I have wanted to do this crayon art craft project for a while now. I first saw it on pinterest and thought this would be a great addition to my crafting area.
I have to admit, mine did not turn out the way the one I saw on Pinterest. The project I saw on Pinterest had the crayon dripping down the canvas. A couple of times I thought this project was going to be a craft fail.
I used Cameron, my Cameo Silhouette to cut out the vinyl wording.
Once I removed all the crayon wraps, I placed a crayon in my hot glue gun. My first issue with this was the crayons were slightly bigger than a glue stick, I could not just press the trigger to feed the crayons through the hot glue gun. I had to press on the top of the crayon pretty hard to get it to feed through the hot glue gun.
This is how it started out, I had a few of the crayon drips but then my hot glue gun started to place gobs of crayon on the canvas. At this point I was thinking craft fail, but I decided to keep going.
This is how the canvas was looking after melting more crayons. BIG FAIL! Except, I am stubborn and refused to give up. I thought what can I do to make this melt? A blow dryer.
Using the blow dryer was not what I envisioned either. The blow dryer was melting the crayons, but it was spreading it around the canvas. I really started liking how it was looking, so I finished with this method. Yeah, this is going to work, until…
I removed the letters. The blow dryer method made the crayon melt so much it went behind the vinyl. My vision was that i would peel off the letters and be left with a white canvas. FAIL. Again, stubborn side says how can I make this work? I decided to outline the letters with white paint to make the letter stand out a little more.
So there you have it, my almost craft Fail(twice) I really do like how it turned out in spite of a few obstacles. Now if I could just get them hung up!
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Denyse @ Glitter, Glue & Paint says
DeDe!! I think it turned out great. So, in my opinion your craft fail was a success!!
xoxo
Denyse
Designed Decor says
Thanks Denyse!
Alli says
I think it turned out awesome, as well! And I think it would be a great project to do with my grands. Thanks for sharing at Throwback Thursday!!
Kathryn says
Many years ago I had been told to use an electric skillet to melt the crayons. We would color in the pan and the heat would make the markings melt. Then we would lay our cardstock down over the melted crayons and when we picked up the cardstock it would have all of the colors on it.
Designed Decor says
I love this idea! What a fun craft! Thanks for the ideas!
Theresa says
I actually like the fact that the lettering is not all white. Adds some charm. Really cute. I can envision writing Noel and then usually only green and red crayons.
Krista Low says
Well sometimes things just don’t work out the way we envision them in our minds do they? And for being a double craft fail I say that you did an amazing job! I really love the lettering. The extra outline made them pop, but I really really like the texture that the crayons left under the vinyl. So wohoo, you invented something cool! 🙂 Krista @ A Handful of Everything
Lush-Fab-Glam.com says
I think it turned out amazing! Many inventions were accidents and failures created while tying to invent something else.
Designed Decor says
Thanks so much for the great compliments!
Jae Mac says
Amazing, very pretty! I am not an artsy creative person and I am always impressed when I see the creative juices flow from others.
Jae Mac @ I’m Just Sayin’…(Damn!)
Jenn says
I love this! I have never thought of putting a crayon through a glue gun! My 8-year-old son made a bunch of the canvases with the crayons hot glued to the top of the canvas and the crayons dripping down for kids’ day of an arts festival this summer and he ended up selling out of them! I love melted crayon projects…
Designed Decor says
Using the hot glue gun is definitely for an adult, they get too hot for a kid to handle. That is great news about your son selling his artwork!
Gena says
I love it! Wow–even though it didn’t go as planned, it turned out awesome!
–Gena
Designed Decor says
Gena, Thanks! I like how it turned out!
Nikki says
I love how that turned out! I wonder if the cheap crayons would work as well as the Crayola brand. I guess I could always try. This looks like a great art project to try with the kiddos!
Designed Decor says
Nikki, yes, they worked the same. I had a bunch of generics as well as Crayolas and they both seemed the same to me. I picked the crayons for the colors!
Designed Decor says
Pam, Thanks so much, I am glad you like how it turned out!
