Have fun being creative with your colors to create a fun shrink plastic craft you will love. With the right tools and techniques, you can create vibrant, long-lasting Shrinky Dink projects that stand the test of time. From Sharpie markers and acrylic markers to chalk pastels and cheap colored pencils, different tools work better depending on your plastic sheet and design. Using the right markers is essential for vibrant colors, long-lasting designs, and minimal smudging. • When they are done, let them cool and then glue your circle to the scalloped circle.

Want to take on this resin jewelry project but want more help getting started?

• I first cut my plastic out to the shape of my snowflake, and then I followed the lines with my craft knife.
• Enter a “5” into the width box to resize the image.
• Place the jump ring through the top of a rainbow, and one hole in the pink circle.
• The Cricut will use the border markers to know where to cut when the images are loaded.
• Now we need to add a circle for the keyring or keychain to loop through.
• This shrinky dink bracelet is the perfect easy Mother’s Day craft that kids can actually do.

This makes the colors pop even more and protects the keychain from everyday wear. As soon as you pull the tray from the oven, quickly lay another sheet of parchment over the piece and press down gently with a flat book or a spatula for about 30 seconds. The plastic will curl and twist dramatically – don’t panic! This creates an adorable little heart shape. Keep the leaves simple – little oval shapes on either side of the stem look perfect.

Storing and Organizing Your Supplies

• Follow the instructions on your shrink film and “cook” your designs. • If you are making a keychain, punch out a circle in the top of your scalloped circle. We made two pieces – the circle and the scalloped circle. • Trace your design onto the shrink film with a pencil. • Add a scallop edge to your circle and a heart in the middle. If the plastic surfaced is roughened a little with fine sandpaper, colored pencils can also be used.

Use low-tack painter’s tape to hold fragile shapes flat on the parchment during shrinking. If a piece emerges warped, put it back in the oven for thirty seconds until soft, then press it flat between two ceramic tiles. Layer multiple pieces to create three-dimensional ornaments that catch light on a tree or window.

As soon as the image has finished shrinking, quickly place an acrylic block or ceramic tile on top of it to help flatten any curled edges. For some reason they bubbled instead of curling, but they still shrunk and flattened back out in just a few minutes. The plastic will curl up, shrinky dink crafts then flatten again. It curled up like crazy but eventually flattened.

How do you stop Shrinky Dinks from curling?

You can use clear nail polish to seal it with a flat finish, for a purely functional seal. If you used regular permanent markers to make your shrinky dink earrings, you don’t need to seal it (although you can if you want). You can even stick with metallics for a classier look – though I personally love the Spring vibe here! You can also use any printed image to make shrinky dinks, however these were designed very specifically for this craft. I’ve tested a bunch of options, and here are my absolute favorites for colorful, reliable results every time. I’ll show you exactly how to do it, step by step, and share my favorite supplies for the brightest, best results.

Punch holes

The handprint will curl up and then flatten as it shrinks. You just need to follow the proper instructions to create them perfectly. Place your design on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake it in the oven for 1-3 minutes, or until the design has shrunken and flattened out. Oh, and don’t worry if it curls up – just use an oven mitt to press it flat, or stick it back in the oven for a couple more minutes. With your oven set to 325°, insert your baking sheet of creations for 1-3 minutes, or until your designs have curled up and flatten thenselves for at least 30 seconds. Using permanent markers or colored pencils, draw your desired designs on the rough side of the shrink film.

What Kind of Plastic Shrinks?

Did you know that you don’t need that special shrink film to make your own shrinky dinks. And don’t forget to check out these printable activities. For more ideas on making your own homemade art supplies and saving money, check this out.

You can also line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. However, you can definitely create your own design as well. Print out pictures to trace from your favorite sites or use cookie cutters to trace different designs. You don’t need to buy the Shrinky Dinks kits if you follow these easy instructions. This is one of our favorite DIY activities and it is so easy and frugal.

However, you can re-create this with recycled plastics too – just use some sandpaper to scratch up your plastic! They’re my favorite, with one side that has a sanded surface, which, takes mediums really well! Shrink film is so much fun, there’s really a lot of different ways you can create with it – it’s not just for kids! It’s like a magic art project – you draw on the shrink film, heat it up, and watch it shrink! These have always been a student favorite!

For this project, I recommend the frosted type of Shrinky Dinks; this allows your students to use colored pencils on the plastic. It was one of my favorite crafting activities as a child, and now as a mom, my daughter is having fun with it too. Yes, you can print images on this plastic film meant to be used on an inkjet printer. If you use permanent markers, clear Shrink plastic will work well. Our couple keychain is a cute way to create a custom gift for someone you love.