I am always looking for new ideas to help kids be creative. I saw a box of Bendaroos advertised on TV and wondered if they were as amazing as the commercial purported them to be.
They appeared fun to work with, so I decided to start with a simple flower project and decorate a vase as a Mother's Day gift. After some practice, the wax warmed slightly from the heat of my hand, making it easier to mold the sticks into the shapes I wanted.
Using a Bendaroos 500 Piece Mega Kit, I designed a few flowers on a hard work surface then transferred it to the vase.
The best thing about the product is that Bendaroos will stick to most hard surfaces without glue and will lift off when you want them to. I found the colorful, thin strings leave less residue behind than clay or other molding products. They don't stain and are advertised as being nontoxic. They should not be given to children younger than 3, and they should not be used around heat sources or open flames.
A Bendaroos 500 Piece Mega Kit retails for $19.95. It contains 250 rainbow-colored sticks and 250 neon-colored sticks, colors that appeal to kids of all ages. They can be purchased online at www.bendaroos.com and at www.amazon.com, or at Walgreens drug stores.
Bendaroos are ideal to keep kids occupied when dining out or while traveling. They take up very little space and are easily transported in resealable packages that are separated by color.
I used the sticks to decorate a candle with a floral bouquet for a Mother's Day craft.
Work with the sticks until they become more pliable from the warmth of your hands. It will make the wax adhere better to itself and to the object you are decorating.
Supplies you will need:
—1 pillar candle.
—1 box Bendaroos wax sticks.
—Scissors.
—Paper.
—Pencil.
Draw your design on a piece of paper, starting with the blossom.
Re-create the design by making the outline of the blossom on a hard work surface. Fill it in with different colors by cutting the sticks into smaller pieces and pushing them to fit in the spaces.
Attach the stems just under the center of the bottom of the blossom. Make leaves by bending a stick into two leaf shapes, or cut one in half to add one leaf at a time.
When you have your finished design, transfer the parts from your work surface to the candle starting with the stems.
Make sure you leave enough room between the stems for the leaves and room at the top for the blossoms.
The individual pieces may not stick easily, so you may need to warm the wax a bit by pushing down on the surface with your fingers.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.