ISO Uses for Old Crayons

[motherof2]

Does anyone have any ideas for using old broken crayons. I have a lg bag full of broken and 3/4 used crayons and keep thinking that there has got to be something that can be done with these without having to throw them out. Thanks for any suggestions.

[ajrsmom]

I have seen where you can put the pieces in tin muffin cups--mini or the big ones--and melt them to make big chunk crayons.

Making these with 2 or 3 colors are neat!

[Linda Lou]

That is a good idea about making big crayons out of them. Gabie would like that and wouldn't know the difference. He is only 9 months old, but we are starting to give him things to mark with. I can't see why we wait so long to let our kids try things sometimes. He had fun with a pen and drew his grampa a whale, LOL, for Father's Day in a card. Well, it does look like a whale with a spout of water coming out of the top. We were just talking about buying him some fat crayons today.
Found this online:
we took a piece of wax paper, shaved bits of crayon onto it (potato peeler or edge of scissors) placed another wax paper on top, and ironed it. Turns out kinda stained-glass-like... then we cut it into shapes and put it in a black construction paper frame and hung it in the windows/from the lights .
When I was a girl we made sand candles and used crayons to color the wax: Take a box and fill it half to two-thirds full of damp sand. Use your fingers to make 3-4 little legs and your hand to create a cavity. You can put seashells or other ornaments along the sides. Then you fill the shape with layers of colored wax, putting in one or more wicks after the first pouring. When they are cool, dig them out and enjoy.

[motherof2]

Those are some great suggestions. My next question is how do you get the paper off if it is being stubborn ?

[Linda Lou]

Since they are waxy, maybe get them wet? Wouldn't hurt them to get wet.

[ajrsmom]

Getting them wet was my thought too. Make sure to dry them good before melting them if that's how you are going to use them. For a really quick dry you could give them a quick shot with a hair dryer.


What did you decide to make out of them?

[motherof2]

I like all the ideas especially the candle idea. I love candles and love to give them as gifts. This would be a good idea for someone who is sensitive to scents. I also like the idea of lg crayons since I have some that have melted some when left in a hot car. I could just finish melting them and make a big crayon out of it. Is the cleanup very hard or do they just pop right out of whatever your melting them in? After this week, I will get busy and see what I can do with them. Thanks again for all the suggestions.

[hummingbird_0331]

Really neat ideas so far..Im going to try some too!

[cat lover]

Here is something on the same order as the muffin cups block crayons, but really look pretty!

Broken Crayons
heavy paper cups
candy molds
microwave

Remove all paper from crayons
sort colors
melt crayons in paper cups in microwave
pour into molds
cool and pop out

How To Make Candles using Old Crayons


• 1 wax carton (quart) (milk, fabric softener, or orange juice)
• 1 pound of paraffin wax
• 4 or 5 old crayons
• two trays of ice cubes
• a double boiler (or an empty coffee can and a saucepan)
• 1 piece of ordinary white package string about six inches long.

Caution: Do not heat paraffin directly over the burner. Paraffin is easily combustible. Use a double boiler or a two-pound coffee can set in a pan of water. I put the coffee can on top of home canning jar rings (the rings, not the flat lids). If the can is not set on top of something, the concave bottom creates a vacuum when the water begins to heat up, plus if it’s on the bottom of the pan, it's just that much closer to the burner.

Trim the top part of the carton off so that what remains is about six inches high.

Cut the string so that it is six inches long. (To make a wick that lasts longer, try braiding three pieces of string together.)

Melt the paraffin wax over medium heat in a double boiler or a coffee can in a pan of water. Use three-quarters of a pound for a somewhat smaller candle or use all four squares for a larger candle. Once the water begins to boil, it will take 10 or 15 minutes for the paraffin to melt.

Break the crayons into small pieces and add to the paraffin. If the crayons are added first before the wax is melted, the color makes it difficult to see if all of the paraffin is liquefied.

Use a pair of tongs (a scissors works, too), and dip the string into the paraffin. Dipping the string will ensure that it is coated with paraffin since the ice cubes may prevent some sections from coming in contact with the liquid wax. Hold the string so that it is in the middle of the carton and fill the carton with ice cubes. Pour the hot paraffin over the ice cubes.

The candle will be set in about 30 minutes. Let the candle stand for another hour or two until most of the ice cubes are melted. Pour off the water. Peel off the carton. Place the candle in a tray or on a plate to catch the rest of the water from the ice cubes as they finish melting. Let the candle dry for a day or two.

[Patch60hearts]

Cat lovers recipe is fun. We did this with my boys when they were younger. The melted ice makes the candle look swiss cheesey with holes but really interesting. This should be well supervised. The wax will burn you easily.