Got some bits of burnt sienna that are beyond sharpening? Any stubs of shocking pink or screamin' green ready for retirement? Hold onto those tiny nubs of wax, or whatever you call them. They're ready to make a comeback.
The Crayola crayons kids love most -- their favorites that become minute pieces of magenta or little laser lemon nubs after hours and hours of coloring -- are the "fuel" for a new toy from the maker of Crayola products. The Crayola Crayon Maker, the first crayon-making machine of its kind, lets kids have fun creating and naming their own collection of Crayola crayon colors by melting down and re-molding their tiny stubs of wax into brand new crayons.
Recycled color
"An average child will wear down about 730 crayons by his 10th birthday," says Stacy Gabrielle, Crayola spokesperson. "With our new crayon maker, those well-used crayon pieces too precious for kids to part with can be returned to tip top shape."
According to a press release from Crayola, the tabletop "crayon factory" operates using a small light bulb that melts down the crayon pieces kids vigorously wear down as they color and create, or the colored wax that comes with it. After the pieces are arranged on the melting tray and the timer is cranked, kids can watch their personal wax works do its job through the hip see-through dome that locks in place until the crayons are completely melted and molded. A "tip switch" automatically shuts off the Crayon Maker if it accidentally tips over.
Once the wax pieces inside become a colorful liquid emitting that familiar Crayola crayon scent, the light turns off signaling it's time to turn another knob that tilts the melting tray forward, sending a stream of color into the molds. In about 20 minutes, kids can make three new crayons in their favorite hues, or create names for totally new colors they can invent by melting together different colored wax pieces to make multi-colored crayons.
Artistic flavors
A small slice of "wild watermelon," a chunk of "banana mania" and a piece of "granny smith apple" can be melted together to make a swirled stick called "fruit salad." Britney Spears' fans can melt and mold robin's egg blue (reportedly her favorite), cerulean and sky blue to make a special hue called "britney blue." Other crayon maker "recipes" will be available at Crayola.com when the Crayola Crayon Maker hits stores in July.
Kids can put the finishing touches on their new crayons now ready for active duty by writing names they create on the adhesive labels that truly turn their new wax sticks into Crayola crayons. A set of 18 labels comes inside, along with "cog and wheel" shaped decals for decorating the Crayon Maker.
The Crayola Crayon Maker will be available in July at mass merchandisers and toy stores nationwide. Retailing for about $24.99, it will add a fun touch of color to birthday, holiday or "special occasion" gifts.
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Companion Corner: Weber at No Paws Left Behind
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — There's a young cat waiting for a family to play with him.
iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.
Weber is a 10-month-old domestic shorthair. He has been at No Paws Left Behind since November.
Volunteer Claire Morin introduced us to him.
"He came in with an abundance of cats that were in a crowded situation in the home," she said. "Most of his brothers and sisters are gone, but Weber is still here."
Weber loves the attention and if you aren't giving him enough he will let you know.
"Weber is very, very sweet. As you can see, he's very needy for attention. He loves his treats, and he can get a little overstimulated. He's very attention seeking. And if you don't give him attention right away, he nips at you a little bit, not a bite, more like a tender here I am — pay attention to me," Morin said. "But he's very engaging, and he's a very, very sweet boy."
The city has lifted a boil water order — with several exceptions — that was issued late Monday morning following several water line breaks over the weekend. click for more
