Crayon Melt State Fruits: Pear, Peach, Strawberry, Watermelon, and Tomato

It's been almost four years since I've pulled out the warming tray to do a crayon melt project. I'm surprised it's been that long, since it's one of my favorite techniques. I love the painterly effect it gives on these, each of which is an official state fruit.  

Pears are the state fruit of Oregon. 

Peaches are the state fruit of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. (Technically, peaches are Alabama's state tree fruit.)

Strawberries are the state fruit of Delaware, Louisiana, North Carolina (technically, the state red berry), and Oklahoma.

Tomatoes are the state fruit of Arkansas, Ohio, and Tennessee.

OK, I lied. Watermelon is not a state fruit. It is the state vegetable of Oklahoma. If you think a tomato should be considered a vegetable and watermelon a fruit, don't take it up with me. Botanically, tomatoes are fruit and so are watermelons, but Oklahoma has valid arguments for considering watermelon a vegetable. 

I didn't make crayon melts of all of the state fruits. Others include oranges, apples, huckleberries, blackberries, plums, blueberries, grapes, cranberries, chokecherries, grapefruit, cherries, and pawpaws. Feel free to make those, or anything else, using the technique below. The materials list includes affiliate links. 

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Crayon Melt State Fruits

Materials:

• warming tray
• white paper
• crayons
• microtip scissors
• craft glue

Steps:

Plug in the warming tray. and put a sheet of paper on top. Scraps are perfectly ok. Use crayons to color in the fruits you'll be making. You can blend and layer colors as much as you want. 

I recommend removing the wrappers from the crayons and laying them on their sides for faster, more even coverage. When you do that, you're going to get wax that transfers to the crayon, but that's not a problem. Here you can see that I put the white crayon into an area I'd colored dark green, which blended and transferred to the crayon. To clean it off, just color on a clean area of paper. 

You have two choices when adding details to your project. For the watermelon seeds, I just dotted black crayon directly onto the hot red wax. Since the black shows up really well on red, this is a good option. 

If I'd tried to add the yellow strawberry seeds on top of the red wax while it was hot, they would have blended in too much. Instead, I removed the strawberry, let it cool completely, cut out my shape, then returned it to the warming tray for just long enough to warm up. Then I was able dot on little bits of yellow. 

Don't forget to color the stems and leaves that you'll be using on your fruits. When you've colored everything, unplug the warming tray and let the wax set. Then cut out the shapes using scissors. Glue the leaves and stems to the appropriate fruit. Have fun!

The Most Underrated States

Now that I've visited all 50 states, I feel comfortable saying which states are my favorites. But I'm quick to point out that there are so many other states that I love. Today I want to focus on underrated states - those places that I liked much more than I expected. These are the states where, upon hearing we were visiting from California and weren't there to see relatives, people asked us why on earth we would visit their state.

The Most Underrated States in the US

The most underrated state in the United States is Nebraska. Famously considered a flyover state, I am here to tell you that you should fly TO Nebraska, not over it. Before our visit, I had no idea how much there is to see and do there. We spent a week in Omaha, with day trips to Beatrice and Lincoln, and barely scratched the surface. Go to Nebraska.  

Next on my list of underrated states is Kentucky. I didn't expect to see such diversity of people and things to do. I didn't expect such a vibrant food scene, nor the breathtaking natural beauty. The capital city, Frankfort, is small and charming with a population under 30,000. Louisville is about 20 times larger and is one of my all-time favorite cities. Both are well worth a visit. I'd love to return and see more of the Bluegrass State. 

When you think of Ohio, do you think tourism? I didn't, until I'd been there. There are so many fantastic things to see and do in Ohio, including a beautiful national park, fantastic museums, and outstanding food. We spent time in Toledo, Cleveland, Akron, and Columbus and I would happily return to any of them. The next time we're in Ohio my priority will be exploring Cincinnati, since we haven't been there yet. Ohio is seriously underrated!

