Make Jewelry Using Your Favorite Photos!

What You Need:

• Inkjet printable shrink plastic (available at most major craft stores or online)
• Oven or convection toaster oven
• Cookie sheet
• Parchment paper
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Earring wires, necklace chains, string, key rings (available at craft stores)

What You Do:

1. Find a photo on your computer that your child wants to turn into a piece of jewelry. It could be anything from a family photo, a picture of a family pet, or a piece of artwork your child made.
2. Print the photo onto a piece of the Inkjet printable shrink plastic. Be sure the photo is about 2 to 3 times larger than you want for the final piece; once you shrink the image, it will be 1/2 to 1/3 of the original print-out. Print as many images you can fit on one sheet to conserve the shrink plastic.
3. As you wait for the ink to dry, preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
4. Help your child cut out the images. You can either cut around the outline of the shape or leave a border.
5. Punch a hole in the images that will be used for earrings, necklaces, or key rings.
6. Place a piece of parchment paper on the cookie sheet
7. Arrange the cut-outs on the cookie sheet and be sure that none of the edges are touching.
8. Watch your pictures shrink as they bake for 2-5 minutes! They will curl and uncurl, but if they still need some flattening after 5 minutes, press on them gently while they're still hot with a metal spatula.
9. Let the pictures cool, then add the earring wires, chains, string, or key ring and voila! You have your own handmade personalized accessories!