Rosenda says
What a cool idea! I’m not much into crayon art, but I really like how yours turned out. It’s great, when our diy projects don’t turn out like those perfect pics we see on pinterest. Then, it is truly our very own and unique.
Designed Decor says
I thought it was a neat idea and since I have tons of crayons, I decided to give it a try!
Grandma Loy says
Love your piece of art and your stubbornness. They do crayon art at the craft store that I work in all the time. (I work in the quilt shop area.) The girls use an embossing gun to melt the crayons. ( I have not read all the comments so don’t know if you knew that.) Sometime they leave the crayons on as part of the art and sometimes they temporarily secure the crayons, melt them and remove the excess crayon. I actually have three pieces of crayon art above my fireplace mantel right now made by a friend from work. You piece is very different than most crayon art I have seen. I am going to share your post with they gals at work, they might like to try something like this. Great “Fail.” Thanks for sharing
Designed Decor says
I would love if your friends checked out my site and gave the blow dryer method a try! Let me know how they do with it! Have a wonderful day!
Denine Anderson-Regan says
Ha, I admire your stubbornness – it turned out really nice. Outlining the letters really made it pop. We often convert “Adult Crafts” into “Kids Crafts”. They never turn out the way they’re supposed to – but they become something entirely different instead, which is loads of fun.
Designed Decor says
Denine, I did really enjoy doing this project.
Krista says
I know the project you are talking about on Pinterest, and I think yours turned out much better! It is really beautiful and honestly, I would have never realized you had use crayons. It looked kind of like watercolor or something like that! Beautiful job 🙂
Designed Decor says
Krista, Awh thanks so much for the nice compliments! It does remind me of a watercolor painting too! The really neat part is the waxy feel that the canvas has.
Amy @ Butterfly Angels Quilting says
That is the most beautiful FAIL I’ve ever seen! LOL I’m a quilter, and strangely, I just finished a project that is also a giant fail, yet came out PERFECT! You never know!
Designed Decor says
Amy, Isn’t great when a fail works in our favor. It feels so much better than a regular project!
Peg Crawford says
Love your imagination and ability to improvise when things do not turn out like you planned. I admire that.
Designed Decor says
Thanks Peg! I find myself having to improvise quite a bit! LOL
Jennifer says
LOVE these! I also love how they weren’t exactly what you were planning on but you made something unique and beautiful anyway!
Designed Decor says
Jennifer, Thanks so much for the sweet comment!
kelli says
I really like how it turned out! I think I know which pinterest project you were trying and I always wondered how they did that- but yours is so unique!
Designed Decor says
Kelli, Thanks so much! I like how mine turned out! I do like it better than the one I was trying to create.
Dianna @ brokefierceandfabulous.com says
This actually came out lovely even though it was a craft fail. I like how you outlined the letters! It’s different and out of the ordinary. Don’t feel bad about the fact that it didn’t come out like the Pinterest craft project. I think a lot of the pics on Pinterest are doctored anyway!
Designed Decor says
I am so happy with how it turned out! I am so glad I pushed through to the end!
Leah says
Crayons in a hot glue gun? I woulda been afraid it would ruin the gun?! Did you have to clean it then?
Great job on the perseverance! I woulds given up long ago 🙁
Designed Decor says
Leah, I had 2 glue guns, so this was one reason for trying this. I am able to still use the glue gun, but it is still filled with crayons. It will take a few sticks of glue to go through it before the crayons are all gone.
Cindy @ lifegetsreal.co says
Oops. Hit post too soon. The last comment was me. 🙂
Designed Decor says
Cindy the blow dryer will be safer to use than a glue gun for kids. The glue gun gets too hot and so did the crayons. Use lots of layers of paper under the project as you are creating.
Anonymous says
I really like this idea. I’m going to do this with my kids. My sons love art. This will be a fun project for us to do. Thanks. I’m following.
Elizabeth Loftis says
I love the use of crayons! Who say kids have to use them !
Designed Decor says
Elizabeth, I still love to color!
Holly Williams Urbach says
I think your craft fail was a craft success! Most “failures” end up being better than the initial project that we try to imitate, in my opinion.
Designed Decor says
Holly, Thanks! I like it was a success too!