I didn't expect to love South Dakota nearly as much as I did. There is a misconception that there's nothing to do besides visit Mount Rushmore, which couldn't be further from the truth. It may be nicknamed the Mount Rushmore State, but that's only the start to the cool things to see and do in South Dakota. The national (and state) parks we visited were fantastic, as were the many museums and cultural sites. We ate well in South Dakota and enjoyed the natural beauty and plentiful wildlife. 

The last state on my list of underrated states is North Carolina. We haven't been to most of their top tourist attractions and we still found dozens of interesting places to go. We loved Raleigh, Greensboro, and Charlotte and didn't have nearly enough time in any of them. Consider North Carolina as a future vacation destination!

Do you agree with my choices? Any other states you think are underrated? Tell me what you think in the comments!

Felt Cardinal Pencil Topper

I think it's so weird that we talk about most animals year-round, while there are others we've assigned to a certain season. It's as if rabbits and chicks only exist in the spring, flamingoes and tropical fish disappear if it isn't summer, bats and owls are only alive in the fall, and penguins and polar bears vanish when winter ends. I get that some of that is based on climate; tropical fish live in warm water and polar bears live in cold water. But they live there year-round! 

Despite existing year-round with quite a large range, cardinals are considered part of the winter animal category. If there is an image of a cardinal on a card, the sentiment probably references Christmas or winter. You don't see cardinals on Easter greetings, even though baby cardinals start hatching then, just like baby chickens. It's weird. 

All this to say that I made a cardinal craft during the summer. And you can too. Affiliate links below. 

Felt Cardinal Pencil Topper

Materials:

• pencil
• plastic leaves on a stem
• floral tape
• felt (red, black, orange)
• scissors
• self-adhesive black enamel dots or Enamel Accents
• tacky felt glue
• Fiber fill

Steps: 

To make the cardinal, you will need two red felt bodies, two red wings, two black faces, and one orange beak. I recommend using scratch paper to make a template for yourself, unless you want to just wing it (pun intended) like I did.

Use floral tape to wrap a stem of leaves to a pencil. I used an artificial rose I had laying around and just pulled the flower off to save for a different use. 

Glue the face and wings to the two body parts.

Add an eye to each face. If you're using self-adhesive enamel dots, proceed. If you're using Enamel Accents, let them dry completely. 

Put a line of glue around the inside of one body piece, leaving the belly area open. Put the beak in place, then add a line of glue onto the part of the beak that will be covered by the second body piece. Set that piece on top of the first, essentially making a beak sandwich. Let the glue dry completely. 

Add as much or as little stuffing as you want, then add a generous amount of glue to the opening. Place it onto the prepared pencil, clamp it closed, and let the glue dry completely.  

Perfect for any time of year! This craft is particularly great if you live in one of the seven states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia) that have named the cardinal as their state bird, or if you're a fan of the any of the Cardinals sports teams!

North Carolina 2022

The BYSS World Series is over and I'm happy to report that my team, the Scrappin' Banshees, swept it 3-0. The last game was really close, but we pulled it out! Now that it has ended, I'm back to my regular scrapping, at least until their next contest starts. 

First up, this page about our time in North Carolina in January. As is the case with most places we visit, we loved it and could have spent much more time exploring. There's always so much to see and do. I picked photos of some of our favorites to include on the layout. Steve and I are each on the page twice. Trevor appears four times. Can you spot them all? Look closely!

 

North Carolina

In putting together the layout, I started with this sticker set from Paper House Productions (affiliate link here and below) and built the color scheme around the title sticker. I layered that over a heart I cut from cardstock. I added Black Diamond Stickles to the state sticker, which I paired with the flag and the cardinal. 

North Carolina, we'll be back!

Candy Cardinals

I had some extra black Candy Melts and black Sugar Pearls sitting out after I finished making the Pretzel Raccoons, so I used them to make Candy Cardinals. Can you tell what I used to make the beaks? Affiliate links below.   

