Crafts Using Crayons in a Laminator

You can use crayons for more than just colouring pictures -- use them to make a stained-glass effect. Melting crayon shavings between two pieces of plastic creates a beautiful blending of colours that is similar to stained glass. To make this project quick and easy, use a laminator to melt the crayons and seal the wax in plastic laminator pouches.

You can use several different kinds of laminators for crafts involving melting crayons. Pouch laminators utilise individual plastic pouches that you fill and then put through the laminator to seal. Roll laminators use a continuous feed of lamination film. For craft projects involving the use of crayons, pouch laminators are the best option because the pouch will contain the melting wax and keep it from spilling into the machine and damaging it.

Before putting your project through the laminator you need to decide on the right heat and speed settings. The proper heat setting for your project will depend on the thickness of the pouches you are using. Run a test to determine what heat level you need for an empty pouch and use that same setting for your crayon crafts. Because you are actually melting the crayons by putting them through the laminator, it is best to use a low-speed setting. A slower speed will give the crayons time to melt evenly.

By melting crayon shavings in a laminator, you can create a colourful stained glass effect. Using a butter knife or the edge of a pair of scissors, shave the coloured wax from an assortment of unwrapped crayons into individual containers separated by colour. Sprinkle the shavings between the flaps of a lamination pouch in whatever design you choose. Then press the flaps together and run them through the laminator. You might also try drawing or photocopying a picture onto a piece of white paper, and then use the crayon shavings to fill in the shapes with colour. When you place the paper into the lamination pouch and run it through the machine, the crayon shavings will melt and the colour will spread.

After melting crayons in a laminator pouch there are many creative directions in which you can go. Melt together different shades of green and yellow then cut leaf shapes from the finished product to construct a tree on a window or glass door. When the light shines through the glass, the leaves of the tree will be illuminated. Alter this craft idea for fall by adding some red and brown crayon shavings to the laminator pouch before melting. You can also create an entire stained glass window by cutting your sealed laminator pouches to size to fit between the window panes of a window in your home. Produce enough laminator sheets to fill the entire window and secure the sheets in place using clear tape. You could also make light catchers by cutting shapes of various sizes from your sealed laminator pouch and hanging them from a window frame or the ceiling near a window. When the light comes through the window, it will pass through the light catchers and make colourful reflections on the floor and walls of your home.

It is possible to laminate things without a laminating machine by using self-laminating pouches. Fill these pouches as you would fill a regular laminating pouch with crayon shavings and press the pouch firmly between two books on a flat surface to seal the pouch. To melt the crayon shavings, place the pouch between two layers of thin fabric and go over it with a warm iron. The heat of the iron will melt the crayon shavings and the weight of it will seal the pouch. Use your finished product to create a variety of crafts. Cut flower shapes from the laminated pouch and make a colourful garden on a glass window or door for the light to shine through. You can also use your melted crayon pattern to decorate homemade greeting cards or the pages of a scrapbook.