Colorful Epoxy Resin Keychains/Pendants From Broken Crayons

You've probably seen an epoxy resin pendant before--maybe was clear with a flower embedded in it, or purple and shaped like a gemstone. But have you ever seen one made from unwanted crayons? Well, you're about to, and it's something that you can easily make as well.

For a school maker's market, I wanted to sell keychains, so naturally that led to the question: how would I make them? I thought it would be cool to use epoxy resin...and then my eyes wandered to a box of old, broken crayons sitting in my room gathering dust. What if I could use these crayons to color resin keychains? I wondered. It didn't stay a "what-if" question for long.

Here's my Instructable on how to use old crayons to take "coloring outside the lines" to a new level by mixing them with epoxy resin and creating keychains and jewelry.

1. Epoxy Resin and Hardener
2. Crayons
3. Resin Molds
4. Gloves
5. Measuring Cup
6. Popsicle Stick
7. Keychains and Keyrings/Necklace Chains
8. Scissors

In this project, your crayons act as your coloring, so choose them carefully. I used many different color combos for different charms; some ideas include colleges (Carolina blue and white is was very popular), flags (Ukraine-themed blue and yellow keychains sold quickly), and random color palettes including ocean, sunset, and lavender themes. The difference in the end product is shown in the image above, on the left. Once you've selected your crayons, there are two ways you can get them ready to add to your keychain.

The first way is by simply shaving the crayon(s) into smaller pieces, as shown in the top right image. This works especially well if you are only putting one color in your keychain, want to highlight contrast between colors, or want a speckled look. Here's how:

1. Unwrap your crayon(s).
2. Using your scissors, shave the crayon(s) into smaller pieces in a cup or bowl.
3. If you are using multiple different-colored crayons, mix the colors as desired.

However, if you want to create a blended look with several colors in your keychain, you can mix colors by melting crayons together:

1. Unwrap your crayons and cut them into smaller pieces. You can also shave the crayons if you want.
2. Put the pieces/shavings into a microwave-friendly cup or bowl, then microwave them until they are melted.
3. Stir the colors as much as you would like to achieve the desired effect. A couple of color examples are shown in the image above (bottom right)--these were from my lavender and ocean themes. Allow your crayons to cool while you complete the next step.

In this project, your resin will act as the clear outer layer around your crayon, protecting the crayon shavings and giving your pendant the right shape. Make sure to wear gloves whenever working with wet resin--it's really sticky! Pour equal parts epoxy resin and resin hardener into your cup, then stir with a popsicle stick, being careful to avoid air bubbles.

Then, pour some of your mixture into the mold (don't fill it all the way, and leave some resin for later). To avoid bubbles in the resin, make sure to pour slowly and carefully, close to the edge of the mold.

Add as much of your crayon mix in as you would like. If you are using melted crayon, you may have to use your popsicle stick to un-stick your mixture from the bowl, and you also might want to crumble the mixture so it fits better. You can layer your crayon pieces to add texture as well. Use a popsicle stick to move the crayon around if you want, but know that it will shift once the top layer of resin is poured on.

Pour the remainder of your resin mix (or enough to fill the mold) on top of your crayon layer. Set your mold aside and let it dry in an open space for 24-72 hours, or until it is not wet/sticky. Above is an image of a keychain drying in its mold.

When it has fully hardened, remove the pendant from by peeling off the silicone mold. Due to the shape of the mold, the pendant should naturally have a hole in it, and you can now use pliers to attach it to a keychain, necklace, earrings, or bracelet. Yay, you're done! You've given old crayons a new life. Congratulations! Above are a few keychains and necklaces that I made.

Here are some more ideas to get you started working with resin and broken crayons:

1. You could create a personalized item using a 3D printer or 3D pen. In the image above, I used a MYNT3D pen to draw a lightning bolt, which I then embedded in a sunrise/sunset-themed keychain when it was still wet. I've also 3D printed a tiny book to embed in a crimson Harvard necklace, drawn a yellow star for a white keychain, and printed out a friend's initials.
2. You can experiment with layering by adding crayon in between separate layers of resin that have time to dry, in order to create a textured look.
3. Finally, you can use the resin-crayon method to create other cool epoxy resin projects, like rings (pictured above), bracelets, and coasters. Have fun creating--the sky's the limit!