playing with crayons.

Published on by Quandie

When I was a kid I always loved getting a new box of crayons.  Especially if it was the box of 64 with the built in sharpener.  You can probably guess some of my favorite colors; Sea Green, Robin Egg Blue, Cornflower.

Well recently Allie from Little Billy Goat offered to send me some of their products to try out.  In addition to some paint and other supplies, she also sent me a bunch of their Goat Sticks.  What’s a Goat Stick?  It looks like a giant crayon …

goat sticks

But basically it’s a metallic wax (although there are a couple of non-metallic options as well) that comes in crayon form.

I used the Gold Leaf crayon on the knobs for my Lake Superior credenza.

ls knobs

Since the credenza already had some brassy gold trim on the top drawers (plus some brassy feet), I decided to stick with a gold metallic for the knobs.  I originally purchased these knobs from Hobby Lobby …

hobby lobby lucite knobs

They really looked fabulous on the credenza.  The gold worked beautifully with that trim.  But they simply wouldn’t stay straight, no matter how much I tightened the base, that lucite and gold cross piece would always continue to turn.  I could just imagine how annoying this would be to live with for the final owner of the credenza.  So they are going back to the store.

When those didn’t work out, I remembered that I had these arrow knobs (also purchased at Hobby Lobby).  But they weren’t gold, they were black-ish (they call it ‘bronze pewter’ on the Hobby Lobby website).  No problem!  I pulled out the Gold Leaf Goat Stick and got to work.

arrow knobs

To begin with you have to remove the hard outer layer on the Goat Stick.  You can sort of peel it away, but I just rubbed mine on some paper until I got to the softer wax underneath.

gold leaf goat stick

By the way, the Goat Sticks are self sealing after 24 hours, so you’ll do this each time you use it.

For my knobs, I then just ‘colored’ the gold right onto them with the crayon.  However, I then found that it needed some additional blending so I used a q-tip to blend the wax and smooth it into the groves of the feather tips a bit more.

blending gold leaf

Since the Gold Leaf was so much fun to play with, I decided to try some of the other colors that Little Billy Goat sent me.  I really love the Old Penny.  With copper becoming so popular, I’m sure this will be a top seller.  In hindsight, the copper would have been an awesome choice on my Lake Superior Blue credenza.

old penny goat stick

I experimented with Old Penny and a couple of other colors on some old lion’s head drawer pulls that I had on hand.

lion heads

That’s Silver Dollar, Gunmetal and Old Penny (from left to right).

I have to admit, I still enjoy playing with crayons!

One thing that I want to be sure and point out is that it takes about 24 hours for the wax to dry and seal itself.  When you first put it on it is malleable and blend-able … which also can translate to ‘wipe-off-able’.  When using it, be sure to blend it to the point where you like the result and then don’t mess with it for 24 hours because you can rub it off during that period.

In addition to metallics, the Goat Sticks also come in Cream and Saddle (a medium brown).  They can be used on wood, plastic, metal, paper and fabric.  You could use them on wood trim (I’m going to experiment with the Cream on some wood trim later this week).  There are so many possibilities for these.  If you are local, you can find them at Reclaiming Beautiful in Stillwater where they are priced at $14/each.  If you’re not local, check out Little Billy Goat’s site to find a retailer near you.

Or better yet, I’m giving away a Saddle and a Gunmetal.  So if you like to play with crayons too, leave me a comment by Friday at midnight and I’ll put your name in the hat to win this pair!

76 thoughts on “playing with crayons.”

  4. You are so brave and creative to think of changing the color of purchased knobs! The crayons look like great fun to add a metallic highlight to projects. Thanks for the chance to win some!

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  6. Thanks for introducing us to these crayons. Grateful to the minds who come up with clever new products for us to have fun with!

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  8. I, too, have always loved crayons, especially new ones with good points! These look terrific and would love to win this so I can try them on some of my projects. Thanks for the opportunity!

