How to Make Shrink Charms

Shrink charms are super easy to make and a fun activity for family and friends. It doesn’t matter if you’re artistic or not, making shrink charms gives everyone a chance to be creative!

All you need are…

1. Shrink plastic (we used semi-transparent shrink plastic here, you can get the white shrink plastic and transparent ones from our online store!)
2. Scissors
3. Printed line art (you can get any picture off the internet)
4. Colour pens, colour markers or sharpies
5. Hole puncher
6. Baking sheet
7. An oven
8. Charm straps
9. Tweezers
10. Varnish or gloss (you can find these at our online store too!)

Instructions:

1. (Optional) Cut the shrink plastic into smaller pieces.

2. Trace over your choice of printed line art (make sure it’s large enough or else it’ll shrink too much). We used a black sharpie for this as the colour comes out darker.

3. (Optional) Colour the tracing.

4. Punch a hole so you can connect the charm on a charm strap.

5. Cut around the art or you can cut according to the lines as well. Make sure to cut as close to the hole you punched so you can properly connect your charm strap!

6. Pre-heat your oven for about 10 minutes (make sure to line it with a baking sheet!). We set the temperature of ours to 140°C.

7. After pre-heating the oven, place your shrink charm onto the baking sheet. Make sure that the coloured side is facing up or else the colours might transfer to the baking sheet.

8. Set the timer to less than ten minutes. Get ready to watch the shrinking magic begin!

9. Once the timer runs out, wait for a few seconds before removing baking sheet. Allow it to cool for another few seconds before turning it over to the other side. Ensure that the side with the shrink charm is lying flat on a smooth surface.

10. Gently but quickly peel the baking sheet off the charm. Waiting too long might cause the baking sheet to adhere to it. Do not apply too much pressure on the charm as it might bend it too.

11. Once the charm cools, you can attach a charm strap to it. You can also apply a layer of varnish or gloss on the side where you drew/colored on to protect it from potential transfers, smudging and fading.

12. It’s now ready to use!

---

Email us if you have any enquiries at enquiry@craftiviti.com or pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

If you found this post useful, please join us on Craftiviti Facebook or Instagram for more updates and demos!

Pssst, we're also available at Craftiviti.com!

How to Make ‘Cold’ Flower Infused Oil

Infused oils are simply carrier oils that have been permeated with herbs (that is, any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavouring, food, medicine, or perfume). (1) They are suitable alternatives for certain herbs that don’t have or don’t produce enough essential oils for extraction.

However, it should be noted that the ‘feel’ of infused oils depends on the carrier oil used. Infused oils also are not as concentrated as essential oils, and they—like carrier oils—can go rancid. (2) To know how long your infused oils will last, simply follow the expiration date of the carrier oil used to make it.

To make your own ‘cold’ flower infused oil, you will need the following ingredients:

1. Dried flowers (we used Calendula here, which you can purchase at our store)
2. Your choice of carrier oil (we used coconut oil, which you can also purchase at our store)
3. An air-tight, glass container

Instructions:

1. Ensure that the glass container is thoroughly clean.

2. Fill the glass container with dried flowers. You can fill up 3/4 way or until the container is full.

3. Fill the container with your choice of carrier oil. Try to pour in as much as you can before it overflows. This is to ensure that the flowers will be as entirely covered as possible with the carrier oil so that bacteria can be prevented from entering it.

4. Screw the lid onto the container afterwards. Make sure it’s tightly shut!

5. You can store the infused oil wherever you’d like (either exposed to sunlight or hidden away in a cool and dark cupboard) and leave it alone for 4 to 6 weeks. It is not necessary to swirl the infused oil every few days.

6. Once it’s ready, strain the flowers from the oil. Make sure that there are no petals whatsoever in the oil. Store the oil in a new and clean glass container. Store in a cool, dark cabinet until needed.

