Crafts

Cricut Explore Air 2 Review – Is it Still Good? (2024)

8 · Dec 25, 2022 · Leave a Comment

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is the most popular machine in the Cricut brand of cutting machines, according to their website. It’s a popular choice for crafters, with the capability to create unique greeting cards, party decorations, custom t-shirts, home decor, and so much more.

This machine can cut over 100 different materials, such as cardstock, adhesive vinyl, iron-on, glitter paper, window cling material, faux leather, and others. It can even cut some fabrics; perfect for anyone who enjoys sewing and quilting.

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is impressive right out of the box. It comes in a variety of attractive colors, in case you want the machine to complement your craft room decor.

It’s a fairly large machine, measuring 24″ wide by 9.5″ tall, with a depth of 9.5″. It weighs approximately 12 pounds. Because this is a large, somewhat heavy machine, you’ll want to set it up on a strong stable surface.

Short Verdict of this machine…

Get it instead of the Cricut 3. The Cricut Air 2, especially the bundle, is the way to go.

What Does the Cricut Explore Air 2 Come With?

When you purchase an Explore Air 2, you’ll get the following:

The Explore Air 2 machine
Premium Fine-Point Blade + Housing to hold the blade
A fine-point black Cricut pen
12” X 12” LightGrip Cricut Machine Mat (this is suitable for most cutting projects)
USB cable and power adapter
Cricut Welcome Book and start-up instructions
Materials for a small practice project
One Year Limited Warranty information
Free trial membership to Cricut Access

The included Welcome Book outlines the basic features of the machine and what it can do. It also has a useful quick reference guide with easy-to-follow instructions and illustrations.

Of course, to start crafting with your machine you’ll need to purchase more materials, and maybe a few basic accessories. Instead of trying to decide what supplies you need to buy separately, Cricut sells this machine in a couple of different bundled packages that include a variety of materials and tools. These bundle packages are a great value, and you’ll have what you need to start creating right away.

Cricut Explore Air 2 Features

The Explore Air 2 is a versatile machine, with wide capabilities. Here are the Explore Air 2’s basic features:

Versatility

The most prominent feature of the Explore Air 2 might simply be how versatile it is! This machine can cut over 100 types of materials. It can also draw, write, score, and add foil accents to paper crafts.

The Explore Air 2 comes with the Premium Fine-Point Blade, made of German carbide steel, which is good for most card stock, vinyl, and iron-on materials. This long-lasting blade provides potentially dozens of precision cuts. You can purchase replacements when the original blade gets dull, and they’re easy to replace in the blade housing.

Additionally, you can purchase specialty blades, such as the Deep Point Blade for cutting faux leather, cardboard, and craft foam, or the Bonded-Fabric Blade to cut fabric pieces. Another accessory that adds to this machine’s versatility is the foiling tool. With this tool and foil sheets, you can add eye-catching metallic accents to your crafts.

Easy To Use Smart Set Dial

In order to set the blade to the proper pressure for different materials, all you have to do is turn a dial. It’s that easy! The Smart Set Dial on the Explore Air 2 has settings for the most commonly used materials, as well as a “custom” setting. When you load your materials into the machine, just adjust the dial for whatever material you are cutting.

The custom setting on the dial is used in conjunction with Cricut Design Space software to create your own material descriptions and settings.

The custom setting is especially useful if you’re using non-Cricut brand materials that might work best with different cutting settings than the standardized Cricut material settings.

2X Fast Mode For Cutting

The Explore Air 2 has a “fast mode” option that works beautifully with thinner materials such as cardstock, paper, and vinyl. It cuts twice as fast as the previous Cricut machine models.

This can be a huge time saver, as large projects can take quite a bit of time to cut. It’s also handy if you’re making multiples of one project.

Setting the machine to use the fast mode feature is as easy as clicking on a button when you’re setting up your project for cutting in Design Space software.

Fast Mode doesn’t work as well for very intricate cuts. In that case, you’ll get better results by cutting at the normal speed, even if it does take a little bit longer.

Another thing to keep in mind when using Fast Mode is that the machine does sound louder when this feature is used. It’s not an unreasonable noise level, but it’s good to keep in mind if you need a quieter work environment.

Double Tool Clamps

Another useful time-saving feature is the double tool clamps. With two clamps, you can load a Cricut pen in one clamp, and your cutting blade in the other clamp, and the machine will perform the cutting and draw/write functions without interruption. There is no need for you to pause and switch out the tools in the middle of your project.

The double tool clamps can also be used to hold the scoring stylus (sold separately). This is great if you’re making cards or decorations that need to be folded and assembled. The machine will cut your project, and score along any fold lines in one process.

Tool Storage

A small, but useful feature is a compartment on top of the machine to hold your tools. Cricut sells a variety of tools to assist with your Cricut craft projects. The tool storage compartment easily holds tweezers, a Cricut weeding tool, extra pens, small scissors, and more.

Compatibility With Cricut Cartridges

Older Cricut machines had data cartridges to store your projects and image files, instead of utilizing the cloud-based Design Space software. If you had one of these older machines, the Explore Air 2 has a cartridge port, so you can link your old cartridges to Design Space.

