Valentine's Hearts

by Heidi Green

This craft is incredibly easy--just three steps! Remember, the asymterical shapes and crystal formations are part of the charm, so it's perfect for kids of all ages. Let your sparkly hearts dangle from the windows and catch the sunlight, or pile them in a vase or bowl.

Supplies:

Instructions:

Shape the pipe cleaners into hearts and curlicues.

Fill a glass or bucket with 1 cups of boiling water and 1/2 cup of Borax; stir.

Tie one end of a piece of string loosely around the edge of a heart; tie the other end around the middle of the pencil. Wind the string until the heart dangles a few inches below the pencil.

Position the pencil across the top of the glass or bucket, so the heart is suspended in the water (if the pipe cleaner touches the container's side, an ugly crystal blob forms).

Allow hearts to sit for at least an hour. The longer they are left in the water, the more the color fades--if left overnight the red pipe cleaners will be white.

Let the hears dry, and arrange them in a bowl, or hang them from a window or door frame.