hola, isabel

Today we are going to incorporate three four of my favorite things:

1. “How-To” blog posts
2. Fake Mustaches (I CAN’T STOP!)
3. Making my own jewelry
4. Shrinky-Dinks

That’s right…today I’m going to show you have to make your own fake mustache necklace out of Shrinky-Dink paper. (If you don’t know about Shrinky-Dinks, you are extra super going to love this. FYI, Shrinky-Dinks are AWESOME and you can do so many AWESOME things with them.)

(I got this idea over at Esty. Check out how cute these things are. But we are going to do it for much cheaper! Plus, it’s more fun to make them yourself.)

For this little project you will need the following items.

• Colored Shrinky-Dink paper (I was given black and brown “dink” paper years ago and was never sure what to use them for. NOW I KNOW!) You can buy Shrinky-Dink paper online (for less then $4 for 6 sheets). I have always just bought mine at the local Michael’s craft store.
• Scissors
• Pen
• Hole punch
• Mustache template (My BFF May made THIS ONE for me.)
• Oven (set to 325 degrees)

Remember that the whole purpose of Shrinky-Dinks is that they will SHRINK. So make sure you start with a large mustache template.

Lay your template on the dink paper….

…and trace it with a pen.

Next, cut out the mustache, using your scissors. But be careful. The scissors are sharp and can cut through the plastic Dink paper with ease.

When you are done your mustache should be decent sized. (See it in comparison to this pen? It’s pretty big. But don’t worry, it’s going to shrink!)

Now, hole punch your mustache. Make sure you hole punch BEFORE you cook your Dink. (There is NO way you’ll be able to hole punch it after. I promise.)

You are now ready to cook them.

(I decided to make a few different styles of mustaches. You know, for variety.)

Make sure your oven is pre-heated to 325. It needs to be good and hot.

Now lay out your Dinks on a FLAT cookie sheet with foil. You don’t want them close to each other (no touching).

This next part is the most fun. You get to watch your Shrinky-Dinks actually shrink. (Okay, this doesn’t sound that fun. But, be assured, it is.)

(Oh yes, it’s nothing like watching a pot boil.)

It takes about 2-3 minutes for your Dinks to properly shrink. Here’s a a few tips about this process:

• Your dinks WILL start to curl and you’ll freak out that they aren’t working. Have no fear, THEY ARE SUPPOSED to curl. They will flatten out.
• Larger Dinks (like mustaches) tend to curl into itself and get stuck. You might have to open the oven and make sure they are unstuck.
• If your Dink hardens before it flatten out all the way or stuck together, simply put it back in the oven to heat it back up.
• It isn’t going to burn. Don’t be afraid of getting them hot!
• I like to flatten mine, straight out of the oven, with a spatula.

When your Dink is FLAT, it is done and read to be taken out of the oven.

Holy crap, look how cute and little they are. (They are also about 10 times thicker.)

Next you need to add a jump ring to where you hole punched your Dink (prior to cooking).

I usually have pre-made jump rings, but I’m currently out. So I had to make mine own out of a piece of metal, using my jewelry pliers. (Any question on how to do this, go HERE.) (Seriously, just buy some pre-made jump rings. It’s much easier. And super duper cheap.)

Look how freakin’ cute the fake mustaches made out of Shrinky-Dinks turned out!!

(And see how small they got? They are so cute.)

Now all you need to do it put it on a chain and you’re set. I decided, since I have brown hair, to make myself a brown mustache necklace.

It makes a nice piece of jewelry that is both stylish and functional.

Hey, you never know when you might need a fake mustache at a moments notice. (Note to self: My nose looks extra big with the fake mustache.)

(Anyone know where I can buy some inexpensive chains for these necklaces???)

Plus, a fake mustache necklace is much nicer then using an old sock.

And more authentic looking then using a pen.

Or even using your fingerstache!

There are so many awesome things you can do with Shrink-Dinks. We really should talk more about that on a “How-To” post at a later date.

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Check out my latest New Thing. I finally took my kid to the dentist. And the trip was a success.