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Shrinkage! As of today we have two weeks until Hanukkah starts and one month until Christmas day and Kwanzaa week. If you’re like me and enjoy crafty gift-giving, you could probably use some fresh, last-minute ideas. My all-time favorite place to browse (we own the book AND magazine if you want to investigate off-line) is the ReadyMade website. Barbara Jacobs at the American Library Association's Booklist writes: "...From the pages of ReadyMade magazine appears this compendium of more than 30 projects making the most of recycled paper, plastic, wood, metal, glass, and fabric. Not content to simply show and tell, authors Berger (magazine editor in chief) and Hawthorne (magazine publisher and CEO) add their own funny commentary. Want to debate the utility of chopsticks versus forks? Need to research the manufacture and ingredients of polyester, say, or specific alloys? Desire non-do-it-yourself recycling ideas for some of the more than 730 pounds of paper an average American uses each year? Instructions are easy to follow, the tone is always engaging, and all the projects are practical (for instance, why not have a beer-can room divider or FedEx CD rack?). Appended are abbreviations, hardware screw sizes, conversions, and glossary." My favorite ideas for what to give your office mates, babysitter, pet, mailman, neighbors, coach, day care provider—that one person whose name you can never remember—are the ReadyMade shrinkysheet designs. These are so cool. If you love to draw, you can make original artworks on a shrinky sheet and turn them into keychains, necklaces, earrings, ornaments, pet tags, etc. You can also trace stuff because the sheets are transparent. There are also ink-jet printable sheets for photographs. One year, for two of my friends whose birthdays are just a few days apart, I drew Sarah's head and Katie's head three times each and gave each of them the other one's head as earrings and necklace charm (they're both BFFs so it wasn't weird). They were hilarious. I also made a ton of magnets one year (just hot glue the magnet stuff to the back) as well as pins (shrinky + hot glue + jewelry pin backs from a craft store). This year I'm going to draw something, scan it into the computer and then copy paste it several times so I get multiples of the same image. Seriously, the ideas are endless. I knew a girl once who went to Google, copy-pasted the Chanel logo onto shrinkysheets and made fake Chanel earrings to go with a Halloween costume. I'm not encouraging copyright infringement by any means, but rather making a point that really, anything's possible. Another great idea: let's say your designs are a hit with friends and family. Why not sign up for an account on Etsy and start selling your stuff? Don't think you could? Think again. One of my friends learned to knit a few years ago and now she's listed an Etsy favorite. She gets so many orders for her arm warmers she can barely keep up.Another friend's jewelry, which she started making as a hobby, has been picked up by Urban Outfitters: 5000 pieces by December 5. So, don't think your talent and interests are limited to homemade birthday cards and holiday time. There's an enormous market for hand-made stuff. Besides, the money you make can go into your holiday budget for next year. If you want to get into shrinkystuff, visit your local craft store or order it from ReadyMade directly. It's inexpensive and easy for all ages to manipulate, however young children should have supervision because it does involve baking in a hot oven. http://www.tscpl.org/gallery/comments/shrinkage/