Shrink plastic backpack zipper pulls

Remember Shrinky dinks?  Well, you can still buy them in craft stores.  If you buy the ones that are non-printed you can make your own personalized items.  It so easy and you can make all sorts of personalized zipper pulls for backpacks and more. 

You will need:

Frosted sheets of Shrink plastic (you can find it in the craft store or the office supply store) 

Colored pencils

Large rubber stamp (I used one that was 4 ½” x 4 ½”)

Rubber stamp inkpad

Scissors or decorative paper edgers

Large paper punch (Keep in mind that the hole will shrink too)

Brown paper bag

Toaster oven or home oven

Small ball chain key chain

Newspapers to protect your work surface

Waxed paper

Small paintbrush

Acrylic gloss finish

1.    Cover your work surface with newspaper.  Use the inkpad to apply ink to your rubber stamp.  Stamp onto the non-shiny side of the shrink it and press down.  Quickly remove and let dry for a few seconds. Cut out your design with scissors or decorative paper cutters.

2.    Use a paper punch to punch a hole in the top of your cut out design.

3.    Color individual parts of your design with colored pencils to accent if desired.

4.    Cut a rectangle of brown paper and place onto a cookie sheet.  You will bake your shrink-it on this paper.  Pre heat your oven or toaster oven to 325 degrees.

5.    Place in the pre-heated oven for 2-3 minutes.  Don’t fret if it curls.  When the shrinking is finished it will lay flat. Remove your shrink-it from the oven.  Use the bottom of a glass while it is still warm to press down on the design to flatten further if necessary.  Let cool.

6.    Cover the work surface with waxed paper.  Apply some gloss finish to the un-shiny side of the motif and let dry. 

7.    Insert a ball style key chin through the hole and attach to the backpack zipper. 

Note:  Adult supervision is required when baking.  You must use a home oven or toaster oven. A microwave will not work.  Shrink plastic will shrink to about 1/3 of its unbaked size and be the thickness of a nickel.

Mini coloring booklet printable

The heat is on.  The last few days the temps have been in the high 90’s and it doesn’t look like it will cool down soon.  So the best thing to do its have an ice cream, think about ice cream and even color ice cream.  You can download the free printable coloring booklet.  There are four mini pages on each printable.  Cut them apart and staple them together.  It doesn’t matter if you print the pages more than one time because there are tons of flavors, so tons of different coloring options!  Let the kid’s create a book with all their favorite flavors.  And don’t forget ice tea, lemonade, limeade, and the list goes on.  When you think cool, you stay cool!  Now let’s go out for some real ice cream.

You will need:

Computer and printer

Cardstock paper or regular paper

Stapler and staples

1.     Download and print the free printable coloring pages

2.     Cut apart the coloring pages and stack them together (Add as many pages as you like) Cut two pieces of card stock 4 1/4" x 5 1/4" staple to the front and back with the coloring pages between.  Mini coloring booklets are great for carrying to restaurant, doctors or on trips just bring along some crayons!

Printable coloring page (1)

printable coloring page (2)

Bow tie pendant

I always say put a bow on anything and it just looks better.  Who says jewelry has to be heavy and made of metal.  Sometimes a lightweight bow is just the thing to bring some elegance and pizzazz to your wardrobe.  Wear them at the neck with short chains or a long chain for a dangling effect.  And don’t stop at just one! They look great worn together at different lengths.

You will need:

·      Mini Bowdabra with ruler

·      14 inches of 2 ¼” wide wired ribbon

·      Ball chain in any length (I used 18 inches and 36 inches)

·      Bowdabra bow wire

·      Ruler

·      Scissors

·      Glue gun and glue sticks

·      Flat freshwater pearl or any flat gem stone

1.     Gather your supplies.

2.     Cut an 18 inch piece of 2 ¼” wide sheer wired ribbon.

3.     Cut an 8-inch piece of Bowdabra bow wire and place in the Mini Bowdabra with ruler lengthwise.

4.      Place the ribbon in the Bowdabra to create a 2-inch tail. Next fold the ribbon to form a loop at the 2-inch mark.

5.     Fold a matching loop on the other side at the 2-inch mark.  Use the wand to scrunch down the ribbon.

6.     Remove the bow and tie a knot on the back. Trim the wires short.

7.      Fluff and arrange the bow.

8.     Open the clasp of a ball chain. Insert the ball chain down and through the left side loop.

9.     Continue around the back behind the tails coming up through the right side loop.  Close the clasp.

10. Use a glue gun and glue sticks to attach a flat fresh water pearl or stone of your choice to the center of the bow

Flip-flop earrings- teen crafting

Summertime and the liiivvving is easy…or so they say.  It’s a little warm for my tastes so I’m staying inside and whipping up some cute little flip-flop earrings, and you can too.  They are quick and easy to make and teens love them.  They are also very inexpensive.  This is a great sleepover or group craft. 

You will need:

Thick foam door hanger in desired color

Plastic lacing in matching color

Flip-flop pattern (free download)

Awl

Small scissors

Disappearing marker

Poster board

Graphite paper

Tracing paper

Jump rings, 16 and 18 gauge

Fish hook ear wires

Needle nosed pliers (two are helpful for opening and closing jump rings)

1.     Download and print out the full size pattern.

Flip-flop pattern

2.     Using the poster board and tracing paper trace and cut out the pattern.  I find it is easier to make a template and use it to trace on the foam. 

3.     Use your template and a disappearing marker (available at craft stores) to trace your pattern on the door hanger.  Carefully cut out. 

4.     Use the awl to poke holes all the way through the flip-flop at each area marked with a dot.

5.     For each flip-flop, cut a two one-inch pieces of matching plastic lacing. Use the scissors to cut a point at each end of the pieces.

6.     Add a dab of glue to the second from the top hole and insert the ends of two lacing pieces.  You can use the needle nosed pliers to pull it slightly through the bottom.  Add a bit of glue to each of the opposite end holes and insert the free ends into them. (See photo)  Let dry.

7.     Use two needle nosed pliers to open the larger of the two jump rings using a twisting motion rather than pulling apart, and insert into the top hole of the flip flop.  Close with the same twisting motion, meeting the two ends together.

8.     Open the second smaller jump ring and loop through the first one.  Add the fish hook ear wire as well making sure it is facing in he correct direction.  Close the jump ring.

9.     Snip off any extra lacing that is poking through the sole.