How to Make Pipe Cleaner Snow
Whether you live in an area that is snow-challenged, or whether you just feel like enjoying a little winter weather any time of year, follow these steps to create gorgeous pipe cleaner snowflakes. These crystallized snowflakes are a great project to do with the kids and will make you feel as though you are surrounded by your very own fairytale winter wonderland.
Things You'll Need
- White pipe cleaners
- Scissors
- String
- Pen or pencil
- Decorative beads
- Hot glue gun
- Jar
- Borax
- Food coloring (optional)
- Silver hair spray
Instructions
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1
Bend 3 pipe cleaners in half and twist them together at their midpoints to create a large, six-pronged snowflake. For a miniature snowflake, use only one pipe cleaner and cut it into 3 sections.
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2
Tie a piece of string around the six points, connecting them together and creating the outline of a snowflake. Tie another string around the point that will be the top of your snowflake and wrap it around the middle of your pen or pencil.
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3
Use your hot glue gun to attach a large decorative bead in the center of the snowflake.
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4
Boil some water then pour it into the jar. Take note of how much water you put into the jar.
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5
Stir the borax into the water, adding it slowly as you stir. The ratio to use is 3 tablespoons of borax to one cup of water. Stir the mixture until it is mostly dissolved.
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6
Submerge your snowflake into the borax-water mixture, letting the pen/pencil rest on the mouth of the jar. Make sure the snowflake is entirely covered by the water.
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7
Allow the snowflake to sit in the jar overnight, and then pull it out and admire the crystals that have encased it.
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8
Spray the finished snowflake with silver hair spray (found with costumes or at party stores) to give it a metallic glow. Hang your masterpiece as a tribute to the beauty of winter.
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Tips & Warnings
Add a little food coloring to the water if you want to have tinted snowflakes.
Use these same guidelines to make Christmas tree ornaments: twist the pipe cleaners into the shape of a circle, Christmas tree or angel and attach a hook after it has crystallized.
