Drippy Pumpkin Craft {Craft Project}

I have been crafting my whole life, and as much as I don't like to admit it, I sometimes have craft fails.  This craft project was one of them.  I decided to share it because I have come up with some solutions for the problems that we faced, and hope that you, my beloved reader, might be able to complete this project and make it look better than I managed to.

Drippy Pumpkin Craft:

Materials:

Fake pumpkin
Crayons (crayola brand seem to melt better)
Sandpaper
Hair Dryer
Tape

Instructions:


I started with a white fake pumpkin that I had bought at Michael's, some broken crayons, tape and a hair dryer.

I picked my crayons, laid them out on the top, taped them down and then started to melt them!

Whoa!  Slow down!!!!  Don't do what I did!  First, make sure you're using good crayons.  ie, Crayola.  They melt better!  In all of my experience with melty crayon crafts, they work much better.  Second, I would recommend sanding the pumpkin down just a little bit, especially in the tracks that you want to use for the drips, perhaps even all over it, with some fine paper.  It makes it easier for the crayon to stick to the surface, which was one of my downfalls (which you'll see later)

Also, use much smaller crayons.  And low heat.  High heat makes the crayon melt in funny ways, too drippy, too fast!  

As you can see from the pictures here, the crayons up top are hardly melted, but the drips have come down pretty far.

As you can see from the side, the pumpkin actually looks pretty cool.  The top, however, is a totally different story.

The top was a mess!!!!  In retrospect, I would have melted more crayons on the top, perhaps with shavings, to make it not look so thin and gross.

It was a fun craft, my kids enjoyed watching the crayons melt, but none of us were too appreciative of the final result.  I think that sanding, smaller crayons and lower heat would have been the solution to our crafting problems!  

Have you tried a drippy crayon craft?  If so, I would love to see how yours turned out!  If you have any secrets to share, please leave me a comment!!

Guest Post: 5 Rainy-Day DIY Projects to Keep the Kids Busy

5 Rainy-Day DIY Projects to Keep the Kids Busy

Guest Post by Patrick Rafferty

Keeping your kid entertained on a rainy day is a lot like catching a fly with your bare hands; it’s not impossible, but rather much easier said than done.

There’s only so long that a child should be in front of the TV. At a certain point, the burden of amusing your child falls upon the parent. You’ve got a golden opportunity, though. Rather than thinking of this as a mundane task, look at it as good bonding time with your kids, and even better, a chance to become a kid again, even if just for a day.

Here are a few easy do it yourself (DIY) projects that can be entertaining for the parents and kids alike.

 Make a Fort

I don’t care who you are, making a fort is fun. Go around your house and find everything that can become a foundation (couch cushions, blankets, tables, sleeping bags, etc.) and let your kid’s imagination go wild. Help them along when you see fit, but beyond that just sit back and watch. You’ll be amazed at what your kid will think of. One second they’ll be in a pirate ship, the next their castle will be under attack.

Hide-and-Seek

This age old game never gets old. And best of all, the more the merrier. This game can be played for hours on end, especially with a few kids or more than one parent. If it gets old, change it up a bit. Play hide-and-seek with an object rather than a person; the first person to find the object wins. Even better, make a scavenger hunt. The possibilities are endless. Have your kid put some variations on the game and see what happens.

Pull out the Board Games

Every house should have a few board games for this very purpose. Board games can be fun for kids of all ages, and just as entertaining for the parent. Start off with Candyland and gradually evolve to incorporate more challenging games: Clue, Checkers, Scrabble or Chess. If you don’t have card games, at least buy a pack of cards and teach your kid Go Fish or Battle.

Make a Collage

Everyone has junk magazines they get in the mail. Rather than throwing it away, use it to your advantage. Making a collage will let your kids truly express themselves in a way you would never imagine. Hand them a pair of scissors and a glue stick and let them run wild. Tell them to imagine what they want to be when they grow up or ask them what their favorite activities are. Help them if they need it, but more than likely, they’ll be just fine.

Arts and Crafts

This one can potentially be a bit difficult, but also the most rewarding. You might not be the most creative person in the world, but give it a try. Look around your house and find some products that inspire creative thinking. It can be as simple as using marshmallows connected to toothpicks to build a design. Have some tongue depressors and glue? Make a log cabin. If you’re really not creative, just find a bunch of items and let your kid decide what to do with them.

Rainy days can end up being some of the most memorable experiences your child will ever remember, especially if you are a part of it. Don’t be afraid to experiment. And most of all don’t be afraid to let go and have a little bit of fun with it.

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Patrick Rafferty is a marketing specialist for Few and Far Company, a website dedicated to the gentleman traveler.