DIY Shrinky Dink Magnets - Great Weekend Kids Craft Project

I was recently inspired by some lovely, handmade shrink film jewelry I discovered through Painting Bliss blog. Handmade Shrink Film Jewelry from Painting Bliss Ashlie Blake, author of Painting Bliss is also the designer behind these lovely necklaces. She makes a variety of beautiful necklaces and earrings that I have just fallen in love with. I am really hoping she decides to put these beauties up for sale in her etsy shop. In the meantime, I was so inspired by Ashlies work, I decided to pull out some shrinky dink paper I have had stashed away and give my son a little weekend project. He used this concept to make me some new refrigerator magnets. Because I love dragonflies, he made me a dragonfly in a jar magnet. (He also crafted a butterfly magnet for my fridge and a bracelet for his girlfriend by punching holes in the shrinky dink paper before shrinking then stringing together on string.) If you were a child of the 80s then you may remember just how awesome shrinky dinks were. Well, they still are. Except rather than coloring in pre-printed designs, now you get to design your own! This is a terrific kids project and adults love making shrinky dinks too! There are so many applications from jewelry and magnets to mobiles and herb markers! Heres what you need: Frosted Ruff & Ready Shrinky Dink Paper Colored Pencils Imagination Oven Brown Paper Cookie Sheet Scissors Heres what you do: 1. Either trace an image you like or design your own image and draw it onto the rough side of a shrinky dink plastic sheet using colored pencils. Regular colored pencils work fine, but if you want a really rich color, opt for PrismaColor pencils. Theyre pricey, but theyre good! 2. Color your image in completely. Dont be afraid to press hard. The richer the color on the plastic, the more vivid your final piece. You can outline the edges with a permanent black marker for a bolder look if you like. 3. Cut your image out of the shrinky dink plastic with scissors. 4. Place the shrinky dink image on brown paper - I used a brown paper bag - on a cookie sheet. 5. Bake the shrinky dink in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-3 minutes. If the edges curl badly, you can quickly flatten them down with a spatula or chopstick. 6. Remove your shrunken art from the oven and allow to cool for a minute. Then remove your shrinky dink from the paper and pan. 7. To turn your shrink dink into a magnet, simply glue a rare earth magnet onto the back with some E6000 glue. Allow to dry. 8. Then stick your new magnet on the fridge or other magnetic surface to enjoy! These are not only fun for everyday, but also make great gifts from the kids for Mothers Day!