Sara says
Why is it that half the crafts I try from Pinterest fail? I actually have seen that crayon art before and thought it looked cool. I have to say I like your version better!
Designed Decor says
Thanks Sara! I really like how it turned out! I think it is really important to be honest and let people know if things work or not!
Rachelle S. says
It’s amazing how several people can do the same project and they can all turn out differently. I really like the 4th picture that says “create” and then just has splotches. That looks cool. Good job!
Designed Decor says
Rachelle, thanks! It is neat to see how each piece of art turns out, interpretation is such a big factor!
Anonymous says
For three years, 1993-1996, I was on long-term medical leave due to a chronic pain condition. It was during this period that you could find a lot of crafting shows on television, and I became addicted to watching these shows. I was the “Jill of All Crafts” but “The Master of None” — Painting, Stenciling, Scrapbooking, Decoupaging. Once, I returned to work, this ” creative side” went into remission. Blogging is re-opening the door, your blog may lead me back to my past crafting passion.
Designed Decor says
I hope you return back to your creative side, even if you are not a master of none! I love that phrase! Creating is such a great release and accomplishment!
Pam says
I love your finished product even though it wasn’t what you envisioned at the beginning . I think it is great that you didn’t give up. I think you got something even nicer in the end. This is a great craft idea. Have never seen it before.
Designed Decor says
Pam, thanks! I am glad you liked the craft!
Becky Willis (@mrsgregwillis) says
Beautiful! Did it ruin your glue gun?
Designed Decor says
Becky, I can still use the glue gun for crayons only, unless I want colored glue, which is a great idea for another craft.
Carrie says
Your persistence paid off! Great ideas to make the project work even when it wasn’t working the way you wanted it to. Turned out beautiful!
Designed Decor says
Persistence and stubborn ness pays off sometimes!
Dee says
What a cool idea! I think sometimes the best things in life turn out to be things that weren’t planned — and that makes them unique! Enjoy 🙂
Designed Decor says
Dee, you are so right! We have to embrace things as they happen!
Abby McDonald says
I love it! It turned out great and way to improvise. With those Pinterest ideas you often have to come up with a Plan B, so I’ve found. 😉 It’s great that you didn’t give up because now you have something beautiful to go on your wall!
Krissa says
That turned out great! I’ve seen that pin and I’m sure if I tried it the same thing would have happened to me only I wouldn’t have thought to get out the blow dryer. Good thinking!
Sarah @ She is Clothed With Stregnth says
Beautiful creation! I love how you didn’t give up the moment it didn’t follow your plans.
Kim @ amovingstory says
Ooh–i am sad that you are calling this a fail. I like the way it turned out and think that it looks better than the first one! If I were you, I would pin that one to Pinterest. I bet you get a bunch of re-pins! It’s great!
Leyla Preston says
I think this looks great! I don’t think it’s a fail at all. In fact, you’ve inspired me to do my own crayon craft, but might use my boys’ names instead – So thanks! 🙂
Leyla
http://www.motherhooddiaries.com
Algene says
Wow! Thanks for sharing the steps 🙂 There are just few steps but they require so much efforts especially in coming up with an idea on the design and on the feeding of the crayon to the gun.
Amber says
I am always looking for new things to do and pinterest can be dangerous. Love this craft idea! Thanks for sharing.
Remona Gopaul says
WOW I must try this! What a cool and creative idea. You have a new fan!
Designed Decor says
Remona, I am so glad you like it! It was frustrating and fun!
Allergy Warrior Annie says
I love the way it turned out. I have tried a few different crafts from Pinterest, and even though I follow the directions to a T, they still don’t turn out like the picture. Sometimes they turn out better, like in your case, and sometimes they don’t.
Designed Decor says
Alot of my crafts turn out by trial and error! I guess the end result is all that matters!
Angela.Pounders says
I’ve never heard of this project before here. Way to post about something you struggled so much with, but in the end persevered! The final project is nice!!
My only question is does it ruin the glue gun for other projects?
Designed Decor says
Angela, Thanks so much for stopping by! I am glad you liked it!
