DIY Large Crayon Box & Reusable Coloring Book

When planning parties, I love thinking about how to allow our young friends to take the party home, and try to give favors that mesh with the birthday child’s interests.  My two year old has a blast coloring, but I hate saving or disposing of all the paper he uses.  As a result, I’ve become a huge fan of these dry erase crayons and have thoroughly enjoyed making laminated projects that can be reused over and over again.  Whether you’re planning to use these as a birthday favor or for the special coloring enthusiast in your life, I hope you enjoy!

crayon_box_final_front

crayon_box_final_back

Laminated Coloring Book

What I Used:

(1)  Determine your pictures for your coloring book.  I found various pages from Thomas & Friends for our purposes and re-sized them to be half-pages.  We printed two single-sided pages (cover and final page) and two double-sided pages and laminated all pages on both sides (this will allow kids the option of coloring 5 images and 2 blank pages).

OPTIONAL: Create an in-color cover to set the right mood!  You are welcome to use our cover as a starting point!

coloring_book_pages

(2)  Mark dots in 1/2″ increments along one end of each page.

coloring_book_dots

(3)  With your needle (I used a tapestry needle), poke holes at the marks.

coloring_book_holes

(4)  Stack all of your pages and, using your needle and thread, sew the pages together.

coloring_book_sewing

coloring_book_sewing_completed

(5)  Cover your thread with electrical tape.

coloring_book_tape

(6)  Fold each page individually to allow the book to be more user-friendly.

coloring_book_fold

coloring_book_final

Large Crayon Box

What I Used:

(1)  Either use my templates (box and details) or decorate your own as desired, print, and cut along black lines while folding along blue lines.  Adhere detail pieces to crayon box form.

If you’re using a Silhouette to cut the box form, set your machine to cut the black lines and crease the blue lines.  To set your machine to make a crease, under the Advanced Settings during the cut phase, specify the blue lines as “copy paper” and ensure that both thickness and speed dials are set to 3.  Set the black lines to cut as normal.

crayon_box_pieces

(2)  Fold and adhere edges of your box form to create crayon box.

crayon_box_form

crayon_box_form_back

(3)  Stuff with 8 large crayons.

crayon_box_fill

OPTIONAL: Apply sticker to secure closed.

crayon_box_sticker

For other train ideas: Chugga, Chugga, TWO TWO!

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4 responses to “DIY Large Crayon Box & Reusable Coloring Book”

  1. […] with your desired “goodies.”  For some great ideas on train gifts, check out these DIY Reusable Coloring Books and Crayon Boxes or these Personalized Wooden Train […]

  2. […] After getting a laminated coloring book and dry erase crayons as a gift one Christmas (and using them all over the world as a travel toy), I have loved finding new ways to make and use these.  If you have a little one who loves to color, these really are the gift that keeps on giving!  Check out my tutorials here. […]

  3. […] The coloring page was a last-minute addition and has proved invaluable.  This page is where their minds can run free (even if their bodies aren’t), and they can draw their thoughts, dreams, prayers, observations, etc.  We only store a box of 8 crayons, so it’s not too much to keep track of during Mass.  I also made this crayon box for them, and you can find my tutorial for putting it together here. […]

  4. […] boxes to go along with some dry erase crayons.  For full tutorial details, check this post out here.  I also had a blast making these Thomas and James favor bags.  I stashed these bags in our red […]

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