Candy Cardinals

Materials:

• parchment paper
• Wilton Candy Melts (black and red)
• Wilton sugar pearls (black)
• mini M&Ms

Steps:

Melt the red candy according to the instructions on the package. Use a spoon to put a dollop of melted candy onto parchment paper, shaping it into the teardrop that makes the cardinal's head. While the candy sets, use a sharp knife to cut orange M&Ms in half. Press straight down firmly; they'll cut without shattering. 

Melt the black candy, then put a dollop onto the head to make the cardinal's face. Place two black sugar pearls and half an M&M onto the black candy to make the eyes and beak. Let the candy set completely, then peel it up from the parchment paper. 

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Looking for another cardinal project? I love this tissue paper cardinal craft! The cardinal is the state bird of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia, so it's an especially great choice to make if you live in one of those states. 

Five More Pages in the 50 States Albums

After our recent adventure through the South, Trevor added five more pages to his 50 States Album. As always, I love reading what he puts in his journaling and seeing what photos he picks to represent each state.

   

Of all the pages, I'm most excited that Alabama is done. Why? Because it's the first state alphabetically, which means that the first page of the album had been blank for years. Now the first blank is the fourth page, Arkansas. That bothers me a lot less than having the first page blank. 

As we have visited 40 of the 50 states, Trevor's album is now 80% complete. I LOVE this album. I can't wait until it's complete. Once it is, I'll make a digital version to share here on the blog. In the meantime, you can visit my travel page to see all the pages he's done so far. 

Family Fun in the South, Part 12: Greensboro and Charlotte

This is my final post about our recent adventure through Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Click for the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh posts from this trip. Because I blog about educational travel, some places we visited gave me media passes, discounts, and similar benefits. Other places are free to everyone. We paid full price for the rest. This has no bearing on my reviews, as I only share what I can honestly recommend.

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Family Fun in Greensboro and Charlotte

After our quick visit to the City of Raleigh Museum, we drove 90 minutes to Greensboro. It is a beautiful city. Part of what makes it beautiful are its four large public gardens. All are free and provide a wonderful place for residents and tourists to enjoy nature. While I would have loved to have visited all four, we only had time for one. I chose Gateway Gardens. 

It was below freezing when we visited and obviously not much was in bloom. No matter; it was still a wonderful visit with the added bonus of having the entire place to ourselves! We started in the children's garden. 

It's beautiful and whimsical and so much fun. 

I love the carrots, but I also love the apple, tomato, and watermelon chairs along the back fence. And did you notice the letter C? Each letter of the alphabet is somewhere in the garden (not in alphabetical order!) for kids to find. There's a corresponding booklet that tells you what plant or garden feature each letter represents. 

I is for Ice. (No, not really. The ice is temporary. I is actually for Irrigation.) 

I loved Gateway Gardens. 

I really wish we could have visited the other three gardens. But we had other places to go. 

Next up was the February One Monument. It marks the day in 1960 that four students from North Carolina A&T University carried out their planned sit-in a the Woolworth lunch counter. This brave act prompted sit-ins and other segregated lunch counters throughout the South. Within two months, the movement had spread to 55 cities in 13 states. 

That Greensboro Woolworths still stands...

... and is now home to the outstanding International Civil Rights Center and Museum. 

  

There are two ways to tour the museum: you can take a guided tour with a docent, or you can watch a video of the docents walking through the museum explaining the exhibits, then walk through them yourself. If you can't visit in person, there are virtual options for you to "tour" the museum from home. 

We watched the 50-minute film, then walked through the museum. Having already had each exhibit explained to me helped deepen my understanding and focus my attention when I was walking through. Unfortunately, no photography was allowed. I would have loved to have shown you how well done this museum is. In particular, it was so hard to resist the urge to photograph the Woolworth's counter. It's all original: the stools, the flooring, the dishes, and the menu posters hanging on the wall. 

