This will keep your DIY shrinky dinks from sticking to your pan and ruining it. Now you’ll want to arrange your designs on a sheet pan, with a sheet of parchment paper underneath them. And don’t make them too tiny, they might end up sticking together during the heating process (more on this later) Keep in mind, colors will be more intense when the designs shrink up, so use that knowledge to your advantage. Make sure your plastic is really clean and dry before getting started, especially if you’re using old take out containers. That’s why you’ll need permanent markers for this project.
Coloring Shrinkable Plastic
Lastly, follow the instructions on your Shrinky Dinks for cooking your ornaments. But, after a few, I started helping him press his hand on the ornament to get more obvious handprints. I’m a follower of Jesus, a mom to 4 kids, a kitchen mess-maker extraordinaire and a person who thrives in Chaos. This fire flame was double punched and it made the perfect size to place a ball bead key chain through.
If you create more intricate shapes, a pair of fine-tip scissors may be handy for precision cutting. Once you have finished drawing your designs, it’s time to carefully cut them out. Keep in mind that the designs will shrink to about one-third of their original size, so make your drawings larger than the final size you want.
This project is a great way to add some festive flair to your accessories collection and is perfect for the winter season. These earrings are perfect for adding a touch of seasonal charm to your outfit, and they make great gifts for friends and family. These pins are easy to make with Shrinky Dink plastic and can be customized with your favorite emojis to express your mood or personality. This is a fun craft to do with kids, as you can create a keychain with their footprint. This one is perfect for all the donut lovers out there!
If you like, you can spray the Shrinky Dinks with an acrylic sealer to make sure the images don’t smudge. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the Shrinky Dinks, ink side up, on the pan. The vintage postcards were perfect for Shrink Dinks, as they have a faded, vintage look. I decided to use some of vintage postcard imagery from the New York Public Library’s digital collection to make my Shrinky Dinks Christmas ornaments. I just loved watching the paper curl up and shrink in the oven. It’s never too early to get a jumpstart on your Christmas crafting.
Shrink Film Keepsake Keychains
Take them out when they are pretty much flat. You can leave a space in the unpainted part to put a hole in case you don’t want to put a hole in your image. But if you are kiddos are little, you might just want to do colored pencils for mess sake!
DIY Shrinky Dink Rings
Watch through the oven window with the oven light on to watch as the heart curls up and then flattens out (this is my kids’ favorite part!) Then you will pop it in the oven for just a few minutes, watch it curl, shrink, then flatten out to create a distinctive tag in a great looking pattern. Keep an eye on it the entire time- if it starts to curl up, use a spatula to flatten it. At this temperature, the plastic will start to curl up and then gradually uncurl and flatten out. Kids and adults love watching their designs curl, twist, and flatten in the oven, turning a simple drawing into a sturdy keepsake in just minutes. Pop it in the microwave for a few minutes, watch it shrink, curl, and then flatten out with gentle motion to create a distinctive tag in a beautiful pattern.
- We created earrings, key chains, charm bracelets, and magnets.
- The paint markers will create a chipped, textured pattern on the front as it shrinks, while the back will stay smooth and bright.
- That "paper," which is actually plastic, curls and crinkles as it heats up and ultimately ends up being a smaller, thicker, hard plastic replica of the original drawing.
- Leave some extra room at your design’s bottom to ensure that it easily sticks into the cake.
- Pop it in the microwave for a few minutes, watch it shrink, curl, and then flatten out with gentle motion to create a distinctive tag in a beautiful pattern.
I used Sharpie markers to trace and colored pencils to color. If they are still really curled and they won’t press down, you can put them back in the oven to bake a little longer. Kids will love seeing their handprint shrink and this makes a perfect keepsake gift for Mother’s Day shrinky dink crafts too! You’ve just made yourself a pair of eco-friendly, adorable earrings, perfect for Earth Day — or any day, really. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the smiley faces onto the paper.
What To Do With Your DIY Shrinky Dinks
Bake at 325°F for 1-2 minutes, watching the pieces as they bake on parchment paper. You want to be able to watch the pieces bake as they will curl, and then uncurl when they are done baking. You don’t have to use an ink jet printer—you can simply draw on it with felt-tip pens or colored pencils. Later, large toy companies including Milton Bradley created kits and other products for commercial sale. Shrinky Dinks were invented by Betty Morris and Kate Bloomberg, two mothers who created the craft as a project with their sons for Cub Scouts.
Watch ’em shrink!
Start by drawing or tracing your design onto the rough side of the sheet of shrink plastic. Shrinky Dink paper is perfect for creating lightweight, customizable earrings. With the right tools and a bit of creativity, you can create stunning, one-of-a-kind plastic earrings that showcase your personal style. If you’re looking for a fun, easy, and customizable way to make your own jewelry, Shrinky Dink earrings are the perfect project. Pick your favorite emoji to wear or give them as gifts with the free printable “flair” cards. Before we start- I did write up a big blog post with the shrink material I bought and how I do it- plus free tracing treats!
These little crafts start with a simple sheet of plastic paper that “magically” shrinks up and hardens in the oven, resulting in cute pocket-sized treasures! So, gather your supplies, unleash your imagination, and start creating your own miniature masterpieces! With some care and creativity, you can craft beautiful shrinky dink keychains that stand out and make perfect gifts or accessories.
Then select the Print Then Cut version, and click “Upload.” You can double-check the outline version to ensure all the cut areas are in the right place. Next, you can use the tools on the left to remove the background from your image if needed.