The Glass Castle Geodes

"I lived in a world where at any moment could erupt into fire.  It was the sort of knowledge that kept you on your toes." -Jeannette Walls, The Glass Castle

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls was this months book club pick.  The story is about Jeannette's unconventional life growing up in a family that made do with what little they had.  Jeannette brings humor and a personal strength to her stories.  One of her prized possessions was her geode that she found.  Her rock collection was her treasure, and since I am not going to find a geode buried in the frozen ground, I decided to make my own geode.  

Materials:

• Egg Shell (blown out and cut in half, preferably the long way)
• Alum Powder
• Elmer's Glue
• Paint Brush
• Plastic Cup
• Food Coloring
• Water
• Craft Stick for Stirring

Directions:

1. Using the paint brush, cover the inside of the egg shell with a thin layer of glue.  Cover that with a layer of alum powder.  Let dry overnight.
2. In a plastic cup add 40 drops of food coloring of your choosing.  Heat up water to just below boiling.  Add 3/4 cup of water to the plastic cup.
3. Add 1/4 cup of alum powder to the water solution. Stir to dissolve the alum powder.  Heat in the microwave to dissolve any of the crystals left in the cup.
4. Add the egg shell to the cup with the inside facing up.  Let sit 12-15 hours.
5. Remove the egg shell and let dry on newspaper.

The geodes turned out pretty cool!