Laurie says
I love it! I like your fails. It sounds like you were able to tweak and it came out looking good, even if it wasn’t quite how you envisioned.
Designed Decor says
Laurie, It all worked out in the end! Thank goodness!
popcosmo says
Love it. You see a fail, but I think it looks fantastic. And you overcame your “fail” and rescued it, which is very impressive! Fun post 🙂
xo ~kim & chloe
Designed Decor says
I think we all tend to be harder on our selves than others. I like the final outcome!
Twingle Mommy says
I love that you refused to give up! I would have thrown in the towel and chalked it up as a Pinterest fail. I’ve had a few of those myself. And I happen to like the way yours turned out better than the original.
Designed Decor says
Thanks so much! I need to view it as a new twist!
Jenn @ UpsideDownKids.com says
What a cute project. At least the blow dryer worked.
Designed Decor says
Jenn, good point! If the blow dryer broke than that would’ve been the sign to give up!
Tara @ Suburble says
I think that it turned out great! It’s so funny how things that are *almost* a fail can end up looking better than you imagined!
Designed Decor says
Deedra, I love the idea of silver glitter paint for the letters!
Robin says
I love how it turned out! I’ve been wanting to try this crayon art for a while, just haven’t figured out what I would do with it yet.
Designed Decor says
Robin, I liked Kim’s(enjoy the View) idea of a tonal color pallet, that way it could go in any room as wall art!
Megan says
I love that your Pinterest “fail” worked out so well. Thank you for giving me the courage to keep trying, even after I think the project isn’t going to work. You never know what you might create!
Designed Decor says
Megan, I have had a few fails that I worked through and they turned out even thought that was not the plan I had! It is kinda like life, just keep plugging, it will work out fine!
Val Frania says
I really like how it turned out! I too have thought about doing this craft – with my grandkids. It’s a good thing you kept on going; you ended up with a real work of art you can be proud of. I think I will go take a look at my Pinterest board and see how the original one was made. I pinned it too.
Designed Decor says
This is a great project for grandkids, just have a lot of news paper to catch all the melted crayons!
Deedra says
Good for you not giving up, this turned out so pretty. I could see this with sliver glitter paint for the letters. I wonder if it would make all the cool colors that you had mixed together stand out. It’s still a beautiful piece.
Sandie says
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOVE this and had no clue it was a fail when I came across the pic on another site!! I wanted to see how it was done as I just think it’s fantastic that I had to do a little leg work to find your page but wasn’t giving up!! Have a feeling it probably is much better than the original plan! IMO!! I so have to try this…just don’t know about any wording….I’ll definitely screw that up!! hehe!! But the color combination and how it mixed together is just beautiful! psssst….bet you could sell these for a pretty penny!! **wink wink* 😀
Designed Decor says
Sandie, I am so glad that you love it! Thank you for being persistent and finding my site! I would love to know where you saw the picture so I can make sure it has the proper link back to my site! I love the idea of selling these!
Anonymous says
Oh gee…I couldn’t tell you exactly how I came across it to be honest…I know it began with facebook. I subscribe to several different decor/design/crafting type pages and to be honest the email I use for facebook isn’t my every day one so I just saw the notification you replied today. Being it was so long ago already, I’m not sure which one it was. But I know it was showing as *other ideas* on one of the links I clicked? Sorry that’s not helping much! But that’s why I said I had to do quite a bit of leg work to find you! No sure what else I can tell you!
Dianna L. says
I’ve been wanting to do a crayon art project too. I actually think the letters came out pretty awesome!
Designed Decor says
Thanks Dianna! It is great to hear someone likes my almost craft fail!
Kim @ {enjoy the view} says
Nice save! I’ve been wanting to try the crayon project – and now you’ve scared me, LOL! Maybe I’ll get a small canvas and start with that. I just have a tiny glue gun and I question whether or not it will get hot enough. I wonder if there is a place that sells crayons grouped in colors so you can do a tonal project?
Designed Decor says
Kim, I am sure there is somewhere that would sell crayons in specific colors, maybe an art store? You may want to skip the hot glue gun altogether and just go for the blow dryer! LOL