Shrink It, Shrinky Dinks, Shrink Plastic...

Whatever you call this stuff it's great fun.  You can draw on it, painting on it, print on it (special kind) and when you're done being creative you toss it in the oven and it shrinks, thickens and become hard.   It's awesome!

3D Shrink Plastic Flower Jewelry

Love, love, love these shrink plastic 3D flowers.  Can you believe they start out as very thin, clear sheets of plastic?  A little creative magic is added and taaadaaaa, 3D flowers are created.  Come find out the secrets to these adorable flowers at www.CreativeMeTime.com

Graduation Cupcake Decorations

My nephew's high school graduation is tomorrow night and we're having a big party on Saturday.  Since shrink plastic is in my top two favorite creative mediums, I offered to make the decorations for the cupcakes.

Vintage Aleene's Creative Living Television Show Shrink-It How-to Video

I love shrink plastic!  I was assigned so many Aleene's Shrink-It segments that Tiffany Windsor dubbed me The Queen of Shrink-It way back in the day!  Check out this video for amazing ideas!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ1acqAeThw

Vintage Aleene's Creative Living Shrink Plastic Segments

I'm finally doing something I've wanted to do for years - I'm uploading vintage Aleene's Creative Living Television Show segments.  Check out the Aleene's Shrink-It Valentine's Centerpiece ideas on this video from 1999.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydzr8cAuUek

Shrink Plastic Chandelier

What do you think?  I saw this in a magazine and my creative brain said - I can make that from shrink plastic and other baubles.  It will have to go on the back burner for the moment while I finish Save Great Grandma's Quilt project...

Shrink Plastic

I saw this pretty blouse at Macy's and it was pricey.  Dare me to try it from shrunk plastic?

Family Reunion Favor

We have a family reunion coming up and I ran across this picture of my mom with her sisters.  I printed it on shrink plastic (be sure to read all the instructions before you print on it), then shrunk it in the oven and now they're ready to have a magnet glued on the back.

If you haven't played with shrink plastic, it starts out thin enough to run through your printer, cuts with regular scissors and when you place it in a warm oven it shrinks 50% and to the thickness of a nickel.  It's great for jewelry, Christmas ornaments, cupcake decorations and on and on...

Shrink Plastic Frames

Here's a great gift idea - and you just might have the main 'ingredient' in your recycle bin right now! Shrink Plastic is so much fun to work with - it shrinks 60% and to the thickness of a nickel!

What You'll Need

Baking sheet
Baby powder
Oven or toaster oven
Scissors
Hot pad

Shrink plastic or #6 plastic (check bottoms of plastic containers in your recycle bin)
Wood frame
3D paint
Aleene’s® Original Tacky Glue™
Tape for checkerboard
Acrylic paint to paint frame
Foam paintbrush
Masking tape for checkerboard frame

*Aleene’s® Shrink-It™ is available through www.Amazon.com

What To Do

1. Paint frame desired color. If you want the checkerboard look, use tape to divide off sections before you paint.

2. Cut various sizes and shapes from shrink plastic.

3. Pre-heat oven to 275-300 degrees. Lightly sprinkle baking sheet with baby powder. Place shrink plastic pieces on baking sheet. Place in oven for a few minutes until they flatten. Remove from oven and let cool.

4. Use permanent markers to color shapes.

5. Glue and layer plastic pieces to frame.

6. Add squiggles, dots and personalize with 3D paint. Let dry.

Make It Yours!
Paint frame in the person's favorite color (school colors make a great checkerboard frame!), add shrink plastic pieces that fit the person - megaphones and mascots for a cheerleader, airplanes for the plane enthusiast - check out rubber stamps too! The checkerboard is perfect for a checkers enthusiast by adding shrink plastic checkers and how about for the NASCAR or racing person? Make cars from shrink plastic to race around the frame.

Let them make their own custom picture mat - Include the mat, some decorative scrapbook paper and a can of Aleene's® Crystal Clear Tacky Spray™.

Use the same idea on a wooden or paper mache box to store treasures.

