Five DIY Projects Using Old Crayons

I know I'm not alone in that I find broken crayons everywhere. From cleaning out my purse, to sifting through drawers, broken crayons seem to pop up among the mess of things. Before my "Great Crayon Awakening" occurred, I would throw these broken crayons in the trash alongside some paperclips and gum wrappers and think nothing of it. That was until I realized the effects of my habitual actions. While throwing a few crayons away every few days or so may seem like it has no impact on the world around us: it most definitely does. To be honest, it's not a big deal if you, and only you, were to throwout a crayon or two every few days; however, it's not just you, it's millions of people. Thousands of pounds of crayons end up in landfills each day. WHAT!? And paraffin-based crayons are not biodegradable, meaning eventually hundreds of tons of crayons will end up sitting in a landfill. I don't know about you, but I try to be conscious of my environmental impact, and I try to reduce my amount of waste by up-cycling! Luckily, crayons are an extremely versatile material that can be used to make a variety of crafts.

1. DIY Candles

I would have to say this DIY is not only fool-proof, but also extremely practical. I spend so much money one candles each year (they make your house smell great, and are always an amazing gift for others).

2. DIY Lipstick

I have seen thousands of posts about companies who allow you to design your own personalized lipstick. And as a makeup lover myself, I find myself salivating over the idea of crafting my perfect lip color. That being said, I am a high school student who runs a non-profit. In other words, I'm broke and I have no extra funds for a custom lipstick. That was until I realized lipsticks are just a piece of wax, pigment, and cocoanut oil. Which means that lipstick is a crayon mixed with cocoanut oil.

3. DIY Play-Doh

I vividly remember how much I loved to play with Play-Doh. That being said, I also remember a few instances in which I had eaten Play-Doh. This, of course, would worry my parents to no end, mainly because they didn't know what went into making Play-Doh. Turns out Play-Doh has quite a few dangerous ingredients. By making your own Play-Doh (using old crayons of course!) you will be able to know exactly what your Play-Doh is made up of (not to forget, crayons are completely non-toxic)

4. DIY Home Decor

From bowls, to wreaths, crayons can be used to make your home more fun. Turn boring picture frames, into an explosion of color!

5. DIY Crayons

I am aware that this DIY seems pretty obvious, and it should be! Use your old crayons to create crayons with fun shapes. I can assure you that you kids will love them!

#DIY #crafts #upcycling #crayons