Dog Day #2--"The History of Shrinky Dinks." (Excerpts from Simply Sublime Gifts by Jodi Kahn)
Not only are Shrinky Dinks fun to use, it is fun to say. What kid, or adult, wouldn't love to create something from such a fun sounding item.
"Shrinky Dinks were "invented" in 1973 by Betty Morris, a Cub Scout leader and stay-at-home mom after seeing an article in a crafting magazine involving tracing on plastic lids and shrinking them in the oven. Morris and her co-leader, Kathryn Bloomberg, introduced the project to their scouts. The boys were so excited by the activity, the women decided to create a product out of large sheets of the shrinkable plastic. They sold the first kits, they put together themselves, at the Brookfield Square Mall in Wisconsin. Morris says she knew she was onto something when the Scouts started fighting each other for the leftover scraps."
You can still purchase kits today in stores like Michael's or Jo-Ann Fabrics, etc. or you can make your own from #6 plastic containers. (Look for the "6" inside the recycling symbol, stamped into the plastic.) Containers at salad bars are often made from this kind of plastic and will shrink up in the oven just like the pre-made sheets.
Cut plastic into desired shapes. When complete your design will shrink to about 1/3 of its original size. Use a permanent marker to draw a design on the plastic or use a stencil or Scrapbooking paper punch for your desired shape. If you desire to use the design as a charm on a necklace or bracelet use a hole punch to punch a hole about 1/2 inch from the edge BEFORE shrinking.
Place shapes on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes, until the plastic begins to curl, then flattens back out. Let cool and then string on ribbon or fabric strips. If you prefer not to turn on the oven during the day, create the charms during the day and then as a special treat bake the charms right before the kids head to bed.
Be creative in your designs, boys can make a dinosaur collection, girls can make a bracelet of princess crowns, and what Mom wouldn't love a cute necklace with a charm of each child initial.
Happy crafting!
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