Ohmystinkinheck

A while back I posted in my brain bits about the alphabet and number molds I saw blogged about at Let’s Explore. I showed my kids and though we searched for molds here in our own town, and even in the next town over, we couldn’t find them. No surprise there, really. So, we placed our order online and looked forward to making our own Alphabet Crayons.

Today we did. :)

The blog entry I read said NOT to use washable crayons. That confused me. There are washable crayons now? Where have I been? Why is this important? Were the crayons I used in my childhood NOT washable? So, if these newfangled crayons are accidentally left in a child’s pant pocket they’ll make it through the wash without staining everything else? OR is it that now crayons will wipe off walls, furniture, bodies, etc…because if that’s the case they probably stink as ACTUAL crayons.

I’m sure I could Google all of that, but then what would I have to ask you guys? EXACTLY.

Now, we had no idea which crayons were washable and which weren’t because our collection of broken and nubbed crayons were out in two boxes in the garage. TWO BOXES. We have a thing for crayons around here, but no one wants them once Kenny’s used them and they are flat. Oh, and those crayon sharpeners? They don’t work.

No, they really don’t.
Nope, not even the ones built into the box.
Seriously, don’t argue the point - I tried it already.

So, Kenny and Meredith started peeling the paper off the crayons.

Note to self: Now that I’m looking at that box it seems as if some of those look to be in perfect condition. Hmmmmm.

Let’s just say that the peeling part? IT TAKES FOREVER.

Just ask Kenny. I mean, doesn’t he look elated here?
I chose to interpret his scowl as concentration.

After a while, Meredith grew tired of peeling and started placing hers in the actual molds. She would measure them out and try to break them just right. For the record, it is MUCH easier to use the kitchen scissors. Also? There is that added ’something’ that feels very rebellious when one uses the kitchen scissors to cut crayons. It reminds me of that time when I used my mom’s Gingher’s to cut…oh wait, my mom reads this blog.

“Hi Mom! I didn’t do anything! I’m totally innocent! I swear I DID NOT use your EXPENSIVE GINGHER SCISSORS to cut into anything other than 100% cotton fabric.”

In the meantime, Emelie made up a batch of blueberry muffins.

She was so funny. She walked out of the kitchen, walked up to me with the Betty Crocker box and a smerk on her face and said, “Did you want me to make muffins for you?” Now, most mothers would say, “Oh no baby, I’ll make the muffins, you play with your siblings.” But not me. Nope, I’m a brat. I said, “Would you? Oh that would be sooooooooooo nice.”

And I didn’t even CARE that we were out of fresh blueberries and had to use the canned ones in the box. Nope, not at all.

In a few years I’m gonna have to up her allowance, I can tell already.

So, after we noshed on blueberry muffins (not just me - ALL of us), Emelie slid the crayons into the oven (about 275-ish), turned on the oven light, and watched them melt.

It took a good deal longer than the 20 minutes we read it would take. Ours were more like 30 minutes and I think two of them could have gone longer. But hey, it was all a grand experiment and we were having fun.

And look how fun they are! I broke 2 of the letters and Emelie broke 1 of the numbers as we were trying to get them out. After looking, I think that either that part wasn’t cooked long enough OR it wasn’t thick enough (not enough crayon to melt in that area) and so, it was weak. The molds are really easy to use - very flexible.

Oh, and see this one? This is a reason not to use the washable type crayons - the wax floats to the top and gels there.

I’m wondering if there is some way to skim that off the top in the process. Hmmmmm.

I put the numbers and letters away in a bag to use for school with Kenny. Hey, any chance to find interesting manipulatives is nice, right?

Since it seems we are always going to birthdays for the kids’ friends, I thought it would be fun in the future to wrap a gift with a bag full of alphabet or number crayons OR just with the child’s name spelled out…or even a bunch of 6’s if they are turning 6; we’ll see.

29 Responses to “I’m mel-l-l-l-l-ting!”

1. karen

   Soak the crayons in water overnight - those wrappers should come right off. What a neat idea! I have some silicon ice cube trays…I’m thinking perhaps our old crayons might get new life, too.

2. Heather Young

   (Have been reading a while but I don’t THINK I have commented)…I just realized that this would be an AWESOME way to make your own birthday candles! We used to make candles all the time as kids we didn’t have these wonderful silicone ice cube trays so we had to use cans. If you added a little bit of paraffin to the mix and used a hot awl to stick a wick in after you would have a birthday candle–which we never seem to have enough of.:)

3. bethany actually

   That Karen, she is full of good ideas!