How Does the Cricut Explore Air Work?

To get started with your Explore Air 2, you’ll need Cricut Design Space, their managing software. Design Space is online software that works anywhere you can get an internet connection.

Software updates are done automatically on a regular basis, both to fix any software bugs and introduce fun new design features.

Cricut Design Space is very user-friendly, and not at all difficult to learn. If you have a basic familiarity with any designing or graphic software, you’ll be using Design Space like a pro in no time.

Otherwise, new users can go to learn.cricut.com for excellent tutorials on how to use all the features of Design Space. Don’t let the thought of learning new software intimidate you; it is quite intuitive.

In addition to the thousands of files already available on Design Space, you can also upload your own SVG (scalable vector graphics) files to make your own one-of-a-kind projects.

Get the Cricut Air 2 Here

The Design Space homepage is where you’ll find files and project ideas for your machine. The “canvas” page is the workspace where you can customize and make your project, or where you can play around with your own designs. Once you have your design just the way you like it on your canvas, you simply click the “make it” button, then follow the on-screen instructions for your machine.

Buttons on top of the Explore Air 2 control loading the materials, when to begin cutting, and then unloading the materials when done. The buttons light up when you need to press each one; it couldn’t be much easier!

Design Space connects to your machine via a Bluetooth connection, so there is no need to plug the machine into your computer or mobile device. It is compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled desktop computer or laptop, and there is even a version for use with tablets and cell phones.

Design Space is free for any Cricut user.

There are hundreds of free projects and images available, and literally thousands that can be purchased for very low costs. If you don’t want to purchase files individually, there is a subscription service known as Cricut Access.

Subscriptions to Cricut Access start as low as $9.99 a month, and you get access to literally thousands of images, projects, and fonts. When you purchase a new Cricut machine, new subscribers can get a free 30-day trial membership to Cricut Access. This is a great way to decide if the paid subscription option is something you’ll make good use of.

How Much Does a Cricut Explore Air 2 Cost?

A Cricut Explore Air 2 has a regular price of $249.99 on the Cricut website. That may seem like a sizeable investment for a hobby, but when you consider all the capabilities this machine has to offer, it is not an unreasonable price. Cricut machines are also available at most major craft supply stores. The Cricut website frequently has these machines on sale, so it’s a good idea to check for good deals.

Cricut also sells the Explore Air 2 in bundles that include a variety of tools and supplies. The “Essentials Bundle” is regularly priced at $383.42, and includes the machine plus various material samples, mats, and tools.

The “Everything Bundle” has a regular price of $497.82, and includes an even larger amount of material samples, mats, and various tools/accessories.

These bundles are only available on the Cricut website, and they do frequently go on sale. While purchasing a bundle is still a sizeable cost, it’s a better deal than separately buying a machine, tools, and materials to get started.

Cricut Support and Community

Buying a Cricut machine is a sizeable expense, and before you buy one you might be wondering such things as “who can help me if my machine isn’t working properly?”, or “how can I get help with Design Space?”

Fortunately, Cricut has toll-free phone numbers for every region where they sell Cricut products. Although the time on hold can be a little bit long at times, their friendly representatives are very knowledgeable and helpful.

They’ll help troubleshoot any technical issues with the machines or walk you through anything you’re trying to accomplish on Design Space. If the hold times on the phone lines are excessively long, there is an option for a representative to call you back.

In addition to the excellent telephone help, the Cricut website has resources for all their products. There is also a Cricut YouTube channel that is filled with videos showcasing everything from how to use their products, to instructions for specific projects. If you are a visual learner, these videos make it easy to see exactly how to use your machine, as well as how to navigate the Design Space software.

For more useful yet social interactions, there are official Cricut Facebook groups where members can exchange ideas, ask questions and share crafting tips, and show off their creations.

Is The Cricut Explore Air 2 Right for You?

While there are other cutting machines on the market that perform similar functions as the Explore Air 2, and at a comparable price, most of them don’t have the versatility and cutting power of this machine.

Get the Cricut Air 2 Here

If you enjoy making cards and decorations for your home, or maybe want to make custom t-shirts for your friends and family, you’ll be thrilled with the Explore Air 2.

This is also a good choice for teachers to use to create classroom decorations and fun supplies for their students. Small business owners who sell their art and handmade creations can use the Explore Air 2 to make personalized packaging for their products. The Explore Air 2 is an excellent choice for any creative person. Possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

The Best Chalk Paint Wax – Top 3 Brands (2024)

46 · Oct 27, 2022 · 1 Comment

Chalk-style paint is such an easy and fun way to transform old furniture into something that looks like an expensive designer piece. This decorative paint is popular with home crafters and professional interior designers alike.

Key Takeaways – The Best Wax Brands

There are three top brands. These brands are Krylon, Annie Sloan, and Behr. If you’re short on time I’ll just go ahead and recommend Annie Sloan, but the specific type listed below. If you want to know more about why instead of just knowing which is the best chalk paint wax, then make sure to read through the whole article.

Once you’ve taken the time and effort to paint a beautiful piece of furniture, you still need to protect the paint job. The best way to protect chalk paint is with a wax sealant. This finishing step is crucial to create a durable surface and prevent the paint from scratches and chipping.

