How to Grow Realistic Crystals (Easy!)

Whether you're needing a really cool Science Fair project or perhaps want to make something for your Fairy Garden, growing realistic crystals is EASY and fun to do!

• Mason Jar Lid
• Wire
• Superglue
• Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks (optional)
• Alum Powder
• Water
• Food Coloring
• Heat-safe Container

For this first step, take the Mason Jar lid and using your hot glue gun, glue the rim and lid together. You can also use a tin lid that does not need gluing (I used a pasta sauce lid).

After the lid is glued with the rim, take a nail or pin and create a small hole so that we can attach the wire through the whole. If you are using a hammer to poke the nail through the tin, please do this on a cutting board or a surface you don't care about: you don't want holes on your dinner table or kitchen counter!

After you have made a hole using a pin or nail, take your wire and cut it about 10-12 inches long. Next, thread the wire through the lid's hole. Have the wire stick out about 1/2 an inch or so. You can tape down the wire with duct-tape or wrap the wire into a ball so that it does not thread back through the hole.

Pour about a 1/4 cup of alum powder into a bowl.

Next, take your superglue and line the edges and bottom of the lid with glue. Before the glue dries, roll the lid in the alum powder. Leave the lid to dry for an hour.

After your glue has dried, bring two cups of water to a boil. Add 1 cup of alum powder and 1 teaspoon of food coloring of your choice to the water.

Once your powder has dissolved in the boiling water, remove from heat. Pour the liquid into a heat-safe container.

For this step, take your lid and wrap the end of the wire around a pencil or stick about 6 times.

Dunk the lid into the liquid. You will want to be sure that the lid is fully submerged in the liquid and that it is not touching any of the container's sides, including the bottom.

Leave the lid submerged overnight, or for about 8 hours. After these 8 hours, take the lid out of the liquid, dump the liquid out, and place your crystallized lid on a paper towel to dry (about 20 minutes).

For the last step, carefully cut the wire off of the lid: try to cut it as close as possible to the crystals.

Congratulations! You did it!