A few days ago I went to a little party, one of those fun get-togethers where someone comes and does product demonstrations and all of the guests plow through catalogs wishing their husbands had let them leave the house with more cash. My friend who hosted the party served a lovely little buffet of snack foods and made some delicious punch which she served in red plastic party cups.

Ever the good hostess, she wandered the room gathering empty plates and cups from her guests. When she asked me if I was done using my cup, I told her that I was planning to keep it. She gave me an odd look. “What are you going to do with it?” she inquired.

“I think,” I replied, “that I am going to turn it into a necklace.

Every eye in the room was suddenly cast sideways at me. I could see the concern on their faces. They were thinking, “is this it? Has she finally gone completely ’round the bend?” Call me crazy, but I think it came out fabulous!

Project estimate:

Plastic cup (#6 plastic), on hand

Permanent marker, on hand

Oven, on hand

Baking sheet or cake pan, on hand

Parchment paper, on hand or $1 and up

Flat-bottom drinking glass, on hand

Total: Free and up





Make sure the plastic cup you are using is made of #6 plastic. (This is the same type of plastic that Shrinky Dinks are made from.) Most plastic cups have ridged rings around them, which you can use a s a guide for cutting and decorating in straight lines.

Cut the bottom off of the cup.

Use an Xacto or utility knife to cut out the center of the bottom of the cup.

With a permanent marker, draw a design on the cup.

Place the cup upside down on a baking sheet or cake pan lined with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F.

Once you put the cup in the oven, keep a very close eye on it. It should start to melt within 30 to 60 seconds; the time will vary with different cups. The cup with shrivel and flatten out. Leave it in the oven until it is laying almost completely flat and has stopped moving. Immediately upon removing it from the oven, press it completely flat with the bottom of a drinking glass. Press and hold with the glass for about 15 seconds. Allow it to sit for a couple of minutes to cool completely.

When it has cooled, loop a chain through the center of the charm. No one will believe you when you tell them what you used to make it!