   Washable crayons wipe off of tables and walls pretty easily. I don’t know if melted washable crayon washed out of clothes, though. We’ve never had to test them that far.

   I think the problem with these crayons is that if I were a kid, I’d never want to use them, because then they’d lose their shapes!

4. mommyknows

   These are so cute. We are definetly doing this one.

   Would you consider letting Emelie come and live with me?? HMMM … please?

5. Angela Tippets

   That is fun! And blueberry muffins were a perfect snack while waiting. I wish they had these while I was a child care provider for 10+ years. You should have seen the boxes of crayons that I had laying around.
   I once learned from a friend that went to school to be an art teacher that you should let children break their crayons and rip off the paper so they can use all the sides of the crayon. This was the same woman that had 5 children and none of them EVER owned a coloring book growing up. They are all amazing artists and can draw/color/paint like you wouldn’t believe. Maybe there was something to her advice. Somehow coloring books still made it into my house and none of my children can draw very well (they all take after me). I’ve never heard of “washable” crayons either.

6. Bree

   I was just going to do that! I set aside all of our broken crayons! so fun!

7. rainbowcreek

   ummm hmmm… at least your mom still has her expensive Gingher scissors. Mine somehow disappeared, never to be seen again, although the box they were in was right there in the cabinet where it belonged. None of my kids ever fessed up to the crime either.

8. chocolatechic

   You used your mom’s Gingher’s to cut something other than cloth?!?!?!??!?!

   The chips were lectured and re-lectured and re-re-lectured that if they ever did that, I’d take their arms off and beat them over the head with it.

   Not really, but no one messed with my Gingher’s.

   PS. love the crayons.

9. Jessica

   I’ve been reading your blog for a while and usually just lurk. But, I have been looking in the stores as well, without success. So, what website did you order them from?

10. Mandy

    So so awesome. I have got to try this.

11. MMM

    I can tell you that washable crayons still melt on stuff in the dryer. And all over the dryer, for that matter. But WD-40 takes it out of the dryer.

12. Mim

    They turned out great! And what a learning opportunity. I wish I could homeschool.

    You are truly blessed to have a baker in the house. Imagine what she’ll be doing in a few years! What a lucky family :)

13. Amy

    I saw this on your blog and thought how cool. I just got my trays, I found them online, and was checking back here to see what temp I am supposed to put them on. How cool. That is our project for today. I am so excited.

14. Kim R.

    One more reason for those children of mine to give me grandbabies - I am looking forward to being super granny making crayon alphabets!

15. Jenn

    HA! Love it!! My mom has scissors that my sister and I would swear require a blood sample and retinal scan before they will become operational.

    Can’t wait to try the crayon thing with my kids…somehow we have a blue million of “not good enough to use” crayons around here ourselves. :)

16. SparklieSunShine

    These look great! Plus muffins? Sounds like a fabulous day.

    I think the name crayons as a gift is such a great idea!

17. Octamom

    These are just darling! Thanks for the great idea!
    Blessings!

18. Aileen

    Three 6’s if they are rotten little brats!

    Wait… did I say that out loud?

    Very cool idea! Can’t wait to try it!

19. Jessica

    I had no idea washable crayons existed either!

    Okay, when we did this with muffin tins I greased the pans with a bit of cooking spray. Don’t know if it would help with the silicone molds, but maybe it would help the crayons come out easier?

20. Patti

    My neighbor across the street (who is a second grade teacher) told me she soaks the crayons in water overnight and this makes paper removal super easy.

21. Mrs. Wilson

    You are such a fun mom. I wish my kids had a mom that did cool crafts with them! Oh wait, they would if I’d only get my hiney out of bed …

22. erin

    can i share this on my blog so all my mom friends can see this FUN idea??!! i am totally doing this when my peanut gets a little. she still eats crayons :)

23. erin

    a little older is what i meant :)

24. Susan

    That is too cool. My kids have a HUGE box of crayons and now I think I know what to do with some of them. This looks like a fun activity for a rainy afternoon. Thanks for sharing the story! That was fun and funny too!

    Susan
    http://www.raisin-toast.com

25. Sue at eLuckypacket

    These are lovely - such fun!

26. nancypants

    I’ve done cupcake crayons but the letter and number shapes are PERFECT!! Love those!

27. nancypants

    Oh and I was going to say, if you soak the crayons the wrappers will slip right off. :^)

28. jen

    just curious if anyone has any other creative uses for these molds besides crayons. There’s Jello… even playing with ice in a big bowl of water. Any other ideas??

29. Kerry

    Looks like fun! I think my kids would love to make these. We just might have to try it.