Wrap It Up!
Add a bow and actually place it on the wall. It's a decorative touch to the room and a gift all in one!

The Guide to Shrink Plastic ebook is available at

http://www.lulu.com/product/file-download/guide-to-shrink-plastic/4498403?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

Shrink Plastic Christmas Earrings

I LOVE shrink plastic!!! (Tiffany Windsor even called me the Queen of Shrink-It on the Aleene's Creative Living television show!) When I was getting ready for a party this week, I found this adorable shrink plastic earrings a fan sent me years and years ago (they've held up really well!!!)She got fantastic detail with permanent pens.

You can purchase shrink plastic at a craft store or check out your recycle bin for #6 plastic containers. Coloring books or graphics from the internet make great patterns.

Check out lots of shrink plastic ideas at http://www.lulu.com/product/e-book/guide-to-shrink-plastic/4498403

It's Eggie Saturday!!!

I have no idea what that means, but I will later today! A friend invited me to a family get together they've done for years. It's basically a family reunion the Saturday before Easter - then, they have Enchilada Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving and no, they don't use turkey in their enchiladas...The festivities will be on a large ranch outside of Paso Robles and I hear we're having a huge bbq.

I am taking a dessert - at first, I thought I'd take some kind of strawberries, but I'm a bit burnt out on strawberries for the moment after using them three times recently for desserts. So, I decided this morning, to make cupcakes like I did when I was a kid - with green food colored grass and jelly beans on top. Then, I thought I should have done my shrink plastic Hoppy Easter projects - I know it's last minute, but check your recycling bin for #6 plastic and if you have some colored pencils or pens you can make these adorable bunnies in no time - add them to cupcakes or learn how to make them and the cakes in pots at

http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/guide-to-shrink-plastic/6325538

Happy Eggie Saturday!

Joan

Party Ideas

Celebrate Spring, Mother's Day, Garden Party, Any Kind of Party You'd Like!

The parties over...and what a party it was! The favors / name'cards' were little tins I bought at Michaels, placed a pansy plants, added a little multi-color Easter grass to hide the soil and if you look real close, I made little shrink plastic butterflies as picks - I used a heat gun - it was so fun and easy! I used the same photo I used to make the mobile, just made it smaller. Later, I added the names to each tin.

The butterfly mobile looks perfect and added a special touch.

What's a garden / spring party without strawberries??? I am VERY fortunate to live in a farming community, so I picked up these beauties on the way to the party site.

I started my strawberry topiary with a cabbage. I priced a Styrofoam ball, but it was so expensive. I later gave the cabbage to my sister for cabbage soup. The topiary is super easy - just place toothpicks in the cabbage and then stick on the strawberrys. I added a little flag that I'd made from fun foam.



I was very happy how the veggie topiary turned out. Everything from carrots, to onions, to cucumbers were used. It was so pretty the guests didn't want to eat it.

Guests were greeted with bubbles - I found blueberry and lemon scented bubbles at my local dollar store - perfect for my spring theme!


My friend's home was perfect for my party - here are succulents by the front door - they are incredible!!!

Everything was set-out for the guests to make cookbooks.

Favors - I found these adorable butterfly cookies at Wal-Mart. They came in different colors and even flowers for only $1.

I had my sister and nephew over for dinner tonight for leftovers. Here's a quicker way to serve strawberries - I placed them in a pot and placed some Easter grass around the base.

Thank you, Mary Clare, for letting me use your home and your continued friendship!!! You are an amazing woman!!!

Happy Spring!

Joan

Saint Patty's Day

Happy Saint Patty's Day!!!

There was quite a bit of wearing of the green in my exercise class this morning and my friend was feeling a little 'green' so we didn't go for our usual walk on the beach. It's a fabulous day on the Central Coast - looks like it's over 70 degrees!!! I wish I was outside enjoying the great weather, but I'm working on a Shrink Plastic video, that I just about have done, to go along with my ebook!!! I'll let you know, hopefully later today, where you can see the video and find the ebook.

Joan