Our First Meeting of 09-10

Welcome to MOPS! Or welcome back. We're so glad you're here this year. We have some fun stuff planned, and have actually already done some fun stuff for our first meeting. We made our "nametags," which are really the coffee cups we'll use for the rest of the year. We also made diaper bag tags from Shrinky Dinks (how retro and fun was that?!). So I'll post the tutorials for those who missed it and also for cooking your Shrinky Dinks.

First, the mugs. Easy peasy: just use permanent paint like the DecoColor paint pens we have and decorate your white IKEA cup. Please be sure to put your name, your kids' names and your last name on the cup somewhere. We'll have all the materials available for the first few meetings. 

NOTE: We will leave the cups at the Foundation between meetings, which means your table will need to rotate the job of washing and storing them every meeting. While you are washing the cup, why not pray for the mom?

OK, now for the Shrinky Dinks. Here is a link to a detailed tutorial. Keep in mind she is doing bottle tags, so you don't have to use the same dimensions. My tags started out as 5.5" x 8.5" and 4.5" x 8.5. The sheets are 8.5" x 10".

Some tips: Don't use dry erase markers like she suggests. It doesn't come off very easily and now I have a big blob of it on the front of mine. If you want the shiny side to be the front, either pick a design that is easy to draw backwards (like block letters) or write your child's name in dark marker on a piece of paper and turn the paper over and draw it backwards on the back of the paper. 

Keep your edges curvy and soft. Anything pointy will just get pointier and harder when you cook it.

For Cooking your Shrinky Dinks: Preheat your toaster oven (preferred) or conventional oven to 325. Place the Shrinky Dinks colored side up, at least an inch apart, on foil or a paper bag or parchment paper. Place on a cookie sheet and put in the oven. Watch your Shrinky Dinks for 1-3 minutes.  (If your oven, like mine, doesn't have a window, keep the oven closed but check on the tags every few seconds.  If you leave the door open, it will be too cool and they will not finish.) DO NOT FREAK OUT when they curl and shrivel and look generally messed up. They will do that until they flatten out. If one of your pieces sticks to itself, gently pull it apart. (Yes, put your hand in the oven!) Once they flatten out, let them finish up for about 30 more seconds. Pull them out of the oven, slide the sheet off the cookie sheet and place a cereal box or other paper on top to keep them from curling. Now you have your very own Shrinky Dinks masterpiece!