I’d suggest using a high-quality chalk paint before using the wax. You can see which chalk paints are the best here.

What Is Chalk Paint Wax?

Chalk paint wax is a lightweight protective wax coating that gives a subtle sheen to your chalk-painted projects. Unlike a glossy sealant, which you absolutely don’t want to use with chalk paints, a wax sealer will give you a deep velvety finish.

One of the best features of a wax sealant is that it is completely non-toxic! Unlike using a lacquer or shellac finish on your painted furniture, you won’t need to apply chalk paint wax outdoors, and it’s safe for your children and pets to be around. There is virtually no odor, also.

Chalk paint waxes are usually clear, but they are also available in shades of dark brown, milky white, and even black.

The clear and white waxes are applied in layers directly to the painted surfaces. They won’t affect the color of your painted projects, except to deepen the color a little bit.

Darker waxes are applied over a layer of clear wax. They are applied over the cured wax surface, then mostly wiped off to create a patina or “antiqued” look.

If you don’t want to use a dark wax to create a patina, you can also add just a drop of two of a coordinating chalk paint to some wax, mix thoroughly, then use that as a sealant. You can achieve some fun looks with this technique. Try using a deep green tinted wax over a light blue painted surface, or a dark blue tinted wax over gray paint. The contrast will be subtle, but it brings out details beautifully!

You can layer chalk paint wax up to two or three thin layers to fully protect your project. If you’ve painted something that will be frequently touched, such as the top of a table, you want to use at least three layers to get a good seal and the best possible protection. This can be an exercise in patience, as each chalk paint wax layer needs to dry fully for 24-48 hours before you can add the next layer.

How Do You Use Chalk Paint Wax As A Top Coat?

Applying a wax finish to your chalk painted project takes a bit of patience, but the end result is well worth it! Before you apply the wax, make sure your painted piece is absolutely dry. Clean it with a lint free cloth to remove any fine bits of dust. You might want to remove any hardware such as drawer pulls or knobs.

You can use either a special “wax brush” or a soft, lint-free cloth to apply your wax. An old cut-up t-shirt is perfect for this. There are many brands of chalk paint wax sealant available, and they vary slightly in their consistency.

It’s a good idea to read through any instructions for the brand you purchase, but here are the basic techniques.

The key to getting a flawless wax finish on your painted project is to apply the wax in very thin coats. If you apply the wax too thick, you’ll get a dull finish with white streaky spots. “Less is more” is a good thing to keep in mind when applying each coat of wax!

Even if you plan to use a darker wax or tinted wax to provide a slightly contrasted patina, your first wax coat should always be done with clear wax.

Tips to Make Waxing Easier

Depending on the brand of chalk paint wax you use, it might be easier to have some of the wax on a paper plate instead of dipping your cloth or brush directly into the can of wax.

Dab the ends of your wax brush in the wax, or bunch up your cloth and rub it through the wax. Now you want to rub the wax onto your painted furniture.

You don’t have to use a circular motion, you can wipe the wax along the wood grain direction if you prefer. Just be sure it is applied evenly and thinly, using steady pressure.

Because you’re applying thin coats, this might take a little bit longer than the actual painting did.

The wax sealant will actually absorb into the pores of the chalk paint, just like when you apply moisturizer to your skin.

In fact, if you think of how you apply lotion while you’re applying your wax sealant, you’ll probably avoid using too much at a time.

Pay attention to corners and small areas and corners. You want to be sure to get the wax in there, but not too much that you’ll have globs of waxy buildup.

Next, take a clean lint-free cloth and gently wipe over the waxed areas to remove any excess. This step is so important! If you don’t wipe off the excess, you could end up with blotches or streaks on your painted project. Once that’s done, now you wait.

Let the wax dry/harden for at least 24 hours before applying the next coat.

How to Get a Darker Wax Coat

If you want to use a darker or tinted wax after your clear coat(s), the process is almost the same. For this process though, it’s easier to work in sections rather than waxing the entire painted piece of furniture at once.

You’ll want to brush or wipe the darker wax onto a section of your project following the direction of the wood grain.

Again, make sure you’re using a very thin coat of wax. Then, using a soft cloth, immediately wipe off the excess wax.

The results should be a slight darkening of most of your painted surface, with darker wax in the corners and in more intricate details. This final look can make your furniture appear to be a vintage heirloom or an eye-catching designer piece.

Once you’ve applied your final coat of wax, and it has dried for 24 hours, you can then buff it for a final bit of sheen.

This step isn’t necessary, but it does add a professional-looking finish. You’re not applying more wax with this step of the process.

Once you’re satisfied with the way your chalk paint project looks after a few coats of wax sealant, simply take a clean, soft cloth and buff it gently using a small circular motion. You won’t get a glossy finish (which you don’t want with chalk paint anyway), but it will give a soft satin glow to your completed project.

After buffing, you can go ahead and reattach any hardware, and then you can enjoy your newly transformed piece of furniture.

Although you only need to let the wax sealant dry for a day between coats, it actually takes three to four weeks for it to fully cure.

During that time, you can use your furniture, but be careful about putting anything heavy on tables or dresser tops until the curing process is complete.

