I recently attended a slumber party with two of my best friends from high school. It sounds like something that a child would do, but my friends and I try to have one of these parties at least once a year. We turn them into a fun creative experience where we walk away with some sort of finished art project. The first time we had one of these parties we created beaded necklaces. This year my friend decided to make it a shrinky dink party. I had never used shrinky dink before so the experience was a completely new one to me. I have to say that I am now hooked. What a fun material to work with!
Shrinky Dink is essentially a thin plastic film that you can draw on. You can punch holes into it and cut into it but once it shrinks down it becomes a hard durable plastic. Keep in mind that when you place your piece into an oven, it will shrink down to about a third of it's original size.
Perhaps it's because I am currently painting some koi mermaids, but I decided to created a 'kissing koi' necklace with my shrinky dink. Here is my necklace before it is shrunk in the oven. I used colored pencils and markers to create the image.
Look at how much it shinks down! I have to say that I was biting my nails with the image completely curled in on itself. I wasn't sure that it would flatten itself out! Once it's shrunk down it also makes the colors much more vibrant!
My finished kissing koi necklace complete with glass 'bubbles'
I'm thinking about adding some of these fun, whimsical pieces to my etsy shop. What do you think?
Do you have creative parties or get togethers with your friends? What do you create when you get together?
