Before and after

I had so much fun with that last pair of earrings that I thought I'd try another shape and a different design. This time it didn't go quite  as well as the last one and I'm not quite sure what the problem was.

It's possible that some sawdust got into the ink from the horses I'm working on. That's the problem with a small work area, it's difficult to keep materials separate.

I'll put away the plastic projects for a while and get back to that horse I'm working on for Laura. I'll post pictures of that as I work on it.

Step by Step Pattern and Instructions for St. Patrick's Day Earrings from Shrink Plastic

1. Start with shrink plastic cut outs

I'm afraid I don't know much about where to purchase this or whether or not it's still available, this was given to me by my friend Colleen and I forgot to ask her.

2. Punch hole in top of shape

3.Begin drawing on the rough side with a dark green permanent marker

4. Fill the spaces in between with a light green permanent marker

 5. Add the light green design in the center

 6. Fill the background area with dark green

7. let dry
8. Bake as directed on package

9. Add Jewelry findings (beads, earring posts or hooks etc.)
10. Enjoy...keep them, give them as gifts or sell them to make a bit of money

11. My friend Irene put these together. isn't it great when creative people put their talents together?

Design in the round

This first design is in watercolor and has some interesting possibilities for stickers, magnets, necklaces and other round projects. Zazzle doesn't make earrings so I've decided to grab my permanent markers and try drawing something similar on shrink plastic to make earrings the old fashioned way.

Markers on plastic

With the assortment of materials available these days a person can create art on almost any surface. The next step with this one is to see how it changes when heat is applied.

The top row of drawings will be made into earrings, I'm not sure what the other two will be but I think they all turned out well, don't you?

Surprise results in the Sun Catcher Project

I always find it amazing that the finished shrink plastic items turn out so much smaller than the original designs. The package says 40% but results vary a lot depending on your oven and the time you leave it in.
The finished piece is really too small for a sun catcher so I'm giving it to a friend of mine that makes jewelry and will turn it into a pendant necklace or a key chain.
I'll be presenting it in one of the cards I made the other day that has the same design on it. I punched 2 holes on the inside and will tie it in with a pretty ribbon.
I'll add pictures of that when i get it done (it's still cooling now).

I combined this with some of the stickers I made and I'm looking forward to hearing to hearing what my friend thinks of it when I give it to her next week- It's a bit on the lumpy side to mail.

Solving a problem and making people happy

Here's an update on that recent upcycle/recycle idea I had for a broken Christmas garland:

After I'd gathered all the materials together based on that catalog photo it occurred to me that each of the finished ornaments would have a hole in the bottom of it.

 For some people that would have been a problem but made them perfect for a friend of mine that had been making beaded Christmas tree and angel earrings.

 It will allow her to give ornaments to everyone in the family that doesn't wear earrings.

Now they'll all have a keepsake made by their Mom, Grandma or Great Grandma and I make a bit more progress sorting things out around here and finding useful things to do with them.

Here's the beginning picture again:

I'll ask her to shoot some photos of the finished products and let you know how many ornaments she was able to make from all of this.