How to Make Little Styrofoam Hats

Remember Shrinky Dinks? Styrofoam coffee cups can be used the same way to make quaint little hats for decoration, dolls or just an interesting collection.

Things You'll Need

• Ribbons
• Acrylic Paints
• Glitter
• Small Sew-on Bells
• White Glues
• Yarns
• Cotton Swabs
• Cookie Sheets
• Oven Mitts
• Styrofoam Cups
• Ballpoint Pens
• Permanent Markers
• String
• Permanent markers
• Cookie sheets
• Oven mitts

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Set two or three Styrofoam coffee cups upside down on a cookie sheet.

3. Use 12-oz. cups for Barbie-sized hats; 6- and 8-oz. cups for pin-on accessories.

4. Leave plenty of space between each cup.

5. Put the cookie sheet in the center of the oven.

6. Keep a close eye on the cups while they shrink.

7. Take them out when they have stopped moving - after about a minute.

8. Decorate the hats with acrylic paints, markers, ribbons, tiny flowers, feathers and so forth.

9. Glue a safety pin or jewelry pin on the back of one cup and wear it proudly.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're very quick, you can do some additional shaping as the hat comes out of the oven.

• Cut the rim off for a different shape.

• Decorate the cups with markers, ballpoint pens or gel pens before popping them in the oven. Don't paint them before baking, though.

• Watch the cups very carefully while baking. If left in too long, they'll catch fire.