It’s beginning to look hearty-farty around here, and while I have yet to become a wreath crafting, mantle decorating mad-woman {which I fully intend to be some day}, I’m trying my darndest to be more seasonally astute.
And with this colorful display of VD prowess {that would be Valentines Day, not venereal disease, just to clarify}, I have officially graduated from the “Handicapped Seasonal Decorators” club to the slightly more prestigious “Practically No Longer Defunct” Association of Passionate Pinners.
Thank you, thank you.
Somewhere between stapling strips of vibrantly hued paper into a heart-laden garland and stirring colorful jars of borax saturated liquid, I discovered that there was a good chance I’d keep this nonsense up…not because my kids were enthralled by their mother’s wicked crafting skills, but because quite possibly every.single.time my eyes land on one of these house-adorning creations…I smile. A feel it deep in your chest kind of smile.
I love beautiful things. I literally crave their presence in my everyday life.
How much more these lovely creations made perfectly imperfect with tiny fingers and wild giggles.
Which brings me to these little things…
{That purple thing is Bug’s creation. Is it a spider, you ask? Or a running man? No, silly…it’s a heart. Sheesh.}
Chances are, if you’ve made this kick-butt laundry detergent, you have a box of borax sitting quietly on one of your shelves.
Want to use it up making delightful little crystal danglies with your kidlets just in time for Valentine’s day? Considering it’s far prettier than most of the danglies we get to deal with when it comes to these grubby wee babes, you may consider it all joy.
Besides, it’s easy and most of the work is done while you sleep, which is always a bonus, and makes for a great get-out-of-bed motivator.
* Pop your kettle on {or if you’re not a tea drinker [gasp!], boil some water on your stovetop}, grab your box of borax, some glass jars, pipe cleaners, string, popsicle sticks {pencils will work too} and food coloring, if you want to color the crystals.
* Form your pipe cleaner into whatever shape your heart desires…a spiral, a heart, your initial…or a stubby torque wrench. Whatever that is.
* Dissolve about 1/3 of a cup of borax in each jar, filling with boiling water and stirring well. Add a couple of drops of food coloring.
* Attach your creation to the popsicle stick with a piece of string, fully submerging it in the borax solution, while keeping it off the bottom of the jar.
* Let it sit – and cool down – overnight and in the morning you’ll have spectacular little crystals to hang in your window. Or from your light fixture. Or from your nostril piercing.
(We drained & dried ours over paper towel before hanging. Carefully toss out your liquid and simply soak your jars in boiling water – with a little assistance from a fork – to loosen the crystals that will inevitably form on the bottom of your jar.)
Make sure your kidlets know that this is NOT rock candy. Valentines is meant to be a fun, non-ER-visiting occasion, yes?
So, happy February!
Now go make a wreath or something.
{You’ll find step-by-step instructions and fabulous photos for these borax crystals right here – where I originally pinned this project from}