Which Chalk Paint Wax Brand Is The Best?

There are nearly as many brands of chalk paint wax available as there are brands of chalk style paint. Most of them utilize the same basic techniques for application. Here are a few comparisons of some of the most popular brands.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Wax

Annie Sloan is the original inventor of chalk paint, and her brand includes not only paints but a variety of wax sealants. This brand of chalk paint wax is easy to apply, with a consistency like soft butter. It has very little odor, and is water repellent. This wax sealant is sold in 120ml, 500ml, and 2.5 liter quantities. It’s nice that you can buy a smaller quantity so you don’t have to purchase more than you’ll use.

Annie Sloan chalk paint wax is available in clear, white, dark, and black finishes. She also has a selection of “Gilding Wax” that can be applied to give slight metallic accents to the corner or carved detailing on a piece of furniture.

Behr Premium Wax

Behr Premium wax is available in clear (for a satin finish), white (for a white-washed finish), and dark (for an antiqued finish).

This wax is a little bit harder/dryer than the Annie Sloan brand, and while the end results are lovely you do have to be extra careful about applying this wax too heavily.

Behr Premium Wax will dry very streaky if not applied in careful thin coats. It is only sold in 8-ounce cans, but a little bit of this wax goes a very long way. Bear Premium Wax is sold exclusively at Home Depot. If you’re not close to a Home Depot store, you can also order it from their website.

Krylon Chalky Finish Clear Sealing Wax

Krylon is a well-known paint brand that sells chalk paints in both cans and in spray paints. Their sealing wax is available in both clear, for an ultra-matte finish, and “dark” for a more antique/vintage appearance. It is sold in 16 ounce cans, and like all chalk paint wax sealants, a little bit of this product goes a long way.

The texture of the Krylon brand is a bit more “liquidy” than other brands. Some online reviews mention that unless you apply a very thin layer, this wax tends to dry with a slightly yellow finish. This might not be noticeable on some colors, but if you want your white or any pale neutral shade to remain true, you might want to be aware of possible yellowing.

How Much Is Chalk Paint Wax?

Different brands of chalk paint wax can vary in price, but not as much as different brands of chalk paint. Here is a comparison of the three brands described in this article:

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Wax: a 120ml can costs $16.

Behr Premium Wax: an 8 ounce can costs $14.98

Krylon Chalky Finish Clear Sealing Wax: a 16 ounce can costs $24.98

As you can see, there is not a huge difference in the prices between each brand. Since it’s best to use very thin coats of wax to seal your chalk paint projects, one can is capable of covering a large piece of furniture

Conclusion

There are nearly as many brands of chalk paint wax as there are brands of chalk paint. There are only three compared in this article. Before buying any brand it’s a good idea to look at online reviews from every day crafters.

Of the three brands we’ve compared, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Wax comes out as a winner. It’s easy to use, is made from non-toxic ingredients, and has almost no odor.

The variety of colors offers so many possibilities to make your chalk paint projects into something extraordinary. Annie Sloan’s website also has useful instructions and videos on the best way to use her products.

Regardless of which brand you buy, using a wax finish will protect and preserve your chalk-painted projects for many years.

The Best Shrinky Dink Craft Ideas

36 · Sep 24, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Get some of the best Shrinky Dink craft ideas that can be found online. I’ve compiled the best ones I can find and I even have one or two on my site you can try! Jump to the ideas if you already know what Shrinky Dinks are. If not, you’ll want to read the whole post!

What are Shrinky Dinks?

If you were a child in the 1970s or 1980s who enjoyed arts and crafts, you probably remember Shrinky Dinks. They were sheets of thin plastic printed with cartoon characters or other designs that you colored with colored pencils, cut out with scissors, then baked in the oven. The plastic shrunk and hardened while baking, leaving you with a fun piece of plastic artwork!

They may have lost popularity for a while, but you can still buy Shrinky Dink plastic sheets to make all kinds of fun crafts! There are several brands available for purchase from most craft stores and online.

How To Make Shrinky Dink Crafts

If you’re unfamiliar with how to make crafts with shrink plastic, here are the basic steps:

Step One: Draw or trace your design on a sheet of shrink plastic. You can draw your design lightly with a pencil then go over it with a permanent marker or colored pencils. It’s important to note that you should make your design much larger than you want your finished product to be. The shrink plastic will shrink to approximately a third of its original size while it’s baking. Also, keep in mind whatever colors you use will appear darker after the plastic shrinks.

Step Two: Once your design is all colored in, cut around your artwork with scissors. Again, keep in mind that this will shrink to about a third of the original size. If you need a hole to use your Shrinky Dink art as a piece of jewelry or keychain, use an ordinary hole punch to make a hole. The hole will shrink along with the rest of the plastic, so if you don’t punch a large enough hole at this point you’ll need to drill a small hole after it’s done baking and has cooled off.

Step Three: It’s time to bake! On a flat cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper, lay your cut out plastic pieces with the colored side facing up. Preheat your oven according to the instructions on the brand of shrink plastic you are using; usually this is 325 to 350 degrees. Then you bake for the amount of time according to the brand of plastic you’re using. It usually only takes two to three minutes! While your plastic art is baking, you’ll see the edges curl up, but don’t panic! As they continue to bake, they should flatten out.

