(ready for spring with my strawberry pickers!)
before i take off for spring break (insert escape/joyful-noise appropriate song here), i've got to post the kiddo kraft. i've got several projects in the works, but none complete...so i was waiting for inspiration this month. and it came yesterday at MOPS when we pulled out an oldie, but goodie (thanks, kerry!).
SHRINKY DINKS!
![]()
before i take off for spring break (insert escape/joyful-noise appropriate song here), i've got to post the kiddo kraft. i've got several projects in the works, but none complete...so i was waiting for inspiration this month. and it came yesterday at MOPS when we pulled out an oldie, but goodie (thanks, kerry!).
SHRINKY DINKS!
y'all have got to go get some shrinky dink paper and get to work. the girls and i have been having so much fun with the 3 sheets that i brought home from MOPS yesterday.
you're asking, what were the moms doing with the shrinky dinks for their craft? well, we used them to make silloettes of our children. we traced their profile onto a shrinky dink page and then colored them in. we could then make pins or keychains out of them after they baked. i chose to put the girls' back-to-back on a keychain and it'll be proudly worn on my purse.
![]()
you're asking, what were the moms doing with the shrinky dinks for their craft? well, we used them to make silloettes of our children. we traced their profile onto a shrinky dink page and then colored them in. we could then make pins or keychains out of them after they baked. i chose to put the girls' back-to-back on a keychain and it'll be proudly worn on my purse.
(macy's hair was being blown by the wind in the picture i had of her, so that's why she's got the "girl on fire" look - but it matches her crazy hairness that we're used to. lol)
but, today, we've been drawing and tracing and outlining and coloring all over the girls' they've been making.
here are kerry's instructions that have been working for me:
-decorate on scratchy side with waterproof marker, colored pencil, or acrylic paint (i used permanent marker & colored pencils)
-punch holes (if you want them) before baking
-Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet with the colored side (scratchy side) up and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for approximately 2 minutes. You are waiting for them to shrink, curl up, uncurl, and flatten out. Times will vary, but make sure you wait about another 30 seconds past when the flatten to allow them to finish baking and harden.
-Remove from the oven and flatten further with a spatula or potato masher. (if it doesn't lay flat, try to cook it a little longer to make it pliable again and see if you can carefully "help" it flatten)
-decorate on scratchy side with waterproof marker, colored pencil, or acrylic paint (i used permanent marker & colored pencils)
-punch holes (if you want them) before baking
-Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet with the colored side (scratchy side) up and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for approximately 2 minutes. You are waiting for them to shrink, curl up, uncurl, and flatten out. Times will vary, but make sure you wait about another 30 seconds past when the flatten to allow them to finish baking and harden.
-Remove from the oven and flatten further with a spatula or potato masher. (if it doesn't lay flat, try to cook it a little longer to make it pliable again and see if you can carefully "help" it flatten)
it's been super fun to draw on them - really, trace some pictures out of coloring books. their favorite characters are now mini and can hang on the window (or be magnets or keychains for their backpacks, etc.).
before baking (4.5'')
after baking (1.75'')even watching them curl up and change in the oven is entertainment!!!!
![]()
we've made some into window hangs (the standard hole-punch size fits on the window cling hook). oh, and wouldn't this be a super fun ornament?! (pause, maybe i got my kid ornament idea for christmas?!).
![]()
so, print out your Hobby Lobby coupon and go buy some sheets and get to shrinking!!
