Instructions

1. Wrap your pipe cleaner around itself into a swirl shape, making sure to keep it tight. Try to close any gaps. Then wrap the end around one side to secure it so it doesn't unravel.
2. Cut a 6-7.5 inch piece of dental floss. Tie the dental floss around one end of the pipe cleaner swirl into a knot (It will look like an ornament when you're done).
3. Hang the pipe cleaner swirl from the loop on the skewer (or pencil, if you don't have a skewer) and test it out in the jar, making sure it doesn't hit the bottom. Your swirl should be perfectly suspended inside the jar, not touching any of the sides or bottom. After testing, remove the swirl for now.
4. Measure out 4 Tablespoons of Borax and pour them into the jar.
5. Boil 1.5 cups of water on the stove. When the water is at a steady rolling boil, pour the boiling water into the jar.
6. Stir the borax and the water together until all the borax has completely dissolved and you no longer see any borax bits.
7. Lower your pipe cleaner swirl into the borax and water solution, suspended from the skewer.
8. Cover with kitchen towel and let sit for 24 hours. After 24 hours, remove the crystal and let it dry.
9. Paint the edges and underneath the crystal with metallic paint and let dry.

   Variation to the project: If you can't find colored metallic pipe cleaners, you can use white thick pipe cleaners and just add food coloring to your water/borax solution. This will dye the crystals to whatever color you mix! *Make sure to close up any gaps in your swirl.

   Also, try different shaped swirls for different sizes and depths of crystals.