Introduction: Crayon Melt Glass Ornaments DIY
I absolutely love how watercolory and colorful these crayon drip ornaments turned out and they are SO easy to make. They really only take three things to create. I'm serious! Here's how you make them!
Step 1: What You Need and Before You Begin:
What you need:
– Clear glass ornaments (I bought mine at Michaels, please avoid plastic kind as they could melt)
– crayons
– mini craft knife
– protective plastic or newspaper
– hair dryer
– embellishments as desired
Before you begin: Prepare your area with protective plastic (I used garbage bags) or newspaper. Even though this is a little bit less messy than other crayon crafts, you don't want the chance of your carpet, table, etc ending up spattered with crayon drippings!
Step 2: Tear Off Labels From Crayons
1. I started off by using my craft knife and fingernails to rip off the labels on the crayons. This is the hardest part of the process. Good thing, cause I get impatient!
Step 3: Break Off Small Pieces and Put in Ornament
2. Remove the stem from the glass ornaments carefully. Now cut or break small chunks of your crayon and drop them in. I chose to do no more than 3-4 colors at a time, but feel free to experiment with more or less!
Step 4: Blast the Ornament With a Hair Dryer on High
3. With your hair dryer setting on high, blast the heat on the ornament. I found I could handle the ornament if I didn't hold the heat too long in one spot. I twirled the ornament as they dripped with my hand. Sometimes the crayons were uncontrollable. That's the beauty of this project, it creates abstract drips...you just have to go with it!
Step 5:
Step 6: Melt Until Desired Look, Then Shake Out Crayons
4. I chose to stop before my crayon was absolutely covered on the inside. I liked the transparent and scratch effect the crayon wax had with the glass, as you can see in the example above. When you are satisfied, shake or heat the crayons up so they'll go out the opening.
That's it! You can add a bow or sparkle to the outside if you wish. These would be pretty on a tree, on a gift, or in a glass bowl for a pretty display! Here's some more pics of my finished creations!
44 Comments
8 years ago
Awesome project! Made these with my 8yo nephew and 6yo niece. They picked the colors and held the hair dryer while I did the swirling. Finished product is so beautiful! Thanks again!
Reply 2 years ago
oh it lik it nice
Question 4 years ago on Step 6
Is there a quicker way to melt the crayons and what to do when the crayons stick
7 years ago
Wear an oven mitt when blow drying the ornament. It helps so much.
Reply 4 years ago
I glued a cork to a piece on dowel rod to make a holder. This makes it easy for even small kids to participate. I also use a large c-clamp to grasp the hairdryer and create a stand for it to hold it pointing upward. I do this every year at a holiday craft and gift Make-a-thon at our makerspace. I set up two hairdryers (any more requires running an extension cord to another socket). I have the kid (or adult) chose their crayons from a box of broken crayons we've accumulated (MUST be Crayola brand!) then I cut the pieces put them in the ornament, stick it on the cork, and hand it to the child. Sometimes I make a joke about "toasting your marshmallow". That way I can have two people making ornaments while others are choosing crayons or waiting in line with their "ornament on a stick". This year I went through 114 ornaments.
7 years ago
Did anyone have any success using plastic ornaments? I bought plastic before I read the instructions. Thanks for your input.
Reply 7 years ago
I bought last if before reading as well. Had seen this on Facebook. I went ahead and tried. You just have to move fast before the plastic melts along with the crayon.
Reply 4 years ago
I found that the plastic ones did not transmit the heat as well.
6 years ago
Surprised how hot the hair dryer got and melted the crayons so quickly.
7 years ago
Wow made these tonight. I used gloves to hold the glass ornaments. Also putting the crayons in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes took the paper right off. I'm not a person who does crafts and this was really easy.
7 years ago
Next time put the crayons in a little hot water, the papers literally fall off the crayons.
8 years ago on Step 6
I would like to know from someone how the wax and ornament has lasted over time. I have made glass ornaments for years similar to this using acrylics and glass paints with different results.
Reply 7 years ago
Sorry if you never see this, but for anyone else who wondered- My BFF made this with my big kid for us last year, and they looked great when I got out ornaments this year
7 years ago
WOW!
7 years ago
i can DOA pleas help me my scene project tomorrow help me
7 years ago
Does this definitely work with crayola? I am doing it with my rainbows tomorrow and haven't tested it with those types of crayons!
7 years ago
what kind of crayons, I used some from dollarama & these things would not melt...
Reply 7 years ago
I used Crayola and they worked great. Small chunks work the best! Good luck!
7 years ago on Introduction
The ornaments look beautiful! I remember seeing some art deco jewellery with the same brush strokes about it that are reminiscent here.
8 years ago
I made these with my boys 3 and 5 and nephews 9 and 5 and they had so much fun!! Thank you! @cwolaver thank you for posting that poem I was trying to come up with something and couldn't. That was perfect!