Are you like me? I am always trying to think of neat stuff to do with my two girls. I want them to think back on their childhood and say... My mom was present. She did things with us. She was there for us. She didnt just clean, cook, or blog. I want them to say... I remember when my mom did _____.
This near phobia of mine - to ensure my children have a good childhood - leads me down many paths. Some are completely misguided. Some just miss the mark. Others are tolerable. And every once in awhile, I stumble upon greatness.
While I can not take credit for the idea... (thank you pinterest!) I found a gem of making our own crayons. But it is not an unsupervised craft. And nor is it for someone who doesnt want a little mess. But with many stores running specials on crayons for back to school this is a must do. (I got a few boxes for .25 each - woot!) GO ahead... do this... make a memory with your child/children today! In 25 years, this is the stuff they will remember!
Ok so lets get to it already! Here's the list of things you will need.
One silicone mold - we had a heart ice cube tray
One box of crayons
Craft scissors or a pairing knife
Cutting board if you use a knife
Microwave
Imagination !
The first part seriously played into my girls inner desire to destroy things and to "pick" at things. Remove the paper from all of the crayons.
Next part is for the adult. Cut the crayon into little bits. I learned that by cutting them smaller that they melt faster. Now here is where the imagination kicks in. I didnt want to just make normal colors.SO I had the girls create their own color combinations. If you mix colors in the tray, they will melt and be swirled....so they dont really "melt" into a new color. You could try stirring them with a toothpick to make them actually combine into a new solid color (?) perhaps.
Once you have them all filled up (to the tippy top) then carefully place in a microwave. We have a 1200 watt oven. I did it slowly so I wouldnt get a crayon explosion! I heated them at 70% power for 30 seconds at a time.
I let the girls watch the crayons slowly melt and deform. Abby was not convinced after the 4th round that this would work.... ahhh little one of little Momma faith....
After about 3 minutes... we got this.
I would HIGHLY recommend NOT touching the mold or moving it for at least 15 minutes. No need to discuss HOW I know this... just trust me.... Melted crayon feels like molten lava on your skin.
When the crayons are melted, they are shiny. As they dry and re-harden, they become more matte looking, although they do keep their gleam a little. I couldnt bring myself to destroy *Crayola* brand crayons (something in me just kept screaming it was wrong). So we did the el-cheapo Rose Art crayons.
The finished product comes out of the mold very easy and is beautiful. The mixed crayons make a rainbow effect. You can buy shapes like leggo men, hearts, stars, fruit, and holiday ones. Make and enjoy. These make great gifts for teachers, fellow students, friends for the holidays
This near phobia of mine - to ensure my children have a good childhood - leads me down many paths. Some are completely misguided. Some just miss the mark. Others are tolerable. And every once in awhile, I stumble upon greatness.
While I can not take credit for the idea... (thank you pinterest!) I found a gem of making our own crayons. But it is not an unsupervised craft. And nor is it for someone who doesnt want a little mess. But with many stores running specials on crayons for back to school this is a must do. (I got a few boxes for .25 each - woot!) GO ahead... do this... make a memory with your child/children today! In 25 years, this is the stuff they will remember!
Ok so lets get to it already! Here's the list of things you will need.
One silicone mold - we had a heart ice cube tray
One box of crayons
Craft scissors or a pairing knife
Cutting board if you use a knife
Microwave
Imagination !
The first part seriously played into my girls inner desire to destroy things and to "pick" at things. Remove the paper from all of the crayons.
Next part is for the adult. Cut the crayon into little bits. I learned that by cutting them smaller that they melt faster. Now here is where the imagination kicks in. I didnt want to just make normal colors.SO I had the girls create their own color combinations. If you mix colors in the tray, they will melt and be swirled....so they dont really "melt" into a new color. You could try stirring them with a toothpick to make them actually combine into a new solid color (?) perhaps.
Once you have them all filled up (to the tippy top) then carefully place in a microwave. We have a 1200 watt oven. I did it slowly so I wouldnt get a crayon explosion! I heated them at 70% power for 30 seconds at a time.
I let the girls watch the crayons slowly melt and deform. Abby was not convinced after the 4th round that this would work.... ahhh little one of little Momma faith....
After about 3 minutes... we got this.
I would HIGHLY recommend NOT touching the mold or moving it for at least 15 minutes. No need to discuss HOW I know this... just trust me.... Melted crayon feels like molten lava on your skin.
When the crayons are melted, they are shiny. As they dry and re-harden, they become more matte looking, although they do keep their gleam a little. I couldnt bring myself to destroy *Crayola* brand crayons (something in me just kept screaming it was wrong). So we did the el-cheapo Rose Art crayons.
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