Stained “Glass” Sun Catcher

Another craft involving crayons and heat.

What you will need is:

• old crayons
• waxed paper
• a clothes iron

Instructions:

1. Prep:  take crayons and make them into a fine shavings.  A crayon shaperner is the easiest way to do this.
2. I usually separate the colors into little paper cups or and old egg carton.
3. Give each child a piece of waxed paper and fold it in half so there is a crease.
4. Have child sprinkle crayon shavings on one half of the paper.  Don’t let shavings get to close the edge.  Allow a margin of around an inch.
5. When finished have an adult carefully fold the paper along the crease and place on a heat safe surface.
6. Cover the paper with a towel and iron over it on the cotton setting.
7. Remove towel.  The crayon shavings should have melted into something resembling stained glass.
8. Let paper cool before lifting it.  It could burn you or the wax can run out the edges.
9. The paper can now be trimmed out and a hanger added.
10. Hang in a window or a sunny spot.  Keep out of a very warm place so the wax won’t re-melt.

My Favorite Craft

I’m starting things off with my favorite craft ever.    This was devised by my mom and we loved it as kids.  My kids love it just as much.   It’s quick, easy and fairly mess free.  It does involve a burn risk, so caution is needed.

The main downside is that it requires some specialist equipment.   Namely, an old fashioned electric hot plate.  They just don’t make them like they used to.  My mother kindly passed down her  vintage 1970s hotplate to me.  But I found these examples on eBay.

A Salton Hot Plate

A Cornwall Hot Plate

If you can get your hands on one of these gems, then all you need is some old crayons,  aluminum foil,  and plain copy paper.

1. Cover surface of  the hot plate  with aluminum foil.
2. Plug in hot plate and let it get warm.
3. Have the child draw a design on the foil using crayons.  Keep hands away from the foil surface and the hot plate.  The crayons will melt onto the foil.
4. Once the child is finished, lay a sheet of copy paper over the drawing.  Smooth down carefully – don’t burn yourself!
5. Lift paper.  Drawing is now on the paper.
6. Put aside to dry.

Easy!  Once they have tried it, kids will ask to do this again and again.

Tips for success

• Don’t use words (unless you can write backwards!)
• Keep the drawing the same size as the paper  – some hot plates have a large surface
• Foil will need to be wiped down or changed every few drawings.  If you opt for the wipe down method, use a damp towel you don’t care about.  Remember – melted wax.
• Have fun and experiment.   More enthusiastic artists will find that crayon wax will pool and colors will ooze together in interesting ways.

Happy Crafting!