Shrinky dink a do's!

Although I have not mailed them yet.....they will go out on Saturday--I will make the deadline for the swap!  

I just love how they turned out.  I really wanted to do a Circle with the word Friends across it but to make it 1 inch was to delicate.  At 4 inches it would have shrunk to a little over 2 and been great.  

Soooo, the alternate I listed was a Crab!  I am from MD and I love MD crabs so it seems a natural choice for me.  It also works for being from RI since we have so many beaches!

My tips:  
 1.  The Toaster Oven works Amazing!!! No more oven for me.
 2.  When you watch--and you will--don't panic when after 30 seconds they shrivel and roll onto themselves...fight the urge to open the oven and flatten them as they will straighten out magically.
3. Set the timer for 4 minutes with the toaster oven at 250 degrees.  They will be done in 3 min 30 seconds but are easily ok till 4 minutes.  
4.  Place them on parchment paper to cook.  Some say use flower--I did it with and without flower on the parchment and it was no different.
5. Use the Inkjet version for computers or your Imagine.  It has a Green label.  Michaels carries it.   

My crabs.  I added jump rings to them all also.  25 in total.

 

Why Can't I make a Decision??

I can make life decisions, decisions about my kids, my work, etc without batting an eye.  

Why oh why can't I make a decision like--covering a smashbook, choosing paper for a mini-album cover without it being some long..long..drawn out affair? It's not going to be my only smashbook or my only mini-album so it shouldn't be a big deal...uggghhhh.  

I love my Smashbook--it's fun, it's random, it doesn't have rules or hate me if I neglect it for a while and then smash stuff in....

So I did FINALLY make a decision to cover it.  I had my CT girls over for a last minute Friday night girls crop and since Liz V covered hers at her last crop I knew I had to get on the ball and make a decision!  

It's kinda funny so get this--I covered it with paper that I bought.......8+ years ago and have been coveting!  I precut and pre scored with a board and then attached with Decopage (of course my love) and then covered the entire album.  Same design on front and back. 

So.......... now I have to commit to my decorations.  I have made these flowers...... LOVE them.  Grunge paper, phone book paper and Tattered Florals Tim Holtz die in the Vagabond. 

Liz bought the Clock (Love)- and cut it on Grunge paper for me and I inked it for the cover also. 

I have not glued them on yet.....I need to figure out the best glue.. but this is probably what I am going to do.  I still will add some metal findings that will dangle on the left bottom.  I have some keys I want to attach.  I think I will use a piercing tool to go through the cover and then tie the keys on so they won't get pulled off.