We had lunch down the street at Natty Greene's Brewing Company. The food was excellent. 

They had several flavors of Cheesecakes by Alex on the dessert menu. It was just down the street, so we went there to see the full range of flavors. There were at least 20 flavors and they all looked incredible. Trevor picked out two slices for the three of us to share (chocolate mint and white chocolate raspberry). Delicious!

Fun fact about Greensboro: it's the birthplace of Vicks VapoRub. 

I loved Greensboro and was disappointed we only a single day to spend in this cute city. We'll need to return!

Sixteen miles down the road is the town of High Point, the Furniture Capital of the World. We stopped to see the world's largest chest of drawers. It did not disappoint. 

We continued on toward Charlotte, the final city on our 15-day trip. I hadn't originally had Greensboro or Charlotte on the trip itinerary, intending that we'd fly home from Raleigh. But the flight options were better out of Charlotte, so we added the extra cities. Thank goodness we did! Greensboro was great and so was Charlotte. I'd love to return to both. 

So what did we do in Charlotte? Well, first we slept. Then we had breakfast, cleaned out the rental car, and repacked the luggage to make it airplane-friendly. With those accomplished, we walked to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Since it was 27°F out, I was glad we'd picked a hotel right next door and that the Hall of Fame is entirely indoors.

Before visiting the College Football Hall of Fame, I knew nothing about college football. Before visiting the NASCAR Hall of Fame, I knew even less about NASCAR. Just like the CFHOF, the NASCAR HOF gives you a pass to wear. You register your name and two favorite drivers/teams. One problem: I didn't recognize enough names to have two favorites. I knew Jeff Gordon was from Vallejo (the city where I taught), so I picked him. My other choices were random. 

You enter the Great Hall...

... and the giant screen welcomes you. It's really cool. 

Glory Road features 18 of the most recognizable and important cars in NASCAR history. 

They're arranged along an increasingly steep bank. 

The signs along the railing show different tracks with that particular slope.

It maxes out at 33°. There's a ramp and handrail so you can feel just how steep that is. It's very difficult to stand there without holding onto the railing. I cannot imagine driving on it. 

I thought all car racing tracks were oval. Nope! Not even close. Some of these designs are just plain nuts. 

We had so much fun at the NASCAR Hall of Fame! There were lots of interactive exhibits. 

Here, I'm learning how to use the simulator. It was not easy. Or maybe it was and I was just terrible at it. Either way, I really struggled. 

Since I failed (repeatedly) at simulator training, I opted to skip using the stock car simulators. Trevor and Steve gave it a go and I enjoyed watching. 

Here, Steve and Trevor are working together to complete a pit stop as quickly as possible. That wasn't easy either. In fact, one of the themes of our visit was, "Wow. I had no idea that was so difficult!" Mad respect for everyone involved with every aspect of racing. 

The driver may get the glory and the name recognition, but every driver is part of a huge team. My best racing career matches are Finish Fabricator, Series Director, and Track President. (I think I'll stick with blogging.)

Steve's are Car Chief, Racing Ops, and Reporter. Trevor's are Finish Fabricator, Replay, and Shock Specialist. 

This was neat. The left side of this car is customized for racing, while the right side is production-model. 

These are some of the unusual trophies that NASCAR winners receive. 

We had a fantastic time at the NASCAR Hall of Fame! There was so much to see and do. I left with a new appreciation for racing. 

In keeping with the car theme, we walked a few blocks to Fuel Pizza. Yum!

Directly outside Fuel was a super cool literary-themed park called The Green. We only had a few minutes to spend there before we had to get to the airport. 

  

  

It was really difficult leaving Charlotte after such a short time. The more I saw, the more I wanted to explore. Of course, that's the case for so many of the places we visit. There really are some remarkable places in this huge country of ours. I'm so lucky to be able to see as many of them as I have.