The first step to creating these man made snowflake crystals is of course to gather the materials preliminary to the actual part that requires effort. Thank you to the Martha Stewart website for providing the instructions and materials for this experiment.

Take the three pipe cleaners and twist them into a six pointed star, constructing a frame for the snowflake. You can add more pipe cleaner attachments to make your snowflake structure more intricate as long as the attachments aren’t too close together. If they are, then the crystals will stick together making it not look as detailed. Other ways you can customize your snowflake is choosing the color of the pipe cleaners. Since the crystals are slightly translucent the color passes through. You can choose any color for the pipe cleaner to your heart's desires (if you have the color). Next tie a string to one of the points and tie the other end to a pencil or a stick which will suspend the structure in the jar. Tie the string tight as the structure will have to hang for 8 to 12 hours. Now grab your jar and make sure that your structure fits as you don’t want your crystals to stick to the side and removal will be difficult. If it doesn’t fit, trim the edges except the point that is connected to the string and you can trim that later.

Assemble your 9 tablespoons of borax using the rule 3 tablespoons of borax per one cup of boiling water. Then pour your 9 tablespoons into the jar, prepare the boiling water and your snowflake structure. Pour in your three cups of water preferably one cup at a time. Make sure to pay attention while pouring the water not only for safety reasons but to know if the water reaches a certain height. The higher the water is the easier it is to remove the snowflake. The water is cloudy with the white stuff in it, but we need to stir it until the borax is equally distributed. Once all the borax seems diluted into the water, put the snowflake frame into the water before it stops steaming. The borax requires heat to become a crystal. Make sure to lower the snowflake until it is entirely submerged under our borax/water concoction. In addition to this make sure the frame doesn’t touch the sides which is why a wider jar allows a larger snowflake structure. Don’t let the snowflake touch the bottom as the borax slowly sinks to the bottom and crystallizes there instead which also makes the snowflake stick to the bottom making it harder to remove.

Finally, adjust the position of the snowflake to fit the criteria listed above. Cover the jar and stick with a piece of paper which prevents the heat from escaping, speeding up the process. Leave the snowflake to suspend for 8 to 12 hours so do this experiment before you go to sleep, at least that’s what I did. Even when the borax rests to the bottom, don’t disturb the process at all or you basically reset the 8 to 12 hour timer. When crystals have basically enclosed the sides of the jar, empty the jar leaving only crystals and the frame. Slowly raise the snowflake out of the jar and then admire your glorious creation. Of course if the jar wasn’t tall enough and the crystal bottom stuck to the frame don’t fret. Use as much of your strength to yank it out without breaking the jar. If you can’t pull it out, ask an adult for help or wash it with water. You know what they say: rinse and repeat. This will get the snowflake out. The snowflake might be a bit bendy but that is the outside crystals breaking off from each other leaving a slightly bent pipe cleaner encrusted in borax crystals.