Ah, science, from rockets to the computer I’m typing on, there’s almost nothing you can’t do! Which is why for today’s Workshop@home project, I’ve decided to show you all how to grow your very own crystals, with the recipe coming from A Beautiful Mess, one of the crafting blogs I frequent.

Materials List

• Egg shells
• X-Acto knife
• Non-powder Alum
• Elmer’s glue
• Paint brush
• Food dye
• Hot water
• Plastic containers
• Gloves

Instructions

1.  Using an X-Acto knife, and over a sink since this will be messy, cut your egg shells in half. Wash out the egg shell and let it dry. Don’t worry about being too neat about this. This will create an inverse dome for the crystals to grow out of, like a geode.

2. Paint a thin layer of Elmer’s glue on the inside of the egg shells, then sprinkle it with alum. Let it dry out overnight. 

3. Heat two cups of water until it’s just about to boil. Add in about 40 drops of food dye along with 3/4 cup alum. Stir until the alum is completely dissolved, then let it dry for 10 minutes.

4. Next, put on some gloves so the dye doesn’t stain your hands. Pour the mixture into your container, adding in one egg shell with the open side facing up. Since the food coloring can color the container, I’d suggest using a cheap plastic tub. Once you’re done, gently rinse off your finished crystals and allow to dry.

5. Let your crystals grow for at least 8 hours. The ones in the picture grew for 20+ hours, but it’s up to you how long you leave them to grow.

6. Great, you’ve now have your own (very) coulorful crystals to decorate your house or apartment!