Over the Rainbow

One of the challenges of crafting as a hobby is the leftovers.

Small balls of yarn that are too little to make much of anything but too big to just toss. Odds and ends of fabric. Embroidery thread that's wandered off from its label so there's no telling what shade it was... is this DMC 351 or 352?

What I do with old crayons.
It's the low-cost therapy
that keeps on thera-ping!

And then there's crayons. Somehow, I managed to have some crayons survive my childhood and travel with me through many adventures until I recently turned to melted crayon art to solve my crayon clutter problem (and someone else's too--I had a huge jug of castoff crayons when I started).

Fortunately, if turning your home into a colourful splatter zone is not your thing, there are other options. Check out this blog that has 26 suggestions besides the melty things you see on Pinterest. If you'd rather find new homes for whole, gently loved crayons, try these:

The Crayon Initiative
No Crayon Left Behind
Crazy Crayons

Of course, check with teachers you know, your local schools, a women's shelter, or youth club first. They may be more than happy to take those crayons off your hands.

Now, if only there were such easy solutions for my odd remnants of cross stitch fabric.

What do you do with old craft things laying around your house?