. . . but maybe soon! Because, friends. This charm-making thing has Gotten Out of Hand.
(And I do apologize for the quality of some of my photos today. I was hoping for some better light yesterday . . . but after starting the day with a tornado warning – yes, another one – at 8 am, the day remained dark and stormy for the duration. So . . . Yay.)
Anyway. A couple of weeks ago, I shared some little charms I was making from small, round, office tags. Now? It’s Shrinky-Dinks that have me obsessed. You remember Shrinky-Dinks? If you had kids in the mid-80s (or if you were a kid in the mid-80s), you probably remember the Shrinky-Dink craft craze. If you missed it then, well . . . it’s not too late. (Just sayin.) Basically, you can draw (or stamp or stencil or trace) your own designs on shrinky-dink paper, add some color, and . . . heat-to-shrink.
And shrink they do!
Fun. Fast. Totally addictive!
And what will I do with all of these charms? (Because, yes. There are more.) Well. I’ll share a couple of “inspiration projects” from Fodder School to show you where I’m (sort of) headed. . .
(If you just click on the photos above, you will be whisked to the full Instagram posts.)
These projects are not exactly what I’m going for (the second one, in particular, is way too . . . much. . . for my taste), but they do, perhaps, reveal the (ahem) charm that’s inspiring me. And maybe they also reveal why my knitting has slowed to a crawl lately.
C’est la vie!
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How about you? What’s inspiring you these days?
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Also . . . I highly recommend this shrinky-dink thing as a project to do with kids. If you have any interest in sharing it with kids – or trying it on your own, let me know. I’d be happy to share some tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way.
I loved doing Shrinky Dinks with my kids and had no idea that Shrinky Dinks were still a thing! Those are really quite charming and it will be lovely to see what you do with them.
I am totally getting the whole charm of it all 😉
Those look like so much fun! As for what to do with them, how about leaving them here and there for others to pick up and enjoy. Send a message of joy to the world. Hang them in trees along your street. Leave them on a park bench. What a happy surprise for someone to find
These really are (ahem) charming Kym. I’ve never heard of Shrinky Dinks! Your words/sayings are so fun and you know I LOVE the birds, cats and the moon!! I imagine these would be much more fun than knitting in this soupy weather. Glad you were safe from any tornado.
I’ve never heard of Shrinky Dinks! Those charms are really special Kym…as my b-i -l says…if it’s worth doing it’s worth over doing! 😂
YES TO SHRINKY DINKS!! I did that with the kids a few years ago — I think one or two kids have been added since then, so it must be time again!! I had so much fun doing it, too. Would love to hear your tips & tricks!
Yikes! A tornado warning!! I knew the weather was weird yesterday when I was watching big puffy clouds moving from east-to-west out my office window. So unnatural.
These look like so much fun! I discovered that Shrinky Dinks were still a thing several years ago when we went looking for art activities at the craft store when we were in Florida. They do make good stitch markers, too!
I went through a big Shrinky Dink phase a few years back. I had trouble getting them flat (although I guess you can flatten them out while they are cooling?) and I never knew you could stamp on them but of course you can. How are you putting a hole in them? Before they shrink?
The minute I saw that first photo I said SHRINKY DINKS! I did them with Hannah and now Jessica does them with Jackie. Last Christmas she used plastic cups and they colored them and put them in the oven and they flattened out and made pretty neat ornaments. Can’t wait to see what you do with all of your fodder.
My girls and I loved doing Shrinky Dinks on rainy days during the summer! (Sam liked them too, but for a much shorter time span… read one or two and then he was over it! LOL) I have not thought of them in eons! What fun Kym! I can’t wait to see what you do with your lovely little collection!
I do remember making Shrinky Dinks with my kids – it was the 80’s for sure. Your charms are absolutely charming. I look forward to seeing what you will do with them. Slow -stitching is my latest inspiration. I am making some small pieces to go with a group of poems.