Rebuilt.
The crayons had been broken into gnarled bits, still functional but different from the ones fresh out of the box. Even her small hands were too clumsy to grip the chunks of wax.
"New crayons, mama?" She took the cupcake pan from the cupboard, alluding to the show we'd watched a few weeks earlier about the boy who melted down his old crayons to make new crayons. We sat on the kitchen floor and peeled the wrappers from dozens of mangled crayons, letting her decide which color combinations should be melted down and brought together in the metal cups.
The heat of the oven melted the crayons down into something simpler, twelve melted pools of colored wax and toddler fingerprints. And once they were done, and cooled, they spilled onto the counter. A dozen discs that were a little different from the other crayons, but that colored just the same.
"These are my new crayons, right? We ... we remaked them."
"Rebuilt. We rebuilt them, Birdy."
"Rebuilt."
They don't color exactly like the old crayons - sometimes a rogue spot of orange shows up when you expected blue.
"They're not the same as the other crayons, Birdy. But they still work. They still color and work fine, right?"
"Right. I love my new crayons. We made them in the oven." She paused to grab one of the discs and laughed when the seemingly red crayon colored her elephant picture in purple. "My new crayons is just right. Rebuilded."
"Rebuilt."
Comments
Hey if you have a bionic pancreas she should have "Steve Austin" crayons.
Posted by: Bennet | September 7, 2012 10:54 AM
I can't wait to get home and make these! Too cute.
Posted by: Denise | September 7, 2012 11:02 AM
Okay, now I just wanna go buy a box of crayons and smash them just to do this. Might make them easier for Kip to hold and color with! :-)
Posted by: Sarah - Sugabetic (@SugabeticMe) | September 7, 2012 11:05 AM
hehe, awesome
Posted by: Scott Strange | September 7, 2012 11:11 AM
What a great idea! I still remember the Mr. Roger's episode when he went to a crayon factory. I was enthralled!
Posted by: Kate | September 7, 2012 01:20 PM
wonder if you could put a clear,vinyl sealer on those for memento paper weights...
cool !
Posted by: ria | September 7, 2012 01:56 PM
I might have to steal all the broken crayon pieces from work for rebuilding purposes. :]
Posted by: kerri the PWoD | September 7, 2012 03:05 PM
I agree with Sarah, now I want to go to Target and buy a 96 pack of crayons!
Posted by: Anonymous | September 7, 2012 03:27 PM
Hey, kinda sounds like us with our mechanical pancreases!! They aren't the same as our real ones, but they still work. (Kind of . . . mostly . . . well, they keep us alive and well, so that's what counts!!) Yay for rebuilded crayons and rebuilded pancreases.
Posted by: Karen | September 7, 2012 03:35 PM
She's just so cute & sweet that it bring tears to my eyes every time I read about her. :)
"My new crayons is just right. Rebuilded."
LOVE IT!
Posted by: PrincessLadyBug | September 7, 2012 08:47 PM
Baking... without carbs!I love it!
Posted by: Jessica | September 7, 2012 11:16 PM
Kate -
I remember that episode too! The crayons coming off the line without the wrappers. I can still picture it!
Crayola has a toy/machine that rebuilds the crayons like that but your way sounds like more fun.
Posted by: Sara | September 8, 2012 03:11 PM
This was a great post! thank you fro sharing it!! I cant wait to teach my 3 year old about rebuilding crayons!!
Posted by: Shannon Davis | September 9, 2012 04:28 AM
My mother did this same thing to all of my crayons, many, many moons ago. I am overwhelming full of nostalgia right now.
Posted by: Leo | September 10, 2012 10:37 AM
Awww! I did this all the time with my older two! I just realized my little kids don't know it! Thanks for reminding me of it Kerri and Bird :)
Posted by: Libby | September 11, 2012 11:18 PM
what temp did you bake them and for how long? can't wait to do this!
Posted by: jennifer | September 17, 2012 01:17 PM
Such a great idea! Love reading posts about Birdie :)
Posted by: Shonelle | September 17, 2012 06:09 PM