Tiny stamp design

Tiny stamp design
Add new dimension to your rubbers stamping by using shrink plastic in conjunction with your favourite stamp design.
Enthusiastic stampers are always interested in creative ways to use their rubber stamps. Stamping on shrink plastic is perfect for making fridge magnets, jewellery, dolls’ house miniatures and cards.
When heated, shrink plastic reduces in size and increases in thickness, but retains its original shape. It is therefore ideally suited for use with rubber stamped images. Since a stamped design will reduce to approximately half its original size, medium size for buttons and small jewellery items, whereas jumbo stamps are suitable for earrings, pendants, badges, fridge magnets and so on. Any size can be utilized effectively in making greeting cards.

You will need
For all projects:

• Shrink plastic
• Permanent ink and pad
• Stamp cleaner for permamnent ink
• Fine sandpaper
• Scissors
• Colouring pencils or acrylic paint

Teddy bear badge

• Judikins stamp 5230
• Permanent pen
• Badge bar
• Super glue

For the sun pendant

• PSX stamp K1781
• Hole punch
• Super glue
• 92cm (36”) leather thong
• Jump ring
• Gold glitter glue

Teddy bear card with earrings

• Judikins stamps 52246
• Blank card
• Black dye ink pad
• Ear wires
• Jump rings
• Darning needle

Step by step
For the sun pendant
Step 1
Stamp, colour, cut out and cook the sun image as described above. Decorate with glitter glue.

Step 2
Colour two matching 10cm (4”) squares of shtink plastic as backing for the sun image, punch a hole in a corner of one of the squares and shrink. (We shrunk them first, then painted them with copper acrylic paint).

Step 3
Use a strong glue to mount the sun on the squares as shown, then attach jump ring and leather thong. Knot the thong to complete.

Teddy bear badge
Step 1
Stamp, colour, and cut our the teddy bear image as described above. Write a name or message on the badge with permanent ink, then shrink it.

Step 2
Use a suitable glue to attach the badge bar to the back of the badge.

Teddy bear card with earrings
This unusual card would make an ideal gift for a special person.

Step 1
Stamp, colour, and cut out two teddy bear images as described above. Punch a hole at the top of each teddy bear, then shrink them.

Step 2
Attach jump rings and ear wires to the teddy bears.

Step 3
Use the black dye ink to stamp the teddy bear on one side of the card, colour the image to match the earrings, then attach he earrings alongside by threading through holes made with a darning needle.
Shrink plastic is a simple medium provided you follow these guidelines:

• Sand the plastic with find sandpaper before stamping on it-this prevents the stamp sliding on a smooth surface and simplifies colouring of the image.
• Stamp or draw with permanent ink and leave it to dry for a few minutes. Always try the stamp on scrap paper first and be sure to clean the stamp with stamp cleaner for permanent ink after use.
• The plastic sheet shrinks more in one direction than the other, so when you want matching images for earrings, buttons, etc. be sure to stamp all of them in the same direction.
• Colour with colouring pencils (soft leads are best) or diluted acrylic paint. Colours will intensify with shrinkage.
• Cut out images with scissors and punch any necessary holes (for wires etc.) before shrink. A 3mm (1/8”) hole punch is the most appropriate size.
• When the image has been coloured and cut out, cook on a non-stick baking tray or piece of mount board in a 130c/gas mark 1 oven for three-five minutes. The plastic will curl up, then shrink as it flattens. It is ready when flat.
• Shrink can also be accomplished with a heat gun, but you must hold it down at one side while heating.