Some crafts in which you can use infused oils:

1. Soap making
2. Skincare products making (such as balms and lotions)
3. Other bath products (such as bath bombs and scrubs)

 Also, here’s a little extra information for you about some benefits of…

Calendula Flowers

• beneficial for dry skin, cracks, eczema, scrapes, minor burns and sunburns, rashes, chapped lips, and even bug bites (3)
•  helps to reduce inflammation and promotes wound healing (3)

Coconut Oil

• is high in antioxidants so it assists in repairing free radical damaged skin (4)
• also prevents further degeneration of the skin, a.k.a. skin aging (4)

---

Email us if you have any enquiries at enquiry@craftiviti.com or pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

If you found this post useful, please join us on Craftiviti Facebook or Instagram for more updates and demos!

---

References:

1. Hornby, Albert Sydney, and Margaret Deuter, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary Of Current English (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2015).
2. “What Are Infused Oils? | Aromaweb”, Aromaweb.Com<https://www.aromaweb.com/articles/whatinfu.asp> [Accessed 19 December 2018].
3. Ferment, Grow, “10 Ways To Use Calendula Infused Oil”, Grow Forage Cook Ferment <https://www.growforagecookferment.com/10-ways-to-use-calendula-infused-oil/> [Accessed 19 December 2018].
4. “5 Surprising Coconut Oil Uses For Your Health”, Medical Daily<https://www.medicaldaily.com/coconut-oil-uses-5-surprising-benefits-coconut-oil-your-health-310158> [Accessed 19 December 2018]

Pssst, we're also available at Craftiviti.com!

Candle Making – Soy Wax VS Palm Wax

Wax is an essential component in the making of candles. Thus, there’s a variety of waxes one can choose from. Among them are soy wax and palm wax—both of which are different, though they share some similarities as well.

In this post, we will be highlighting the differences and similarities between these two waxes:

Palm Wax…

1. Derives from palm berries.

2. It’s a type of hard wax, which makes it perfect for pillar, votive and layered candles.

3. Produces a crystalline/feathered/iced effect in candles.

4. Has a very high melting point.

5. Absorbs a greater level of fragrance.

6. Can be blended with soy wax to make it harder while still retaining the natural qualities of the wax.

*To purchase palm wax from Craftiviti, simply click here!

---

Soy Wax…

1. Is made from soybean oil.

2. Does not produce soot and leaves no black ring around its container.

3. Has a lower melting point compared to palm wax.

4. Provides excellent scent throw and minimal frosting.

5. Produces smooth and creamy candles.

6. Can also be used to make balms, butters, etc..

*To purchase palm wax from Craftiviti, simply click here!

---

Both palm wax and soy wax are natural materials. They’re both ideal for candle making as well. It’s only a matter of personal preference to which you’d prefer when making candles.

Pssst, we're also available at Craftiviti.com!

7 Air Dry Clay Ideas

Air dry clay is commonly used with children and as such, can sometimes be overlooked as a potential material to make some wonderful things like plant pots, wind chimes and jewelry.  However, the idea of making stuff like the aforementioned may seem a little intimidating for those who know nothing about using air dry clay. So, today we’ve 7 Air Dry Clay ideas from all over the web for you to try out and start with!

But before that, you can purchase our Ultra Light Air Dry Clay or our Paper Clay (also air-dries) from our online store and our physical store.

Our Ultra Light Air Dry Clay…

1. Is incredibly easy to use and odourless.
2. Can be blended together to make new colours.
3. Dries with no cracks and has a bounce to it.
4. Retains a permanent shape after it hardens completely.

Our Air Dry Paper Clay…

1. Is easy to model, non-toxic and odourless
2. Dries with no cracks.
3. Can be moistened and remodeled before it hardens completely.
4. Once dry, can be painted and varnished.

---

1. DIY Young Buck Sculpture by make+haus

In a series of pictures, make+haus shows us how to make a really simple Young Buck Sculpture that you can hang anywhere around your house. No need for taxidermy over here!

