Ask Holly: Preserving 2010 Memories

Start a new tradition this year, preserve your child’s memories year after year on Shrinky Dinks. Yes, they still make them! I take out my daughters creations year after year.  We look at her progress and smile and laugh at how much her drawing has changed. We are going to hang these from a bare branch on New Year’s Eve. Every year we will have more and more of these creations to look at and smile and laugh at all the fun we have had! 

I had my daughter and her friend Hollen write down their favorite memories from 2010. The pond at Edgemont Park froze for skating, art camp at M. A. M. and School of Rock Montclair were some of the top memories. For my 4-year-old, I cut out the numbers 2011 for him to draw on. I punch holes in them before shrinking so we can hang them on the windows from suction cups or on the tree as ornaments. 

Here is what you will need:  

• Shrinky Dinks Ruff ‘N Ready. (the best by far) Available at Micheal’s and Just Kidding Around in Montclair. The Sharpies are available at Michael’s and office supply stores such as Staples.
• Scissors
• Hole Punch
• Permanent markers
• Parchment paper
• A piece of cardboard

Trace circles using the tops of jars or saucers and punch a hole in the top. Let the kids draw, draw, draw. If they make a mistake nail polish remover on a Q-tip will take most of it off. Make sure you or they sign and date the back.

All of the designs above were done on a product I found at A.C. Moore called Shrink Film. It curled like crazy and we lost a few works of artwork with this product. My daughter was a trooper and redid her designs on the Shrinky Dink brand which I bought at Michael’s. 

I tried about ten ways to bake these things and found that this worked the best: Heat your oven to 325°. Fold a flat unprinted piece of card board in half,  then fold a piece of parchment paper in half and put in the middle of the folded cardboard. Now put the Shrinky Dink in between the folder parchment paper and put small stones around (not on) of  the Shrinky Dink. Bake  the small ones for 2 minutes and the larger ones for 4 minutes. Take them out of the oven with oven mitts and check the Shrinky Dink if it looks done either press it flat on the baking sheet until cool or on a cutting board. I found my cool granite counter top to work rather well. 

Hang from fishing line, thread or yarn and enjoy your memories year after year! 

Questions? Just Ask Holly in the comments! 

Happy New Year to all of my readers, you are all fantastic! Keep the questions coming in 2011.