass jar.
Step 2: Pour in about two cups of simmering-hot water, and stir until the borax dissolves completely. (We added food coloring, but apparently not enough to turn the crystals a different color.)
Step 3: Twist pipe cleaners into the shapes you want. The color of the pipe cleaner determines the color of your trinket. If you want a big, chunky gemstone, coil a pipe cleaner into a bowl shape.
Step 4: Loop (or tie) a string through (or around) the pipe cleaner shape, and tie it to a pencil. Place the pencil across the jar so the shape is suspended in the liquid without touching the sides or bottom.
Step 5: Go find something else to do, and come back six to 24 hours later — the longer you wait, the more packed with crystals your shapes will be.