Materials and tools needed:
~ White Ultra Light Air Dry Clay or White Paper Clay~ Clay Sculpting Tools
~ Twigs (make sure it’s dry and not damp)
~ Gold Paint
~ Paint Brush
~ White Spray Paint (use on paper clay if needed)

2. Colourful Clay Animal Heads by Delineate Your Dwelling

 Or, if the Young Buck Sculpture is too typical, you can check out this tutorial by Amy from Delineate Your Dwelling. In the tutorial, she shows you how to make a zebra head and an elephant head sculptures too!

Materials and tools needed:

~ White Ultra Light Air Dry Clay or White Paper Clay

~ Mini Square Canvas (optional)

~ Twigs (make sure it’s dry and not damp.)

~ Acrylic Paint

~ Paint Brush
~ Paint Pens
~ Hot Glue (optional)

*We’ve listed some of the materials and tools as optional because you can follow the previous tutorial where a hole is scooped out of the back for hanging.

3. Air Dry Clay Mini Pots by Journey into Creativity

 Have succulents around the house or little plants? (And if you don’t, maybe you’re planning to get some?) Here’s a tutorial where you can make your own hanging mini pots that’ll no doubt add a burst of colour to your home!

Materials and tools needed:~ Ultra Light Air Dry Clay (any colour) or White Paper Clay

~ Clay Sculpting Tools
~ Thick String
~ Paint (optional; we recommend using acrylic paint here)
~ Paint Brush (optional)

*We’ve marked the paint and paint brush as optional as they are only applicable if you use paper clay.

4. DIY Faceted Clay Tea Light Holders by Gathering Beauty

Tea lights can be boring on their own. So, if you’ve been thinking of getting a tea light holder to make them more appealing, why not make your own faceted tea light holders by following Gathering Beauty‘s tutorial? It’s super easy and the holders will be more meaningful to you too!

Materials and tools needed:
~ Ultra Light Air Dry Clay or Paper Clay of any colour
~ Tealights
~ A knife

  

5. Geometric Clay Pendant Tutorial by Delia Creates

Been wanting to get some geometric accessories but the ones you like are too pricey? Here’s a simple tutorial by Delia Creates which you can follow to make your very own geometric clay pendant! The tutorial can also be adjusted according to whatever shape you’d like to make, or for whichever type of accessory you’re aiming for.

*For this, we recommend using Paper Clay as our Ultra Light Air Dry Clay may not harden into the kind of texture similar to the one in the tutorial.

Materials and tools needed:
~ Paper Clay of any colour
~ A knife
~ Long sewing pin or straightened paper clip
~ Head Pin
~ Needle nose pliers
~ Gold leafing kit (optional)

6. DIY Torn Clay Bowls by Makery

Simple yet aesthetic, these torn clay bowls would look amazing on top of tables or vanities! To make your own, all you need to do is just follow this tutorial by Makery.

Materials and tools needed:
~ Ultra Light Air Dry Clay or Paper Clay of any colour
~ Bowls (to use as molds)
~ Rolling pin
~ Palette knife

7. DIY Clay Wind Charm by Design Sponge

 

Whether placed outside or inside your home, wind charms are always a great addition. By following this tutorial by Design Sponge, you’ll be able to make your own simple yet lovely clay wind charms. (They don’t have to be a plain white or shaped the way the one in this tutorial is, too! You can always customize the design according to your preferences.

Materials and tools needed:
~ Ultra Light Air Dry Clay or Paper Clay of any colour
~ Disposable plastic wine glasses with detachable base (or something similar)
~ Cotton cord
~ Rolling pin
~ A knife

---

There’s an ocean of many other tutorials on the internet, but the 7 we’ve listed here are some of the easier ones and they’re good places to start with if you’re someone looking to try out some air-dry clay crafts!

Pssst, we're also available at Craftiviti.com!