Shrink-a-Dinks: Not just for kids anymore!

Today was fun with Shrink-a-Dinks!

I happened upon them while at our local craft store and couldn't help myself.

A few of the things that I made today

Do you have about 30 minutes to an hour of free time? Then this project is right up your alley!

I didn't take any pictures of the process but it basically goes like this:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees (F)
2. Stamp, draw, and/or color your desired images directly onto the textured side of the Shrink-a-Dink plastic
3. Punch a hole in the top if you want to hang the finished product
4. Cut out your image making sure to leave clean edges
5. Place the cut outs on to a baking sheet lined with a brown paper bag
   
6. Bake for anywhere from 1-5 minutes until the plastic lays flat on the baking sheet plus 30 seconds (the 30 seconds is to cure or set the plastic)*
   
7. Pull out of the oven and press flat with a folded up piece of paper to ensure the plastic is completely flat. You only have 10 seconds to do this. If your finished product isn't the right shape/flat enough after it has cooled, then return to the oven until the plastic heats up enough to flatten down and reshape again. **
   
8. Allow to dry completely.
   
9. Use as desired. I think that a pair of tiny mushrooms might make for some really cute earrings. Most of the things that I made today are going to be keychains and zipper pulls, though.
   

*The Shrink-a-Dink plastic will curl and twist and move while it shrinks. This is normal! When it has shrunk as much as it will shrink, it will lay down flat on the baking sheet.

**If the plastic isn't flat after you've cooled it, please do as instructed here and in the directions that come in the package. If you try to force it down, the plastic will crack/break and all your work will be ruined. Yeah...I had to find that out the hard way...argh...

One of my creations in action

I mean, if this was all made in my free time, then imagine what you could do in yours!