OK, this may be something that happened just in my school, but I think somewhere in the late 60's/early 70's everyone was making these swirly bottles.  Right now I can't even think of how they were made, but kids used to make them and sell them.  They would take a clear jar and put something in it (silver or gold ink and colored water?)  -- I really have no idea -- but then when you were done you'd have this bottle of "stuff" that you could swirl around and it would generate all these weird patterns in the liquid.  I know the two substances didn't mix, so when it just sat there all the silver or gold would settle out to the bottom of the bottle.  Does anyone remember doing this or am I just nuts?

OK, this may be something that happened just in my school, but I think somewhere in the late 60's/early 70's everyone was making these swirly bottles.  Right now I can't even think of how they were made, but kids used to make them and sell them.  They would take a clear jar and put something in it (silver or gold ink and colored water?)  -- I really have no idea -- but then when you were done you'd have this bottle of "stuff" that you could swirl around and it would generate all these weird patterns in the liquid.  I know the two substances didn't mix, so when it just sat there all the silver or gold would settle out to the bottom of the bottle.  Does anyone remember doing this or am I just nuts?


I remember those, but I don't remember what they were called.

My sister had one on her window sill.  She made it art class.  I knocked it off the sill by accident while the window was open with no screen.  It hit the porch roof below and rolled off, smashing on the cement steps below.  Boy, was she pissed!

http://c1.craftingagreenworld.com/files/2010/06/Sand-Art-in-Recycled-Containers.jpg

OK, this may be something that happened just in my school, but I think somewhere in the late 60's/early 70's everyone was making these swirly bottles.  Right now I can't even think of how they were made, but kids used to make them and sell them.  They would take a clear jar and put something in it (silver or gold ink and colored water?)  -- I really have no idea -- but then when you were done you'd have this bottle of "stuff" that you could swirl around and it would generate all these weird patterns in the liquid.  I know the two substances didn't mix, so when it just sat there all the silver or gold would settle out to the bottom of the bottle.  Does anyone remember doing this or am I just nuts?


According to some Google searching, it's called Genie Bottles or Hippie Swirls


Hippie Swirls

http://teenprograms.pbworks.com/w/page/20404845/HippieSwirls


Genie Bottles

"When I was in first grade (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth; 70's), I remember a craft our teacher did with us. We kids each brought in a clear cleaned glass bottle (mine was a Wishbone salad dressing bottle) and the teacher put a quantity of something she wouldn't let us touch (I think it was a "magic powder" but it might have been a liquid), let us add a couple drops of color of our choice, and then the bottle was filled with liquid (water? I don't remember) and sealed. The fluid inside was opaque, pearlescent, and swirled like magic smoke, sort of silver metallic tinted with the chosen color. You could turn it over and shake it and whatever and it would keep making swirls, rather than homogenizing. We called them "Genie Bottles"."

"I think you're talking about a liquid used to demonstrate Brownian Motion. I seem to recall that it's some kind of fish scales/scale powder in suspension with food coloring. Hope that helps."

http://ask.metafilter.com/140926/70s-Genie-Bottles-of-DEATH


Make Your Own Bubbling Lava Lamp

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000035


Make Your Own Lava Lamp

http://www.oozinggoo.com/howto.html






Dan

Thanks! I tried googling it, but never thought to google "hippie swirls"  I have no recollection of what was actually in them.  I know it probably wasn't good for you.  Genie Bottle sounds familiar.  I'm thinking that may be what we called them. 

Thanks! I tried googling it, but never thought to google "hippie swirls"  I have no recollection of what was actually in them.  I know it probably wasn't good for you.  Genie Bottle sounds familiar.  I'm thinking that may be what we called them. 


In your descripton, you stated "everyone was making these swirly bottles" and everyone back then was a hippie! lol


Dan

I had some of this "stuff" and will try to research what it was and come back to post later. 

I think I remember metallic ink and maybe turpentine or rubbing alcohol?  They were probably just a rag away from being a molotov cocktail.

I remember those. We used to make them at fairs.



Cat