That’s it! Just three easy steps, and you’ll have an original piece of plastic artwork. When you take them out of the oven, let them cool completely before trying to touch them. The plastic will be hot! Now that we’ve explained the basic steps, here are some fun Shrinky Dink crafts you and your family will love.

Shrinky Dink Jewelry

Custom jewelry is fun and easy to make with shrink plastic! When you make your own jewelry, you can create something that perfectly matches a specific outfit. You can also design fun pieces to wear for holidays and special events.

Eric Turney, President of The Monterey Company, a manufacturer of custom charms and enamel charms, says, “The best charms tell a story, whether they’re handmade for a special occasion or professionally produced for a brand. Small details like color, shape, and finish can turn a simple charm into something people want to keep for years.” Just create your design, punch a hole with a standard hole punch, bake it, and then attach it to a chain or earring base. A standard hole punch creates the perfect-sized opening once the plastic has shrunk.

The possibilities for fun jewelry designs are unlimited; let your imagination run wild! You can make an assortment of themed charms for a one of a kind charm bracelet. Trace snowflake or snowman designs for fun holiday pendants and earrings. Flowers and eggs colored in pastel shades can be made into pretty Easter jewelry.

You can find literally hundreds of examples of shrink-plastic jewelry designs online. Jewelry-making accessories (jump rings, clasps, necklace cords, bails, chain, earring bases, etc.) are readily available online, or at most craft stores or bead stores.

Shrinky Dink Pet Tags

Shrink plastic is great for making fun “jewelry” for your pet’s, too! Create your design in the shape of a dog bone, heart, of even a puppy or kitten silhouette. Keep in mind when designing that whatever you draw will shrink to roughly one third of its original size, and you might want to make smaller tags for smaller pet collars. For example, if you are looking to get a teacup Yorkie, you will need a much smaller collar tag than what you would need for a regular Labrador Retriever.

For best design results, color the tag in lighter colors, then write your pet’s name with a black permanent marker over the colored design. Another method would be to color the pet tag, then use your printer or a cutting machine such as a Cricut to create a small vinyl sticker of your pet’s name. Then apply the sticker after your tag is finished baking and has cooled off. Remember when choosing your colors that they will darken as your pet tag bakes!

When you cut around the shape for your pet tag, leave some space to punch a hole before baking. Once the tag is completely cool, use a jump ring to attach to your pet’s collar.

Shrinky Dink Handprints

What is it about children’s handprints that are so incredibly cute? You can use shrink plastic and acrylic paint to create keychains or even holiday ornaments of your little ones’ handprints. Here are the easy-to-follow steps:

Using acrylic paint in a bright color, paint over your child’s palm and fingers in one even coat. Be sure to use acrylic paint with a gloss finish for this. Acrylic paints with matte or satin finishes won’t stick well to the shrunk plastic. It doesn’t have to be expensive paint, any craft paint will work as long as it is acrylic. Make sure their hand is evenly coated, but not so heavy that the details won’t show up. Carefully help your child press their palm and fingers flat on a piece of shrink plastic. Make sure they press their fingers down all the way. Hold on to the shrink plastic, and help them lift their hand slowly off the plastic. If it doesn’t have enough details for you, or if it smears a little bit, don’t worry. You can easily wipe the acrylic paint off with a paper towel and some rubbing alcohol, then try again. Let the acrylic paint completely dry before moving on to the next step. Fortunately, acrylic paint dries quickly.

Once your paint is dry, carefully cut around the handprint, being sure to leave a place to punch a hole. You can cut around the fingers a little bit, but if you cut all the way around each individual finger they are more likely to curl up and get stuck to each other while baking. Punch a hole if you’re going to attach to a keyring or ribbon.

Turn your handprint over, and write the child’s name and maybe their age in permanent marker. Or have your child write their name and age themselves!

Place your handprint pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet, with the painted side facing up. Then bake according to the directions for the brand of shrink plastic you’re using. Once the pieces have cooled completely, brush on a layer of gloss finish Mod Podge or other clear sealant. This will prevent the acrylic paint from chipping. All that is left to do is to attach to a keyring, or add a festive ribbon to create an heirloom Christmas tree ornament. For a more polished or durable option, you can also pair your designs with professionally made custom PVC keychains that complement your handmade pieces beautifully.

Shrinky Dink handprints make wonderful gifts for Father’s Day or Mother’s Day. They’re also perfect for Grandparents. Creating a new handprint ornament each year to hang on a Christmas tree creates a collection of family heirlooms that will be cherished for years to come.

Shrinky Dink Photo Crafts

Did you know you could print digital photos onto Shrinky Dink plastic? Shrinky Dink brand sells Inkjet shrink plastic sheets that you can use in your computer printer. There are so many fun possibilities with this product!

Before printing any photo onto the inkjet sheet, you’ll need to make a small adjustment first. Using any basic photo editing program, you should reduce the transparency (often referred to as opacity) of your photo to 70%. This will make it look a little washed out when you print it, but as your project shrinks while it’s baking the colors will intensify. If you don’t reduce the transparency, your final product will look too dark after baking. Otherwise, the process is the same as for any other Shrinky Dink craft.

