How to Make Sparkling Christmas Ornaments with Epsom Salt

Many people have difficulty coming up with enough money to participate in a holiday season that is becoming increasingly commercial as the years pass. With spending money on presents, stockings and activities you may find that your budget for holiday decorations is a little stretched.

The following project involves using inexpensive household items such as Epsom salt, water, construction paper, string and crayons to make arts and crafts holiday decorations for both your Christmas tree and your home.

The activities involved provide the added bonus of helping you keep your little ones occupied during long stretches indoors. The activities can be done by older children without adult supervision, however if you have young children I recommend that you supervise them because you will need to use scissors to cut the paper.

One of the easiest decorations to make with Epsom salt is snowflakes. You may use any color paper that you would like for the snowflakes but I suggest using multiple colors to add variety. The finished snowflakes will make pretty and sparkly decorations for your home and possibly your Christmas tree.

Begin this part of the project by folding the paper you have chosen several times into a square shape. Then simply cut shapes such as triangles and squares into the paper. When you unfold it you will have a pretty paper snowflake.

After you have cut the snowflakes you will be ready to prepare your Epsom salt solution. To prepare the solution start with a 1/2 cup of hot water. Add Epsom salt while slowly stirring until the mixture becomes thick. Using a paintbrush, brush the solution over one side of each snowflake. Take care to cover the entire surface with just a thin layer of the solution, too much will supersaturate it and make it very easy for the paper to tear.

Allow the snowflakes ample time to dry and then flip them over. Stir the Epsom salt mixture and brush it on to the snowflake just as you did for the other side. Allow this side ample time to dry also. When it has dried the snowflake will look pretty and frosty.

Large and small snowflakes are great for taping to windows and stocking walls, but small ones also make pretty Christmas tree ornaments. To make ornaments follow the process above only this time use small pieces of paper. When you cut the small snowflakes also cut one 6 inch length of yarn for each snowflake you plan to make. Dip the yarn in the Epsom salt solution and allow it to dry; the yarn will also appear frosty when it has dried.

After both the snowflakes and the yarn have completely dried use a small hole puncher to punch a hole in the tip of each snowflake. Then thread the yarn through the hole and securely tie it to form a loop. Then your ornaments will be ready to hang on your Christmas tree.