Shrink Plastic

Yes, shrink plastic, aka Shrinky Dinks. This is not trademark Dink, if I recall, but it's all the same stuff.

I had an idea for a larger swallow pendant in bright red. So I got it all colored and cut out and chucked in the oven. As I watched the magic happen, some extra magic got thrown in -- the bird was not shrinking and flattening as predicted. The horror! As I watched the thin pointy tail curl up and start to stick, I thought ruined! Then I rethought, no wait, it actually looks pretty cool. Yoinked it out and let it cool. Turns out I was right, it IS cool.

I strung it up on some relatively fine silver chain, gave it a star (which is closer in color than it looks in the photo) and called it done. I actually like it quite a lot.

For the record, when shrink plastic curls or does not flatten, it's actually not ruined at all. It can be reheated and pulled apart with a toothpick, and if it is not flat (and you want it to be), you should press it under an oven mitt immediately upon removing it from the oven. No big deal, in reality.