Shrinky-Dink-A-Do

Here are some more gifts I made for my daughters' birthdays, this time using Shrinky-Dinks.

I cut all of the shapes using my Vagabond, stamped them with StayzOn ink and colored a few using Sharpies (it has to be permanent ink), then popped them in the oven for a few minutes.

I must admit, I was enthralled with the shrinking process and got really excited when things began to miniaturize. When they were cooled I applied a couple of coats of Glossy Accents, which made the colors even deeper and more vibrant.

As you can see from the above photo, the wings didn’t turn out, they curled up into themselves and I couldn’t get them untangled before they hardened. Maybe next time I'll try using my embossing heat gun.

My favorites are the camera, clock, phone, typewriter and sewing form. My daughter made the typewriter I gave her into a necklace and it looks darling. The sewing form, which took quite a bit of time, is a magnet for my other daughter’s fridge. The little measuring tape was made from Washi Tape, everything else is Shrink-Dink stuff. I applied pop dots to the backs of some of the other things like the clouds, pumpkins and butterfly so they can be used for scrapbooking.

I visited the Shrinky Dink Web site and discovered they sell colored and clear sheets as well (I used white), so I'm putting it on my birthday/Christmas list. I love getting crafts supplies as gifts so I can perpetuate the giving!

Birthday Crafting

My twin daughters, Valerie and Dawn, turned 29 this month, so I've been crafting like crazy for them. It's been fun to craft with such a purpose. I made quite a few things, cards, journals, rosettes, shrinky-dinks cut from dies, a fairy jar and these elephants. I'll share a couple at a time so my posts won't be a mile long.

Valerie collects elephants (as did my mother), which gave me a great starting point. I made the little white elephant a while back by layering tissue paper and water into a mold, letting it dry then coating it with Glossy Accents. I used one of the dollar frames I found at Michael's a long time ago, backed it with fabric adhesive and glued the little fella to that. (Later I added some grey highlights, but I should have let it be. Ya live and ya learn.) I added an umbrella embellishment and dubbed it "I've got it covered."

Another gift I made her was a little felted elephant. I've played around with needle felting, but I never really made anything, so this was quite a fete for me. (I drew blood 3 times and broke 2 felting needles, something I'm sure a lot of newbies can relate to.) But it was fun trying to figure out what was what, like the tiny brads I used for the eyes. When I finished I decorated a little square plastic container with cork that looks like brown pebbles or a bumpy road, moss and flowers and put it inside that, just so there was a safe place he wouldn't get damaged.

My favorite part of the elephant is the back end, like there's a swagger to the walk. I'll post more as I get my photos uploaded.

Pinhooks, Nifty New Find

Pinhooks - The cute & easy hooks that love to be seen!

I spotted these nifty pinhooks on the Gingerbread Snowflakes Web site and followed a link to Futuregirl's Web site (Alice) to see what they were all about. Alice came up with some great ideas, so be sure to visit her site. This is one of those things that makes me wonder why I didn't think of it before. I have a package of each color combination in my hands and so excited to have been in included in their mailing*.

I can't count how many times I've tried to hang stuff from push pins like this gathering of little gifts from my daughters:

Now my bedroom door doesn't have that ugly red pushpin, instead there's a clear Pinhook in its place and you can barely see it!

I bought a couple of dowels and I'm playing around with more ideas, but I couldn't wait any longer to post this. I rarely review a particular product, but when I find something I really like I share it with everyone I know.

And, as if this product could not be any cooler, the founder of this company, Leonard Gomez had an offer by a major corporation to make them, but they wanted the process done in China. Mr. Gomez wouldn't stand for it, so he declined and did himself so he could keep production IN THE U.S.A.! So, please support him and his employees by ordering a pack or two, or three from the Pinhooks Web site.

 *Disclaimer: I wrote the company and asked for permission to post their YouTube video because I thought it was a product crafters and other folk should know about. To my delightful surprise, the owner sent me a package of each combination of colors to try out. But I was excited about these Pinhooks before that happened, so my review is honestly from the heart.