How to Make Borax Ornaments

First, a word about Christmas presents from me. It all started when, one Christmas, I gave my grandma a candle votive thing for her coffee table and I gave my mom a Japanese birdcage. Several months later my mom said in an offhanded comment "You got your grandma a cool candle votive and all I got was a stupid birdcage." Needless to say I was really hurt. The Candle thing, I got on clearance from Kohls for $7 about 2 hours before I gave it to her. I put a lot of thought into that birdcage and it cost a lot more.

Ever since then, I've made all my Christmas presents, because if you make fun of someone's homemade gift to their face you are a TOTAL ASSHOLE. Plus, all of my family is pretty well off and I can't compete with the Ipod's and the Ipads and crazy electronics they get. I can't compete with that and I'm not going to but, I'm also not going to give everyone a candle and hand lotion box set that has no thought or emotion attached to it that I got from the dollar store a few minutes before I see them. A compromise I came to I guess was to make everyone’s present by hand. It lets me put a lot of time, energy, and love into it while staying within my budget.

This year I have made Borax tree ornaments.

You need:
Pipe Cleaners                    String                    Borax
Cups                                      Hot water            Pot or Kettle

First: Make shapes with the pipe cleaners. We celebrate Christmaka at my house so we have Magen David's, Snowflakes, Christmas trees and everything. My husband made these ones. The ones I made for everyone else are snugly wrapped up with their corresponding cards already. I think his are really adorable though so I'm going to put them on our tree.

Second: Cut other pipe cleaners with wire cutters to be long enough to stretch over the mouth of the glasses you are putting them in. Or, you can use pens and pencils. Use a pencil if your ornaments are going to be really big and heavy. Use string to tie the ornaments to the pencil or pipe cleaner.

Third: Scoop Borax into the cups. Make sure the cups are tall enough to hold the ornaments. I really like to use mason jars because you can see how much liquid they hold. But any kind of clear glass or cup that can hold boiling water can work. The best ratio I've found is 3 Tablespoons per 1 cup is the best. Any less than that and you won't get good crystals. Any more than that and the crystals are freaking huge.

Fourth: Boil water. Pour it while it's still hot into the cups. Stir it in the cup until the Borax completely dissolves. It may or may not be cloudy depending on how much Borax you put in there. Once the water stops swirling, put the ornament in. I put 2 ornaments in a cup because it takes less time to make them and takes less Borax. If you are going to make them then leave them I recommend you put 1 in a glass because sometimes they can touch and fuse together. I don't ever leave the house so I can check on them every couple of hours and push them apart with a spoon if they touch. Make sure you completely cover the ornament with water.

Fifth: After a few hours you will start to see crystals form because the water is cooling. If not, it's because you didn't use enough Borax. No problem, just dump it out, boil more water and do it again with more Borax. I like to leave them overnight. When the crystals are as you want them, take them out of the glasses and dry them on wax paper.

After they are dry you can decorate them however you want it. I tied ribbons around mine and put the hooks in the ribbons so I can hang them on the tree. 

Tank and Panzer helped me big time with this project because it was blowing gale force winds outside and sleeting. So, they had to stay in the kitchen all day.  

Have fun! If you make them send me pics!