With photos printed on shrink-plastic sheets, you can make keychains of favorite family vacation photos, or a whole charm bracelet full of family portraits. You can attach a pin/brooch back with strong adhesive to make flair pins of your photos. Gluing magnets or push pins to the back of your Shrinky Dink photo creates a fun way to decorate your refrigerator or corkboard. Of course, family photos are alway sweet to hang on a Christmas tree.

Shrinky Dink Bookmarks

Bookmarks might be one of the easiest Shrinky Dink projects, but it might be one of the most fun, especially for children! Simply cut your shrink plastic into rectangles, with a hole punched in the top. Remember that before baking your piece should be approximately three times the size of what you want your finished piece to be. Decorate your bookmarks with fun colors, traced drawings of book characters, or personalize with someone’s name. This is easy for kids to do, and they make nice gifts to give to their teachers. These bookmarks are also a nice addition if you’re giving someone a book for a gift.

Once your shrink plastic bookmark is done baking and has cooled off, attach a bright-colored ribbon or cord through the hole on top, so it can hang out of the book.

Shrinky Dink Tips and Tricks

There are so many fun craft possibilities when using Shrinky Dink sheets! We’ve outlined just a few in this article, but here are some tips that are useful no matter what you’re making:

Shrinky Dink, and other brands of shrink plastic sheets, are perfectly safe to use. However, sometimes you’ll notice the smell of “hot plastic” while your projects are baking. Try to have a window cracked open or a fan blowing while doing this craft.

Always keep in mind that your project will shrink down to approximately one-third of its original size after baking. Don’t make your pieces too small before baking; it’s better to start out a little larger at first.

Shrink plastic will curl up in the oven, but it should flatten out as it bakes. Longer, narrow pieces are more likely to curl up and stick to themselves. If this happens, you can take scissors and snip the ends apart while the piece is still hot. Be careful, the plastic will still be very hot at that point!

Sometimes, a piece will still have a little bit of a curl on the edges when you take it out of the oven. If that happens, press it flat with a spatula while it’s still hot. It should only take a few seconds to get it to flatten out nicely.

Colored pencils and permanent markers (such as Sharpies) are the best for drawing and coloring Shrinky Dink designs. Crayons won’t work, because they’ll melt in the oven. The only paint that works well is acrylic-based paint, but be sure it dries completely before putting your project in the oven.

Some brands of shrink plastic have a smooth shiny side, and a slightly rough side. Generally, permanent markers work best on the shiny side. Colored pencils work best on the slightly rough side. If the shrink plastic you’re working with only has smooth shiny surfaces, you can use light sandpaper to gently scuff the surface if you’re using colored pencils.

Fun Crafts to Do When You’re Bored

5 · Aug 14, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Boredom is the worst! Do you ever have those days where you want to do something, but just don’t know quite what it is you want to do? Or do you feel like crafting, but don’t want to tackle any projects that take a huge amount of time or energy? We all feel that way sometimes.

We have hundreds of crafts that you can find here on Whipperberry.com. All of these crafts are great for when you’re bored at home or even when you’re stressed.

Things to Make When You’re Bored

Here are some suggestions for fun and easy crafts to help alleviate that awful bored feeling. They’re all easy, inexpensive, and most can be done with things you probably already have around your house.

1. Rock Painting

Painting rocks is a fun activity for both adults and children. It’s easy, and anyone, regardless of painting skill, can get nice results. Here’s what you need for this craft:
Smooth rocks of any size and shape
Acrylic paints and paint brushes
Water, to rinse your paint brushes
Clear sealant

The first step to painting rocks is to find the best rocks! Look for rocks that aren’t too small, with a smooth surface. You can probably find suitable rocks around your own yard or in your neighborhood. Nice smooth river rocks can even be purchased from garden centers and craft stores. Be aware that it is prohibited to remove rocks from National and State parks, and it’s also prohibited to leave painted rocks in these parks.

Once you find your perfect painting rocks, you’ll need to clean them off in warm soapy water. Use a brush or dish scrubber to get rid of any dirt and debris. Once the rocks are dry, you’re ready to paint!

Tempera paint can but used but acrylic paint is the best choice to use for painting on rocks. It’s inexpensive and durable, and it dries quickly. To begin, you might want to paint a solid background (any color) on the rock first. This will make the rest of your design stand out, as well as act as a primer coat. Acrylic paint dries very fast; it shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes. Now it’s up to your imagination as to what to paint!

You don’t even have to use paintbrushes. You can create designs of multi-colored dots using a cotton swab, or the end of a pencil eraser. You can use acrylic paint markers to paint fine details and lettering on your designs. To add an extra shimmer to your designs, you can experiment with pearlescent paint for creative projects, giving your rocks a unique, eye-catching finish.

After your rock painting is dry, you should protect it with a clear sealant. This will give it a nice glossy finish and will protect the paint from chipping. You can use brush-on varnish, spray sealant, or even clear nail polish.

