Crystal Chemical Garden

This is good for making a temporary crystal sculpture that looks like broccoli/coral; ask Mom about it. Do not eat it. (Rachel and Pita, this means you!)

• 6 tablespoons salt
• 6 tablespoons blueing (chemical in sm plastic bottle - look in laundry detergent section of store)
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon ammonia
• A few drops of assorted food coloring

Combine all ingredients well. Arrange pieces of broken bricks* in bowl*, and pour about 1/2 of the salt mixture evenly over the bricks. (Reserve the remaining mixture in a tightly sealed jar). Put a dot of different colors of food coloring on the edges and tops of different bricks. Place in location where it won’t be disturbed and wait for the crystals to grow/bloom. Reserved solution can be added at the base occasionally (after a week?) to keep the crystals growing. You can also add additional drops of food coloring at growth sites. The Crystal Garden will have the appearance of coral and will be soft and powdery (and fragile!). It will keep growing even after all the liquid has evaporated.

• Note: can substitute 6 charcoal briquettes or any other porous material (sponges, etc) for the brick pieces; and an aluminum pie tin for the bowl.