DIY Ornaments for Kids

Yesterday we tried out this simple and fun idea I came across on pinterest.  The kids loved it, and so did I.

All you need are plastic cups, sharpies and an oven.

Draw on your design:

Now watch it shrink!  I set my oven to 325 degrees, it only took a few minuets to shrink.  I kept an eye on them the entire time.  It was fun to watch.

Wait until they are more melty than this to flatten.

 It took some playing around, but soon I found the "sweet spot".  Find the time when they are at just the right temperature to flatten with the spatula (they have to be malleable enough to flatten, but not so hot that they curl).  If I didn't get it right the first time, I left it in the oven a little longer and flattened them again when I took them out.  I would suggest starting with just one in the oven at a time, until you get the hang of it.  Then you can do half a dozen at a time, it's like playing a mad game of Whack-a-Mole when you're flattening them all.  If you leave them in the oven too long, they will curl up on themselves, so try to find that "sweet spot".

Make sure they stay flat until they are cool.

Here we go again!  We made batch after batch after batch.

The kids got really creative with all their designs:

Enjoy!