A handmade, personalized present is the kind parents, grandparents, teachers, and best friends love most! Whether you need a DIY gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, a birthday, anniversary, the holidays, or any other special occasion, you can use Shrinky Dinks to create a personalized pin, keychain, or purse charm showing the people and things that make her smile.
To make Shrinky Dink personalized charms, take a piece of Shrinky Dink paper and draw whatever makes her happy:
A portrait of the family, kids, or grandkids; you can even have each child draw their own portrait
A sweet message like I LOVE MOM or BFF
Their favorite saying or catchphrase
Their favorite things or signature style choices: Red lips if she always wears red lipstick, a tennis racket if he plays tennis
Initials—or hers and her sweetie’s for an anniversary, or the initials of all her kids or grandkids
You don’t have to be artistic—you can also print images right on to Shrinky Dink paper with an ink jet or bubble jet printer (a laser printer will not work). Consider:
A favorite photo: Scan it and print it right onto the Shrinky Dink paper
A letter or card: Write it, scan it, and print onto Shrinky Dink Paper
A coupon or gift card: Download our templates here
Then cut out the design, poke a hole for hanging, and bake according to the Shrinky Dink paper directions.
Once the Shrinky Dink charms are ready, attach them to jump rings and slide those onto an oversized safety pin brooch with charm loops or a key ring. Now you have a piece of wearable art to pin onto a jacket or tote bag, or attach to a keychain. Shrinky Dink personalized charms are a DIY present that’s also a sweet, surprising way for the wearer keep their loved ones close at all times!
What You Need:
- Shrinky Dink paper
- Sharpies (if drawing)
- Ink Jet or Bubble Printer (if printing)
- Scissors
- Oven or Toaster oven
- Screw punch
- Jump ring
- Needle-nose pliers
- Large safety pin brooch with charm loops (for a brooch) or key ring (for a key chain)
How-To
Step One: Think of whomever you’re making this gift for, and draw his her favorite people, places, things, or sayings onto Shrinky Dink Paper. (Or, print an image onto Shrinky Dink paper using an ink jet or bubble printer.)
Step Two: Cut out each image, leaving room at the top to punch a hole with a screw punch.
Step Three: Punch holes, then set shrinky dinks in a conventional oven or toaster oven and bake for 1-3 minutes until Shrinky Dinks curl up and flatten out again.
Step Four: Remove from oven and let cool.
Step Five: Once charms have cooled, use the needle-nose pliers to slip a jump ring through each hole and slide the jump rings onto keychain or the large safety pin, one in each charm loop.
For more personalized gift ideas, click here.
Don’t forget to share your Shrinky Dink keychains on Instagram @darcymillerdesigns.
