Make Your Own Shrinky Dink Jewlery

Materials:
Clean #6 Plastic
Permanent Markers
Scissors
Hole Punch
Aluminum Foil
Oven Mitt
Oven

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1. Collect pieces of #6 plastic (polystyrene). Most clear containers at salad bars, delis, and grocery stores will work. You probably have some #6 with leftovers in it in your fridge right now. Just make sure the plastic you use has a  “6” inside the recycling arrows and has been washed with warm, soapy water.

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2. Preheat your oven to 350°, and place a rack in the lowest position. Cut any excess plastic away to make a flat sheet. Make sure to recycle the excess you cut away.

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3. Cut out shapes of varying size. You’ll want your shapes to be at least 3/4″ in diameter since the pieces will shrink to approximately 1/3 their original size. If you plan on using your pieces as jewelry or wish to hang them, punch a hole in your shape using a hole puncher.

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4. Using the permanent markers, draw any image or pattern you like on each plastic piece. Be creative. Try placing the plastic shape over a picture in a magazine and tracing what shows through or pass the pieces to each member of your family, letting them each draw something unique on each piece. The possibilities are endless.

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5. Place your newly designed plastic pieces on the aluminum covered cookie sheet and put the sheet into the preheated oven. If you have a glass front on your oven door, watch your pieces curl up before they flatten out to their final size. If you have a solid oven door, you can take a peek after 90 seconds. Depending on the size of your pieces and the thickness of #6 plastic used, it will take anywhere from 90 seconds to 3 minutes for your pieces to shrink to their final size.

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homemade "shrinky dink" pendant & earrings

homemade "shrinky dink" wine charms

6. After your pieces have shrunk, carefully remove the cookie sheet and set aside to cool completely. Once your pieces are cool, you can string them, embellish them, and use them any way you like. I chose to turn my creations into jewelry and wine glass charms. You could also make sun catchers, zipper pulls, key chains, guitar picks, gift tags and shoelace charms.