Featured Crafts

There are some fun and easy crayon candle crafting ideas. We will go over a few of those recipes, some hints, and even some safety measures you should keep in mind while you are creating your candle crafting works of art.

Safety first

As with any other candle crafting idea or recipe, there should be adult supervision. Crayon candle crafting is not different. There are many ideas out there you can use. Though, fire and heat safety needs to be one of the main things to consider in your crafting plans.

1.Using a double boiler method for melting wax or candle gel can prevent the wax or gel from catching fire. Candle wax and gel are both very flammable liquids when they are melted.

2.Use caution with the handling of the hot wax.

3.Keep the area for your candle-making free of clutter, spills etc.

Here is a basic crayon candle craft that you can start with.

This is what you will need:

•Crayons (Not washable crayons)
•Candlewicks
•2-pint milk carton
•Ice

You can use a variation to the types of colors of crayons you want to use. You can also choose crayons with glitter in them, or simply the base colored crayons. There is also flexibility in the type of container you use. It can be the milk carton, a jar or other container. As long as it is big enough to hold the wax you melt.

• Materials

Polymer clay
Chopstick
Terra-cotta plant saucer
Protractor and compass
Enamel paint and brushes

• Instructions

Roll some clay into a small ball and stick the chopstick (gnomon) into it. Then press the clay onto the center of the upside down saucer. Make sure that the angle between the chopstick and saucer are the same as the latitude where you live (between 24 and 49 degrees for most states)

Carefully remove the chopstick, with the clay still attached. Gently remove the chopstick and bake the clay as directed. Once the clay is baked glue the chopstick and clay ball back into place

Set the dial outside on a level surface with the chopstick pointing north. At noon you want to mark where the chopstick’s shadow falls on the saucer’s perimeter. Do not move the plate and continue to mark off the afternoon and next morning’s hours on the perimeter of the saucer

Using the compass, protractor, and paints mark off on the saucer itself the different hours of the day (similar to a clock face) and then decorate the sundial

After decorating the sundial be sure to put it back in its original position. As long as you don’t move it the sundial will be accurate, but you will need to reset it when daylight saving time is over.

• Materials

10 patio stepping stones
Fine sandpaper (120 to 140 grit)
White latex paint (1 quart)
Paintbrushes
Acrylic paint in assorted colors
Stencils
Sponges
Chunky rubber stamps
Acrylic sealant (spray or brush-on)

• Instructions

Sand each patio stepping stone

Paint the tops and sides of each patio stepping stone white. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly, if needed apply a second coat

Use acrylic paint to number the stepping stones

Decorate the stepping stones with handprints, pictures, stencils, sponges, stamps, etc

Apply 3 to 4 coats of acrylic sealant, make sure to allow the coats to dry thoroughly between applications

1 cup white glue
food coloring, your choice of color (optional: coloring can stain!)
1 cup liquid starch

Pour glue and coloring in plastic container. Stir until color is thoroughly mixed in. Add starch a little at a time, stirring with a spoon or kneading with your fingers as mixture thickens. Keep stirring until mixture holds together like putty.
Test with your fingers: if too sticky, add more starch in small amounts until mass is smooth and rubbery.

Mother's Day is over, and that means that Father's Day is just around the corner. And we have started a series of Father's Day gift ideas: gifts that can be handmade by little fingers (along with some grownup help.) Enjoy, and keep coming back because will have more ideas over the next week or two.

To celebrate Play Doh's 50th anniversary, Hasbro has released a Play Doh Perfume. It is available online from Demeter Fragrance and it should be available in Sephora stores by this summer.

Enjoy!

I thought the question rather odd, but it is the most frequent question I get. Is there a PlayDoh fragrance oil or PlayDoh perfume? And the answer is yes. One from an unlicensed source and the other a brand new PlayDoh Perfume from Hasbro.

First about the fragrance oil. The CB I Hate Perfume gallery in Brooklyn sells unusual oil-based scents that will remind you of long forgetton memories. The one that smells like Play Doh is called "You Know This" and you can find it here.