May 29 2008
Frugal Fun with the Kids!
If you have kids you no doubt find broken bits of crayon all over the house. It can be especially annoying when you don’t find them before the vacuum cleaner or worse – the family dog.
Kids don’t like crayons anymore once they are broken and they tend to leave them wherever they happen to be at the time, but here’s a way to keep those broken chunks of color rounded up and get the kids to help you do it!
Crayon Crafts to the Rescue!
Broken crayons can be shaved down and turned into great arts and crafts projects for you to share with your kids. My favorite involves shaving several colors (keep them separated by using paper muffin cups) and letting the kids spread a thin layer on a sheet of waxed paper.
On another piece of waxed paper draw a simple shape such as a heart or a star. Place this sheet atop the crayon shreds and apply a warm iron, using smooth strokes until the shreds have melted. Allow the project to cool completely, then carefully cut the design out.
Peel the waxed paper away from the wax and you can add a simple hanger made with a paper clip. This new artwork will look great in a kitchen window and your kids will have the satisfaction of knowing they helped to create it!
Color Your World
For a more adult craft project, collect broken crayons in a few similar shades. The next time you make candles, use plain uncolored wax (which is cheaper) and toss in a few broken bits of crayon, allowing them to melt and color the wax. There’s a lot of coloring agent in those bits, and you can play with the shade you want by adding a bit of this color or that one.
