Christmas is Almost Here!
Who would have thought that Epsom Salts could be used to make Christmas decorations? Here are some delightfully simple and affordable ideas for decorating your home this season and the kids can help too.
The Humble Pinecone
Collect some small cones and paint the tips or just the top half with craft glue and sprinkle them generously with Epsom Salts. Once dry hang on your tree with some metallic thread or ribbon, make a garland or just display in your favourite bowl or basket.
Mantlepiece Display
Fill glass vases one quarter full of Epsom Salts and top up with coloured baubles and tinsel.
Mason Jar Trick
Half fill mason jars with Epsom Salts and embed a small pillar candle or tea light. Alternatively, paint the outside of a jar in red or green leaving a simple clear pine tree shape in the middle before you half fill with salts and add the tealight.
Jazz up a Plain Candle
Tape off areas you want to remain unpainted on a plain pillar candle. Mix equal parts of poster paint with craft glue and paint the bare areas liberally. Don’t paint over too much of the tape as it makes it difficult to remove. Then roll the candle in Epsom Salts and leave to dry for 4 hours or overnight before removing the tape. If you’d prefer to skip the painting part, buy coloured candles, coat with glue and roll in the Epsom Salts for an all over sparkle!
Magical Windows
Even though we have Christmas in summer, some of you still want to recreate the magic of a winter Christmas. So here’s a very special idea: mix 1/3 cup Epsom Salts with 1/2 cup warm water in a glass measuring cup. Stir until the salts dissolve then add a drop or two of liquid dish soap. Dip a microfibre cloth into the solution and wipe down your chosen window. Finally dab the glass with some paper towel to get rid of excess moisture. As the solution dries your window will appear to have ice crystals on it. Any window cleaner or a vinegar water solution will clean the glass afterwards. Look out for some homemade gift ideas using Epsom Salts in our next post.
Happy Christmas crafting!
Credits:
My clever nest
DIY everywhere
Jamie Brock hubpage
Claudia Mitchell hubpage
eHow