Crayon Valentines

When working at a child care center years ago, I saw piles of broken Crayola stubs enter an oven and come out melted into Reese's Peanut Butter Cup-shaped Clowny-style crayons. (Remember Clowny?) I put that craft on my future mommy to-do list. Enter Pinterest, and I couldn't resist making valentines for two-year-olds this weekend.

This Whipper Berry post is what twisted my arm.  I didn't die cut or letterpress anything, but here's what I did do.

I opted for Target instead of Michael's because their aisles are better suited for a double stroller.

I picked up a silicone heart-shaped muffin pan ($2.50), blank valentine cards with envelopes (2 packs of 8/$1), glue dots ($4), a box of 64 crayons ($2.50), and some glitter ($1). 

Surely I could have picked up a nice box of themey valentines like the ones I gave out as a kid instead.  I could have even more easily done nothing this year and nobody would care.  However, I chose to get crafty.

While the kids ate lunch I divided the crayons into groups of three, keeping complementary colors in mind with the intention of contrast. 

I peeled and peeled and peeled crayons throughout the day when I found a moment here or there.  Cutting the paper lenghtwise with a knife was very helpful but also felt like a lost fingertip waiting to happen. 

I heated the oven to 300 degrees, shook a thin layer of glitter into each heart shape, put broken pieces of three crayons in each, and baked them for 15 minutes with the silicone pan on a metal cookie sheet for stability. After cooling in the pan for about twenty minutes, the heart-shaped crayons came out very easily.

The glue dots felt like a bit of a splurge, but I can't think of anything that could have adhered the hearts to the cards faster, more easily, or more neatly while also allowing the crayons to be removed with as little fuss.  I'm sure I'll get my money's worth with future crafts. 

I considered typing and printing the sentiment since my handwriting looks like this:



but I went for the handwritten touch.  I'm sure the toddlers in Michael and Sophie's class at the child care center will appreciate the charm as well as the overall hard work I put into these. :P

I'm probably a horrible twin mama for sending these from both Michael and Sophie rather than giving out cards from them as individuals, but that day will come.  I recently saw a Goldfish cracker fall out of Sophie's mouth and Michael eat it without missing a beat.  Individuality just isn't a big issue yet.

However, if they get valentines from their classmates written out to the two of them rather than ones of their own....no, actually, we really just don't care.  Not yet, anyway.