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  15. These look fabulous…love trying new things…I also LOVE coloring!! Thanks for another chance for a great giveaway!!

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  19. I buy new crayons for my grandkids…and keep a bucket of them at Grandmas House just for them to use when they stop over. I have to say just looking at all the colors in the bucket makes me happy. It’s the simple things in life, right? This crayon stick “paint” looks easy enough for even a beginner painter, like me! Consider me “all in”!

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  20. I got an adult coloring book for Christmas but have only taken the time to use it once. But these colors I would use!

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    1. My adult niece got one of those for Christmas too. They do look like fun. I know I’d never actually take the time to sit down and do it though. Although, it would be great on a plane or long car trip.

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  24. I love your posts I’ve learned so much from you in this last month or so . Thanks for mentioning where one can find these things you talk about,like Reclaiming Beauty, I live in Stillwater and know nothing about them. Guess I don’t get out much. Thanks again. Dian

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    1. Well, clearly you need to get to Reclaiming Beautiful sometime soon! They are on Myrtle right next to the post office. And they are having a big one year anniversary shindig on Friday, I just posted about it over on their blog. Check out that post {here}.

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  27. Oh my gosh, how easy is this! I would love to get this and pass them on to my son and future daughter-in-law – they are the furniture refinishers/restorers of the family. Thanks!

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  29. I would love to use those crayons! I loved to color as a child also. I’ve been planning to purchase one of the new adult coloring books to try. Please include me in the drawing!

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  30. My parents still have my big box of crayons in the original cardboard container (with Holly Hobbie stickers on it of course). Girls that take care of things are different than raising 3 boys! They get to use them when they go to Grandma and Grandpa’s. I’ve seen these at RB and always wondered what the application would look like. They really give a nice patina!

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    1. Awwww, that’s so sweet that your parents still have your crayons! Yes, the Goat Sticks do have a really nice patina. I much prefer it to metallic paint for things like hardware and highlighting trim.

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    1. I have a tube of rub ‘n buff in my stash of supplies right now. The screw top cracked in half, so I have to keep it sealed in a zip lock baggie, and I still have to dig out the dried out wax from the tube opening before I can use it. In other words, these Goat Sticks are way handier to store and use!

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  32. I absolutely love these. Such an amazing idea I’m surprised no one has come up with it before. If I don’t win I hope I can’t find a retailer around here!!

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  33. I find it amazing how many new products are coming out for furniture restoring. It’s like a floodgate opened. I really like how you used the Goat Sticks (or was it Stix) on those fabulous knobs. I love the possibilities they offer to make so many things the vibe we are looking for. Does that make sense?

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  34. Oh. My. Goodness! I just love the idea of these crayons! I have a few pieces that would look adorable by using these crayons so throw my name in the hat, Q! How fun!

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  37. Hi Quandie…

    I am a visitor from Australia and fortunate enough to be in North Carolina when I got this post so I tried to get some for myself to take back to Australia with me on Monday! hOwever, when I followed your link, the phone number for Little Billy Goat has been disconnected and I wrote to them but have not heard back, so it’s too late now. Do you happen to know the phone number? There are no stockists within 25 miles of here.

    Thanks, I always enjoy your newsletter.

    Bev

    >

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    1. Oh drat! I’m sorry to hear that. Here is the number that is listed on their Facebook page: (817) 421-8574 And now I’m wondering whether or not the ‘find a retailer’ thing works, because when I put in my own zip code it gives me no results and I know for a fact that my retailer is less than 25 miles away. I hope you can reach them! I’d hate for you to go all the way back to Australia empty handed!

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  39. Great make over and I love the arrow pulls! I have a dresser waiting to be painted and the pulls are very tarnished. I would love to try the crayons.

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  41. I would love to play with the crayons. I just bought new ones for the Grandkids and the smell of a new box was as good as the smell of my first cup of coffee in the morning. Thanks for sharing.

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