2. Bleach Tie-Dye

Bleach tie-dye sometimes called reversed tie-dye, is an easy way to embellish t-shirts, hoodies, or household fabric items. It’s called reversed tie-dye because instead of adding color to fabric with dyes, you’ll be removing the color on the fabric with diluted bleach. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

A spray bottle, or plastic squirt bottle
Bleach
Water
Plastic tub or bucket
Rubber bands
Gloves
A tarp or plastic trash bags or plastic tablecloth to use as a dropcloth
Whatever item(s) you want to tie-dye. 100% cotton fabrics in dark or jewel-toned colors work best.

Whenever you work with bleach, you should be in a well-ventilated area. Working outdoors is probably best, but if you’re inside make sure you can open windows and have a fan blowing. Wearing gloves is advised, because bleach can irritate your skin. Be sure to wear old clothes, just in case any of the bleach solutions splashes or drips onto you.

Lay down your dropcloth for your work area. Even if you’re working outdoors, you don’t want bleach coming in contact with anything other than the fabric you’re working with. Fill the plastic tub or bucket with enough cool water to submerge your fabric. In the spray bottle or squeeze bottle, mix a solution of half water and half bleach.

Now for the fun part; it’s time to tie up your shirt with the rubber bands! You can find tying patterns online to make specific tie-dye patterns, but you can also get great results from scrunching and “tying” with rubber bands randomly. Just bunch up a section of the fabric, wrap securely with a rubber band, then repeat as much as you want. Using different widths of rubber bands will give more interesting results. Keep in mind while you’re doing this that the sections of fabric under the rubber bands and inside the folds will stay the original color, and the bleach you squirt on the fabric will lighten the color.

Now take your bottle of bleach solution and apply wherever you’d like the fabric lightened. If you’re using a spray bottle, varying the width of the spray gives interesting results. Depending on the fabric, you should begin to see color changes in about 5-10 minutes.

When you can see the results are lightened as much as you’d like (just take a peek under a rubber band), remove all the rubber bands and submerge the fabric in the tub of water. Be sure to rinse it thoroughly. Immediately wash your reverse tie-dyed piece in the washing machine to stop the bleaching process. Don’t put anything else in the machine with it.

It’s a fun surprise to see the final outcome using this method. Using a bleach solution doesn’t mean you’ll get white results. Trying this on a black fabric will usually give you orange or tan designs. Bleach on dark blues and purple fabrics will often result in pinkish or gray designs.

3. No-Sew T-Shirt Tote Bag

Everyone has those cherished t-shirts that have seen better days, but that you can’t quite bear to part with. This craft is a quick and easy way to create tote bags, and you won’t even have to get out a needle and thread. Here’s what you’ll need:

Tshirt
Fabric scissors
Ruler

Lay your t-shirt out on a flat surface, and, using a sharp pair of scissors, cut off the sleeves right at the seams. You just made the handles for your tote bag! Next cut around the neck of the shirt to create a wider opening for the bag.

At the bottom of the shirt, cut slits approximately 1” apart all the way across, cutting through both the front and back of the shirt. These slits should be long enough for you to tie a double knot with them; usually making them about 3” tall works well.

Now all you have to do is tie some knots! Keep the slits lined up, and start tying the front strip to the strip directly behind it. Tie them in tight double knots, beginning at one end of the shirt and working across. You’ve just closed up the bottom of the tote bag!

Tying the knots on the outside will give the bag a little fringed detail across the bottom. If you don’t like this look, you can flip the shirt inside out before tying. Just line up the slits, tie the front and back strips together, then turn the bag right side out. The knots will be on the inside. If you want, you can add some extra decorations to the bag.

These make great reusable shopping bags. They’re easy to wash and should last a long while. By upcycling your old t-shirts, you’ve also reduced consumer waste and kept them out of landfills.

4. Paper Napkin Decoupage Flower Pots

Decoupage is an easy way to transform plain terra cotta flower pots into lovely one-of-a-kind home accent pieces. Here are the materials needed:

Terra cotta flower pot
Paper napkins with pretty patterns on them
Mod Podge, matte or gloss finish (whichever you prefer)
Acrylic craft paint
Paintbrush

The first step to decorating your flower pot is to paint it with a base coat of acrylic paint. Light colors will work best for this, so that the design on the paper napkin will show up nicely. Since terra cotta pots are porous, acrylic paint should dry in approximately 15 minutes or so.

Next, if your napkins are multi-layered, separate the layers. You’ll only need the top layer that has the printing on it. Then cut or tear around the design you want to apply to the flower pot.

With a paintbrush, spread a thin layer of Mod Podge over the area where you want to apply the napkin design. Carefully apply the design, smoothing out the edges as much as possible. Let it dry for a few minutes to make sure the napkin design is secure, then brush another thin layer of the Mod Podge over the top of the design. You’ll have to do this gently so the napkin won’t tear. Be sure to spread the Mod Podge over the edges so they won’t curl up. Don’t worry if the Mod Podge looks milky, it will dry perfectly clear. Let this dry, then repeat to add as many designs on the flower pot as you’d like.

Let it dry completely overnight, then brush another layer of Mod Podge over the entire flower pot to seal everything and give it a nice even finish. Not only are these flower pots eye-catching decorative pieces, they also make very nice gifts.

