Resined Shrink Plastic Necklace Tutorial

Remember back in childhood when Shrinky Dinks were all the rage?  I used to love coloring them in and then watching them shrink into a firm charm in the oven.  Well now they're back, but better than ever.  Instead of having to color in pre-printed designs, you can grab a generous set of 10 large sheets at a local craft store for under $10.

I bought these at Michaels with my 40% off coupon (you can download the Michaels app to your smart phone for unlimited coupon use.  Plus they offer a 15% off coupon for teachers!)


Caution! Buy the "Frosted Ruff N' Ready."  I started out with the Crystal Clear and found out you really cannot use them unless you sand them down first with a fine grit sandpaper.

Materials Needed for Dragonfly Necklace:

Shrinky Dinks Frosted Ruff N' Ready
Envirotex Two-Part Resin
Pencil
Sharpie (or permanent marker): fine or ultra fine
Color Pencils
A couple sheets of white paper
Scissors
Hole Punch
A cheap or old paintbrush
A plastic spoon to measure resin
A small paper cup
An oven
A box or something to cover your project from dust while it dries
Jump rings
Chain
Clasp
Jewelry Making pliers & wire cutters

Instructions:

Finished Dragonfly Necklace

1.  Find an image you would like to turn into your pendant or charm.  If you want to create one yourself,it works best to draw it on another sheet of paper, and then trace it on.  I trace first with a pencil and then retrace with a fine or ultra fine Sharpie.  If you are good at tracing, just use a permanent marker.

2.  Color in your design.  I used Prang color pencils: nothing fancy.

Check the bottom of this blog to see more about which types of media you can/cannot use to color them.

For special effects, you can color on a paper and then place the Shrinky Dink on  top.

3.  Cut out your project.  I used small craft shears.  Then punch a hole where you want to hang it.  If it's a large charm, consider punching two on the sides instead of one at the top center.














I used a small hole punch, but you can use a regular size.



4.  Find a cookie sheet or pan that is completely flat at the bottom.  I usually put a piece of printer paper under the charm to protect the pan and to make it easier to take the charm out.

5.  Cook according to directions.  The charm will usually curl up, but be patient.  It will flatten back down.  It's so fun to watch it shrink, so turn on the oven light and call the kids over!

Uncooked next to a cooked Shrinky Dink.

Look at the change cooking makes!  Not only will it shrink to a third of the size, but it'll darken.  Keep this in mind when you  choose your colors.  I wish I had either chosen lighter colors or pressed lightly while coloring, but it still turned out alright.






In the packet there is a gauge so you can see how big to make your pendant and how much it will shrink.  Very handy!

6.  When you pull it out, you might want to use something to flatten the charm out if it isn't completely flat.  I just used a box of pasta and held it down for 10 seconds.

7.  When the charm is cool, mix up some resin according to manufacturer's instructions.  Apply a little at a time.  If you get bubbles, you can use a straw to blow them gently out.

Caution!  Anything that touches the resin will be ruined.  I used a cheap, old paintbrush and a plastic spoon to apply the resin.  Anything that touches the resin will have to be thrown out, except the cat (see below).

Don't apply too much resin as it will spill over the sides as it levels.  Let it dry for 24 hours and then reapply if needed.

Be sure to cover your pieces as they dry.  Pets and dust can junk up a beautiful project.  You can prop up an upside-down shoe box or plastic container over the top.  Make sure air can enter so the project dries.

8.  Use wire or jump rings in the holes of your piece to attach it wherever you want it.  I used jump rings to attach it to silver chain.  Add your clasp and voila!  Done!

Coloring Media

You can use color pencils, acrylic paints, and paint markers.
Do NOT use water color markers or crayons!

Troubleshooting & Preventative Tips:

Always cook your shrink plastic with the colored side up!

Double check that you've punched your holes BEFORE cooking.  Oops.

If the paper ends up sticking to your charm, you can rinse it in water and scratch the paper off the back with your fingernail.


If your hole is covered over in resin, use a bead reamer to re-open it.  I usually use a toothpick to clear the hole as it's drying.

Project now stuck to kitty's tail?  This happened to me.  I had to throw it away after carefully extracting it from the cat.  Wish I had known about covering my pieces before this happened!  Me-OW!

Using resin is the best way to coat a piece, both for aesthetics and to protect it from skin oils while wearing.  I do not recommend gloss (I tried Sculpy Gloss) because some will change the color of your design and it ends up looking rough and ragged.