This clip shows you a really clever and fun way to make some charms as well as to make our planet a cleaner and better place to live by recycling! The materials needed are everyday objects that you can find around the house. You only need to trace your favorite art, cut out the shapes and then color it with permanent markers.
Limitless Application!
The applications of these shrink charms are boundless and fun. You can make these as a key chain and put it on your backpack, or a hair clip to wear it on your hair. You can also make a luggage label; a guitar pick; or even customized buttons!
Tips
Here are some tips to ensure that your Shrinky Dinks come out perfect!
- Start with a lower temperature of 300°F and increase it to 350°F if the plastic doesn’t shrink. You will know if the temperature is too high when the pieces curl up and stick to themselves in a matter of seconds.
- Create a ruler charm. Trace it out on your shrink plastic using an actual ruler. After you have cut it out, bake it and now you have an accurate measure for shrinking.
- Create a color guide. You can add these colors to your ruler charm. The colors on your pieces usually get darker after baking so it is good to know how the final product will turn out.
History of Shrinky Dinks
These shrink charms are popularly known as Shrinky Dinks – which was invented in 1973 by two housewives (Betty Morris and Kate Bloomberg) of Brookfield, Wisconsin. The first kits were sold in a local mall at Brookfield Square and they became an immediate big hit. This business has thus expanded globally to more than 42 countries around the world.
In 2014, Shrinky Dinks was then acquired by a globally recognized toy brand “Alex Brands“. Their merchandise includes a line of kits with pre-printed plastic pieces that can be colored and then baked to shrink. There are even kits with pre-made silicon molds to help shape the plastics as they shrink to create 3D pieces and jewelry.
