Graphic by Charlotte Lawson
Does anyone else remember Shrinky Dinks? Well, if you don’t, here’s the rundown: Shrinky Dinks were invented in 1973 and were essentially this really thin and malleable plastic that you drew on, cut up with scissors and then tossed in the oven for a minute or two to watch them shrink down to a fraction of their original size. When you took them out of the oven, they were thick and hard, so lots of people poked holes in them and turned them into keychains or just random little charms. If you’re suddenly fascinated with this concept, you can watch a lovely old commercial here.
Anyway, I distinctly remember a box of “Gremlins” Shrinky Dinks floating around my board game closet throughout my childhood. I know they must have been my mother’s, as I imagine they were from the ‘80s, and neither I nor my brother were born until many years later. Despite this, they popped into my head when I was feeling particularly crafty one night. I suddenly wished they were still in that closet, but I mean like 35 years had passed since that box was made, so they were long gone.
But all hope was not lost! I remembered seeing something online somewhere that #6 plastic was the same material as Shrinky Dinks. Now I know, most of you probably don’t even look at the number on your plastic before tossing it in recycling, but if you’re like me and you live in a town where only certain numbers are recyclable (#1 and #2 to be exact), you get pretty used to squinting at those containers searching for that number. Because of all this scouring, I knew that most of my takeout containers were #6 — specifically the types of containers that that delicious ginger dressing salad from Japanese restaurants comes in. So, the next time my family got some takeout, I asked them to wash and set aside the plastic for me.
For some reason, I couldn’t let go of the idea of having “Frog and Toad” earrings, so I figured this was my best shot. Every summer I end up with both frogs and toads living around my backyard, so they have quickly become some of my favorite animals. Plus, I vividly remember my dad reading me those stories when I was little, so I was desperate. I printed out two photos of Frog and Toad, traced their outlines, colored them in with Sharpie, cut them out and stuck them in the oven. I’m not going to lie, I was worried it wasn’t going to work, but about a minute later I was sitting with the cutest little “Frog and Toad” hand-drawn charms!
Pretty soon, I was making earrings for anything and everything. Need something to wear to the Harry Styles concert? Make watermelon and kiwi earrings! Need something to match the Rory Gilmore Halloween costume planned? Make Luke’s Diner earrings! You get the gist …
Not only was I having a great time making earrings for myself and living for the compliments I received about them, but some friends reached out and wanted some of their own! It has been an absolute blast, and every pair I make allows me to put my creative energy somewhere while also customizing my accessories.
If you’re interested, here’s your step-by-step guide on making your own DIY Shrinky Dinks:
- Collect #6 plastic. Make sure it is #6! Other plastic won’t act the same and you will be terribly disappointed. If you’re using takeout containers, only keep the flat parts that are big enough to draw on.
- Draw whatever you want on the plastic with some Sharpies (or any other permanent marker). It might help to print out a photo to trace over. I try to print out my designs at a three-inch scale so my earrings end up being about an inch tall in the end.
- Cut out your design. The plastic will be thin enough that you can use regular scissors, but you should go slowly so you don’t make any jagged edges or tear the plastic in any way. If you’re like me and you want to make earrings, use a hole punch above the design. The hole will get smaller when it goes in the oven but it will not close entirely.
- Heat your oven to 325°F and put your Shrinky Dink creations on a baking sheet or a bit of aluminum foil. When you put your Shrinky Dinks in your oven, make sure to WATCH THEM! I cannot stress enough how important it is to use your oven light. Not only is it super cool to watch them shrink down, but you only want to keep the plastic in the oven for about five seconds after they have flattened themselves out.
- Take your Shrinky Dinks out of the oven and immediately take a glass and press it on top of each piece of plastic to make sure it has flattened entirely before it is too cool to do so. They cool down within seconds, so make sure you have a glass ready!
- Buy some jump rings, earring hooks, necklace chains or anything else you might need to make your Shrinky Dinks into custom jewelry!
Get ready to be addicted to making these — it’s so insanely fun to make custom jewelry, especially since you are reducing waste while doing it! When you watch that new show you become obsessed with and there’s just nothing on Etsy, make jewelry! When you don’t know what to get your friend for their birthday, make them jewelry! If you want silly little matching friendship necklaces but want them to be personal, make your own! The opportunities are endless.