Craft book review - Shrink, Shrank, Shrunk!

The lovely folk at GMC sent me another book to review.  This time it was a book that's been on my wish list for a while Shrink! Shrank! Shrunk!

Before we go any further, the disclaimers.  I was sent the book for free to review but I was not told what to say and all opinions are 100% my own.  I didn't receive any monetary compensation.  Links in this post, as with all my book posts, are affiliated.  If you click over and buy something, I get a few pence towards an Amazon voucher.  

I have used shrink plastic before (I believe it's called "Shrinky Dinks" in the US), as a child, and more recently at a mixed media class.  I wanted to try it out a bit more and this book gave me the perfect opportunity.

The book starts with a few pages of basics.  The different kinds of shrink plastic available and some tips on using it.  Then it moves straight on to the projects.

There are 31 projects in the book.  All the templates are printed full size at the end of the book - bonus points, I much prefer full sized templates to having to enlarge them.  All the projects are jewellery items, though papercrafters could find a use for them on their cards and scrapbook layouts.

There are bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings and brooches.  I love the bracelet above, I will have to find a simple bunny silhouette and make my own version.

I decided to try Not-Your-Grandmother's Cameos and, for once, didn't use a bunny image!  I was taken by the teapot so that was my choice.

You can use large punches or die cuts if you have them, I didn't have any large enough so traced the templates from the back of the book and cut them out.  Be careful cutting as the plastic is quite brittle and can shatter.  

In the book marker pens are used to get the deep almost enamel-like colour on the circle.  I didn't have any to hand so used pencil crayons.  Colours intensify when shrunk which is why you can barely see the colour on the top picture.  I think I'd prefer this done in marker pen, I may have to buy some.

The original template was about 4" (the circle) and shrunk down to about 1.5".  I'm going to string this with some beads.

I had intended to have a go at this bracelet as I think it's really funky, but I didn't have any punches big enough and not enough time to cut them all by hand... one day!

My second project from the book was these earrings.  Of course, I wasn't going to make earrings!  I thought one would be nice as a pendant.  I did this project first so didn't realise quite how much it would shrink.

I traced the image and coloured it in lightly.

Once shrunk I covered it with a layer of Glossy Accents to seal the image.  I think this is why I couldn't get a picture of it at all, too much shine.  I might make a second, turn them into earrings and give them to my aunty.

Some of the projects are more difficult.  There are rings which of course are curved, and there are 3d flowers such as this one above.  Beautiful!  I will give this a go later on.

So my opinion on the book?  If you fancy a go at shrink plastic but don't have many ideas of your own, this book is ideal. It's also great if you can't draw.  A lot of the projects are really quite original and the 3d items are just lovely.  The instructions are very well written, I had no trouble following them at all.

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Lark; 1 edition (19 Nov 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1454703490
• ISBN-13: 978-1454703495

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Disclaimer:

I was given a review copy of the book by GMC however this review and all opinions are 100% my own, I was not told what to say.  Amazon links are affiliate links.

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mixed media workshop

I had last Thursday off work.  Wednesday had been a nightmare with crisis after crisis at work so I was glad to be off.  Shame it's just a distant memory now...  I had the day off work to go to the second in the set of 4 jewellery workshops I've booked onto with my wonderful mum at The Bead Shop in Nottingham.  This one was mixed media.

To be honest, we had no idea what that meant!  It actually meant 4 different jewellery making techniques. 

The first was using the brand new Pebeo Fantasy Paints.  They're a lovely paint which dries into fabulous textures, not so apparent in my crappy photo below!  We used the paint on various metal elements and practiced swirling and layering to get different effects.  I have to confess I didn't make the round red one below. I made a green and gold flower that didn't end up looking like a flower and I didn't like it but mum loved it and swapped me.

The ring below uses silver and pink paints to create this fab effect.

The second tecnique used Geofix clay.  It's a clay that comes in two parts and is mixed together.  After they are mixed you have about an hour to play with it before it sets.  I made a pendant and a very bling bead which I struggled to take a photo of.

The bead is on its side in the photo below but it's still a rubbish picture.  I love the pendent. 

Next up was Stampbord.  No, I haven't spelt that wrong, that's the brand name.  It's a board covered with a clay type thing. I used inks to mix, swirl and dab colour on, then I used an etching tool to take parts back to the clay underneath.

When she showed us the samples of the beginning, I didn't think I'd like it, it didn't seem very "me".  You know what?  I fell in love with this technique.  I could have sat there all day and stampborded.  That isn't a word, I made that one up.  You can also use them as a basis for collage, I bought some of the pieces so I'll try it at home. You're probably wondering how this is jewellery.  I could stick brooch backs on, or a bail, or I could punch holes in them with my Big Bite and add eyelets.

Finally, we did shrink plastic.  I think most of you will be familiar with this.

My rainbow is definitely too small, and looks like it was drawn by a 3 year old.  Hmmm, don't think I quite took to this technique.  Can you see what I was trying to achieve?

After lunch, we could decide what we wanted to play with.  I went for stampbord straight away.

I couldn't believe that I could draw with the etcher thing, I can't draw full stop but this just flowed.  I'll hang the bottom one in the picture above from the top one with jump rings and add a brooch back.  They all need varnishing to preserve them too.

I plan to add eyelets to this one and make it into a necklace in the formation above.  This technique is also very forgiving.  Made a mistake?  You can rub it out with a special tool, taking it back to the clay, or you can paint over it!  Fab.  You can also use the Fantasy Paints on the Stampbord which my mum did to great effect.  Did I take photos?  Of course not, I was too busy etching!

Expect to see more of this...

p.s. anyone know any jewellery making blogs?  I only have about two on my reader but I'm loving it!


Don't forget to enter my Something Old, Something New competition.  The deadline is 31st July and there is a prize!