5. Easy No-Sew Felt and Fabric Coasters

Here is a quick project that is perfect for using up fabric scraps. The supplies you’ll need are:

Fabric (any kind)
Felt
Scissors
Ruler
Fabric Mod Podge
Paintbrush

Cut the felt into 4” by 4” squares. Then, cut your fabric into 5” by 5” squares. Use the paintbrush to apply the Fabric Mod Podge evenly over one side of a felt square. Be sure to get it all the way to the edges.

Then, carefully apply the fabric square over top of the felt square. Try to get the fabric square lined up so that it is centered as much as possible. Smooth it out with your hands so there aren’t any wrinkles or air bubbles. Let it dry, then you can apply another layer of Fabric Mod Podge over the top of the fabric to give it a little more substance and a nice lightly glossed finish. Once that top coat is completely dry, trim the excess fabric edges with your scissors. If you don’t want to trim off the fabric edges, you can also snip along the excess edges to create a fringed edge look.

That’s it! It’s a super easy project with cute results. Other than using up your fabric scraps, you can make these coasters with holiday print fabrics, or even by cutting up older clothes that aren’t in good enough shape to wear anymore.

6. T-Shirt Pillow

This is another easy craft that upcycles old t-shirts. Making a t-shirt pillow is a great way to hang on to a favorite shirt. If you have a t-shirt that doesn’t fit anymore, or it’s from a favorite concert or event, you can create a keepsake throw pillow with it to preserve those memories.

For this project you’ll need:

T-Shirt
Scissors
Ruler
Sewing Machine (or needle & matching thread)
Fiberfill or a pillow form

The first thing you need to do is to cut the t-shirt into two pieces. Just cut along the side seams, going straight up through the sleeves and across the shoulders. The next step is to measure your t-shirt pieces, so you can trim them to fit the pillow form (if using). If you’re using fiberfill to stuff the pillow, just trim the t-shirt pieces into a square or rectangle shape.

Now pin the two pieces together, with the “wrong” sides facing in towards each other. If you don’t want to use the back of the t-shirt, you can use a coordinating fabric for the back of the pillow. Using your sewing machine, or you can even hand sew this, sew three of the four sides together.

Turn the pillow right-side-out, and stuff it with the fiberfill or pillow form. The last step is to sew up the remaining side.This seam is the only one that will show, so you might want to make it at the bottom of the pillow. Now you’ve got a fun keepsake pillow! This is a good project for anyone who is beginning to learn to sew. You could even buy t-shirts from your local thrift store to practice making pillows.

7. Yarn Wrapped Bottles and Jars

This project is easy and a lot of fun for children as well as adults. You’ll need the following:
Glass bottles, jars, or vases
Yarn or twine, any color/styles/sizes
Tacky craft glue, such as Aleen’s Tacky Glue
Scissors

This project is so simple, yet so satisfying. To begin, make sure your bottle or jar is clean and dry. Starting at the top, apply enough glue around the top couple of inches to get your yarn to stick securely. Wrap the yarn once around the top, tying a knot to help keep it in place. Keep the tail end of the knot downward, so it will get wrapped under the yarn as you go. Now you just wrap the yarn tightly around the bottle or jar, reapplying more glue every so often as needed. Be sure your yarn layers are tight together and that none of the bottle is showing through.

Have fun with this! Use different colored yarns to create stripes. Wrapping jute or twine around your bottle is perfect for a “rustic chic” style. Once you reach the bottom, just snip off the end of your yarn and glue it down securely.

Let your bottle or jar dry overnight, then you can decorate it more by gluing a strip of wide lace or coordinating fabric around the middle. You could even embellish with small beads or rhinestones. Of course, just leaving it with the yarn or twine wrapped around looks lovely, too. These make pretty vases, but they can also be used to hold pens, paintbrushes, or even makeup brushes.

8. Duct Tape Bookmark

This is another quick and easy craft that is great to do with kids. Duct tape can be found in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Even if all you have is the “usual” silvery gray colored duct tape, you can make a cute bookmark with a little embellishment. Here’s what you’ll need for this craft:

Duct Tape, any brand, any color or pattern
Colorful yarn, twine, and/or ribbons
Scissors
Hole punch
Optional embellishments such as stickers, washi tape, scraps of lace, etc.

Cut two identical strips of duct tape, approximately 6” long. Now take the strips, and carefully stick the two sticky sides to each other. This is easiest if you start at the top of the strips, slowly pressing them together along the length. You can use a credit card to smooth out any air bubbles as you stick them together. This doesn’t have to be absolutely exact. Trim off any overlapping sticky edges, and cut it to your desired length.

Punch a hole in the center of the top of your bookmark, about ½” from the top edge. Then thread your yarn or ribbons through the hole and tie a knot to keep them secure. If you want, you can add some decoration to your bookmark by adding stripes from contrasting duct tape pieces, gluing on scraps of lace or fabric, or adding color washi tape pieces. These bookmarks are a nice addition if you’re giving a book to someone as a gift.

The next time you’re feeling bored, or like you’ve hit a “crafting block”, try one of these fun and easy craft ideas. Hopefully, it will brighten your day and get the creativity flowing again.