Fun Twist using Shrinky Dinks

I just thought I would share a fun technique using Shrinky Dinks with your Cricut and Ranger’s Melting Pot. This project is fun and can be used in so many ways… make jewelry charms, magnets, embellishments for your cards or layouts, the possibilities are endless. I plan on using one of my little hearts on a bracelet and the other will be on a card.

So let’s get started. First you will need to use your Cricut machine to cut out shapes using Shrinky Dink. I used my Cricut Create Expression 2 to cut out 2 hearts from the Just a Note cartridge. I cut them to 5″ and 4″. When cutting I set it to heavy material and I cut it twice.

Then I used the Ranger Melting Pot ( I just got the new one at CHA with the new logo). Fill the melting pot to the fill line with clear UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel). Make sure you are working on a craft mat because this will get very hot (Ranger has a great one and all of these supplies you can find at Michaels or your local craft store). Place the cover on and turn the heat setting up to UTEE.

This will need to heat for about 5-10 minutes… keep an eye on it but it will warm faster if the cover is on. While I used clear UTEE, it will start to amber the longer it is heating, so if you want a clear pour don’t let it heat too long. You want all of the UTEE to melt to liquid form.

You will then carefully drop your shrinky dink shape into the UTEE. Let it sit in the UTEE until it shrinks (should be immediate) and falls to the bottom and lays flat (may take a minute depending on the size of your shrinky dink and how warm your pot is).

Once it is ready to be pulled out of the UTEE, use tweezers and pull it out and drag it across your mat to get it off of your tweezers. Do not touch it with your hands. It will be very hot! Repeat for all of your shapes. If they weren’t quite done or if you don’t like how it came out, just put it back in the melting pot and try again.

Let them cool on the mat. Then using alcohol inks stamp the course side of the shape (side facing down on the mat).

I then printed a bird and clock to place behind the hearts. Then apply to the back of each shape using glossy accents.

Use your hand to mold the paper to the back of the shape. Then trim the excess.

To clean your melting pot when you are done, pour out the remaining UTEE on to your craft mat so that you can save it for the next time you use it. Use a rubber scrapper to get all of the excess UTEE off and then use a paper towel to wipe out the metal dish. Be careful it will be hot. Once it is wiped out, turn the heat setting off and unplug. Let it cool before storing. Once the UTEE is cool you can put it in a plastic bag to use again. Just place it back in the melting pot and it will return to the liquid form.

Well I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on using the Cricut machine with the melting pot to make shrinky dink items. I have included the pdf of the prints I used, just in case you liked them.

Prints for Shrinky Dink Tutorial

Thanks,

Addison Paige