Initial Letter Shrinky Charm

Here is another take on the good old Shrinky Dinks from your childhood!

I used white Shrinky Dinks for this project, but you could use any finish/color you like.

1.  Print off your initial in any font you like (I used Lucida Calligraphy.)  Make the letter three times the size you want your pendant to be, since they shrink down to about a third of their size.  I wanted it to be a little over an inch, so I went with almost 4 inches for the letter.

2.  I cut out a piece of the plastic that was just a bit larger than my letter.  You could tape the paper to the plastic, but I just held it together in my hands without a problem.  Then I cut out the letter from the paper and plastic simultaneously.

3.  Use a 1/8 " hole punch (if you have one) in an area that makes sense to place the jump ring.  (Shrinky Dinks instructions say that 1/8 " is the best size for jewelry making, but you could use a regular hole punch too.  It just won't be as snug on the jump ring.)

4.  Bake according to package directions.  

My tips are: 
*Place parchment paper under the shrinky to bake.  
*Don't panic!  It curls and then it uncurls.  It will be fine.  If it's not flat, press it down with a spatula as soon as it comes out of the oven.  
*These are pretty forgiving.  If it's just not flat after all that, you can put it back in the oven for a little bit more time.

5.  See how much they shrink?  If I were making this for myself, I probably would have stopped here and worn it as-is.  

However, I made this for my 12-year-old daughter who likes a bit more oomph.  I just used her favorite glitter nail polish to finish it.  I had to use three coats to get the look I wanted.  If polish clogs the opening to the hole, just use a toothpick to clear it out.

6.  When that's all dry, just add a jump ring and string it onto a chain.  That's it!

Hope you'll give this a try.  It was a very easy project, and my daughter is thrilled with her new necklace!