Making Shrinky Dink Embellishments

I have a tutorial up on my blog on how to make embellishments out of shrinky dink plastic if anyone is interested.

http://miraclesmommadesigns.blogspot.com/

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Thanks Heather! I've never used the shrinky dink stuff... I may have to try it!

I just recently tried the shrinky dinks. I love it except mine never actually gets flat alot of times my coners are curled up. Does yours do this or do you know how to keep them from curling?

You're welcome Steph! Your little monkey is sure getting big!

April,

When you first start to heat them they'll curl up... keep them in there... and they'll begin to flatten out again. Watch them closely and when they are completely flat take them out. If heating them for a bit longer doesn't help, try putting wax paper on top of them to weigh them down a bit. And I've even heard that if you take them out and quickly press down on them with a spatula that helps for the really stubborn ones.

Awesome! Off to read it. I bought a package, just haven't used them yet.

Happy to help Amy! It's really easy. It only took me an hour to make it.

Thanks! This looks really fun.

Thanks, Heather. As an FYI, I have also stamped on the shrinky dink paper and then used it. I used SU inks. Your embellies are really cute!

Oooh I didn't think to stamp... but you'd need a really big stamp right? Thanks Gina!

Where do you buy shrinky dink? Just any craft store?

i get mine from sizzix, but have seen them at m's (ask if you don't see them!). I like to use my sizzix cutter on them to make little tags- I use the large dies and they end up pretty darn tiny- I think they shrink like 50% or more. Don't know the exact dimensions. I've used staz-on inks, sharpie, printer inks (rough up the page first with fine grit sandpaper), colored pencils, LOTS of different stuff- play around- i LOVE shrinky dinks! I use my embossing gun to heat them and use a cookie sheet (plastic will melt) underneath and help to keep them in place with chopsticks. ENJOY!

Steph,

M's has it and you can use your coupon on it. It runs around 15.00 for a bunch of sheets. They do shrink a LOT so whatever you want to use to trace, make sure it's BIG. You can use your embossing gun, I'm just not that patient. I like them all to be done at the same time. I'm an instant gratification kind of girl. LOL

Also, there are some shrink plastics made especially for the inkjet printer BUT if you want to use some you happen to have (from your kids?) or some you find and can't find the inkjet stuff --you can! Also here are directions for how t print on little pieces--http://scrapbook.com/myplace/index.php?mod=blogs

Check out this comparison of printing on shrink plastic in my gallery. (The top line is printed on non-inkjet shrink plastic and the bottom line was treated prior to printing with the Perfect Printing Pouch.

http://scrapbook.com/galleries/28018/view/ 304723/-1/20/...

Oh thanks!

Shriky Dinks shrink to 1/3 the size but something like 9 times thicker. If you want to print on them, make sure you adjust your photo or image to be INCREDIBLY light, like almost barely visible on the computer screen because the ink will spread on the plastic (even with the transparency setting) and then condense when you shrink it. I discovered this the hard way by going through 8 or 10 batches of photo buttons to get one good batch finally. I also found that I got far better results from heating them in the oven than using an embossing heating gun. The heat was more even and the Shrinky Dinks didn't get blown away. I used a nonstick silpat cooking mat on a regular flat cookie sheet (not the kind with an air layer in between that keeps cookies from browning so much). Basically I learned to read and heed the package directions because every time I tried something different, it didn't work.

Here's the mini-book that I made with Shrinky Dink photo buttons:

Heilmann 4 - cover By Kathy Heilmann

Yeah running them through the printer would work so much better!!! I'll check out those links.

Kathy that album is precious!!! Thanks for the hints on printing. That's going to be next for me. I bet it would be lots quicker than coloring it myself. LOL