6 Fun & Colorful DIY Projects With Crayons

What was the best thing that could happen to you when you were a kid? Undoubtedly, opening up a fresh box of crayons probably ranks somewhere up there with your favorite childhood memories. And while coloring was arguably the best part of art class, there's so much more you can do with crayons than write or draw — you can make your own custom T-shirts, solve everyday problems, create works of art... and the list goes on!

1. Custom T-Shirt

Did you know you can jazz up your T-shirt with crayons? No, we don't mean taking a crayon and drawing all over the shirt — there are actually two different ways to make your own personalized iron on patches.

For Option A, you'll need:

  • different colored crayons
  • T-shirt
  • cheese grater
  • piece of cardboard
  • binder clips
  • template with the design of your choice
  • parchment paper
  • iron
  • bowl

For Option A, here's how:

1.1.1. Shred the crayons with a cheese grater situated over a bowl.

1.1.2. Place a piece of cardboard under the part of ​​the shirt where you want to add the design. Smooth out the shirt and secure it to the cardboard with binder clips, as seen in the video. 

1.1.3. Make a template for your shirt design. For example, you can print out a design on a piece of paper and cut it out.

1.1.4. Lay the template on the T-shirt and spread the crayon wax bits over it.

1.1.5. Put a sheet of parchment paper over the template and iron the design on the T-shirt.

1.1.6. Finally, remove the parchment paper, template, binder clip, and cardboard.

For Option B, you'll need:

  • different colored crayons
  • sandpaper
  • T-shirt
  • parchment paper
  • iron

For Option B, here's how:

1.2.1. Using the crayons, draw the design that you want printed on the T-shirt onto a piece of sandpaper. If drawing numbers or letters, keep in mind that the design will be reversed on the shirt, so you will need to draw them backwards on the sandpaper.

1.2.2. Place the sandpaper with the design facing down on the T-shirt. Then place a piece of cardboard under the fabric (between the front and back of the shirt), in the spot where you want to apply the design.

1.2.3. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the sandpaper and iron the design on the T-shirt.

1.2.4. Finally, remove the parchment paper, sandpaper, and cardboard.

2. Stuck Zipper

If your zipper sticks when you try to zip or unzip your hoodie, run a white crayon over the area directly above and below where the zipper is stuck. This will lubricate the zipper teeth so that the zipper carriage can easily pass over them again.

3. Molten Crayon Artwork

You'll need:

  • enough wax crayons
  • canvas
  • sheet of paper
  • black acrylic paint
  • craft glue
  • hot glue gun
  • small bowl
  • masking tape
  • hair dryer

Here's how:

3.1. Draw the silhouette of a person with umbrella on a sheet of computer paper, cut it out, and paint it black. Alternatively, you can print out a design.

3.2. Glue the design in the middle of the lower half of the canvas.

3.3. Glue the crayons to the top edge of the canvas with a hot glue gun.

3.4. Take a bowl which is roughly the same diameter as the silhouette umbrella and cover the design. Secure the bowl with masking tape, making sure that the edge of the bowl lies on the outline of the umbrella. Cover the rest of the silhouette below the bowl with masking tape.

3.5. Lean the canvas against a wall and lay newspaper underneath it. Melt the crayons with the hair dryer.

3.6. Once you've created a colorful rain effect, remove the masking tape and bowl and paint a black base on the canvas to look like the ground.

4. Homemade Wax Seal

Nobody seals letters with wax anymore, but that's all about to change, because a personalized wax seal will look so boss on the envelopes you send out for special occasions.

You'll need:

  • red crayons
  • cork
  • coin
  • hot glue gun

Here's how:

4.1. Heat water in a pot, place a bowl over the pot, and then add the crayons to the bowl. Once the crayons have melted, pour a blob of the liquid wax on the spot where you would like to make your seal.

4.2. Glue the coin to the cork with the hot glue gun.

4.3. The coin will serve as a stamp, which you will press into the liquid wax to create a decorative seal.

4.4. You can also use the liquid wax to seal opened wine bottles. All you have to do is stick the cork in the bottle and dip the top of the bottle neck into the liquid wax.

5. Multicolored Candle

You'll need:

  • 3 crayons in the colors of your choice
  • candle wax
  • candle wick
  • tealight glass

Here's how:

5.1 First place the wick in the glass, making sure to dip the bottom in liquid wax first so that it has a better grip in the glass.

5.2. Melt each crayon together with enough wax so that the wax will take on the color of the crayon. Repeat the process with each color.

5.3. Place the glass at an angle, as seen in the video — you can prop it against something like a folded sponge or paper tow roll so that it's more stable.

5.4. Gradually pour the colored wax into the glass. To create a unique design, slant the glass to the left for the first color, to the right for the second color, and finally stand it upright for the third color. Make sure each layer has dried before pouring on the next layer.

Which colors you use and how many layers you finally pour in is, of course, entirely up to you.

6. Repurposed Crayons

Who says each a single crayon has to be just one color? Or that broken crayons should be thrown away? Not us! You can mix new color combinations or simply combine broken crayon bits into one new one by placing the little pieces in a heat-resistant silicone mold and baking them at 230°F (110°C) for 15 minutes.

Some people buy one box of crayons at the end of summer and it lasts them the entire school year, so be sure to check with your kids or younger siblings first to see if you can snag some leftovers.

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Also hefty