A week or so ago I was invited to attend a home "boutique" party that will be benefiting my friend Alison and her family (here). I do not live in the same town and won't be able to go but I wanted to contribute somehow. I contacted one of the hostesses and asked if I could send some items for their raffle or to use as door prizes. Today I put together these sets of gift tags.
After trying multiple ideas I ended up choosing these 8 designs made from paper punches and stamps. Once I got going they were easy to whip out. The thought of listing a few in my shop crossed my mind. In fact I've been thinking about making a new batch of items and holding my own fundraiser for my friend. It is a lot of work though so I don't want to get ahead of myself. 
I finally found a home for my Black Apple Pins. They have been waiting patiently for me to create a place for them but I decided to add them to my sewing box instead. Here I get to see them whenever I'm in the sewing mood.
Cover it up. I protect my working surface with a plastic tablecloth I purchased from the dollar store. This catches the tiny crayon pieces and even the hot wax if I get a little messy. When I’m finished I wipe clean, fold and store for next time.
Sort it out. I sort all my crayons first however, this step depends on how many crayons you are working with at one time. You may want to peel and sort as you go. You can use anything from plastic bags to recycled butter tubs to organize your crayons. I found that disposable food containers are a good size for me.
Peel baby. This is my least favorite part of the process. I use an old knife to make a slit down the length of the crayon paper. This requires cutting and should be done by an adult. I do think little fingers make for the best peelers though. Some papers will pop right off, while others take a little more work. I have surrendered more than one crayon to the trash. You can’t win them all.
Snap and bake. Preheat oven to 215 degrees. Take your now naked crayons and snap into approximately 1 inch (3 cm.) pieces. To melt my crayons I use disposable muffin tins. I cut these apart so they can be poured one at a time. I fill my tins close to the top to make several crayons at one time. I also use all the same color crayon for the most even results (for crayons with mixed colors see directions for crazy crayons that follow). Candy molds will vary in size.
Hot stuff! After your crayons have melted remove from the oven. I let them cool for a minute or two until I can pick them up with my hands. This is another grown up job but kids love to watch. Pick a mold and pour. I fill all the way to the top. It can get a little messy but once the crayon cools you can snap off any parts that ran over.Chill out. Now that you have filled your mold let them sit 2-3 minutes until firm. Once the top no longer moves they are safe to transfer. Find a flat spot in your freezer to set the mold on. Let your crayons get nice and hard, 10-15 minutes before removing from the freezer.
Enjoy! Don’t worry if they don’t come out perfect the first time. You can always melt them again.
What a great day for my little shop.
If you have not checked out the handmade holidays list on Sew, Mama, Sew! blog then you are missing out. I am thrilled that my Robot Crayons Set were chosen as one of two items under items to buy. Everyday in November a new themed list is posted. The list includes fun items grouped by; make it, buy it, mix it, share it, win it. My crayons can be found on November 10: Gifts for Elementary Kids. Want even more incentive to check it out? Leave a comment for a chance to win Amy Butler's new book, Little Stitches.
This morning I found myself sitting in front of this nearly empty box of boxes. I was faced with the decision of reordering more boxes (only $30 + shipping) and continuing to make crayons or to set them aside and move on. I'm not sure I really envisioned seeing the bottom of what seemed like a ridiculous amount of boxes, but that time has come. I have enjoyed the excitement of watching my sales numbers grow and reading convos from happy customers, but I have also had to tell my girls to "wait just a minute" more than I'd like. So in respect to my family I have chosen to put them first and let the crayons go.
To celebrate we made "Mommy Waffles" (not the everyday Eggos) for breakfast followed by hugs that made what seemed like a big decision a silly one. Watching Erin lick the bowl has me looking forward to baking Christmas cookies, drinking cocoa and singing carols. 
Now, what to do with all those left over crayons?
It was a busy day at my house. My Jewel Crayon Set was featured on Etsy Finds: fun to grow on. Lucky for me it was a Tuesday when I have extra time for my shop. The orders came pouring in. At the end of the day I ended up taking 10 packages to the post office with a few more waiting for payment. It was pretty exciting but I couldn't help but notice that my supplies are dwindling. I even emptied my big box of boxes. I thought I'd never see the bottom of those 100 long boxes. Now I need to decide if I reorder my supplies or begin to transition to different items. It makes me a little sad to let something so successful go but I love a creativity challenge. 
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