The plastic will shrink more in one direction than the other.  If you think of it as a map, the East-West will shrink a bit more or less than the North-South.  If you wanted to find out exactly how different your plastic works, I guess you could experiment by drawing a precise square, say about 4x4", and then mark which way is the long way and short way on the sheet of plastic.  Then shrink it.  By measuring the shrunken image, you could figure out which axis shrinks most.

Nothing you can do about the difference in shrink ratio, but you can always use sandpaper, an emery board/nail file, or a Dremel tool to smooth the edges and take off any excess.  If you leave a bit more border around your image than you'll want in the finished product, you'll have more leeway to work once it's shrunk.

One really easy thing you can do to keep the plastic from curling up onto itself is to put the unshrunk plastic into an aluminum foil envelope.  Take a piece of foil a bit more than twice as big as your plastic, fold it in half, slip the plastic inside, then fold up the three open edges right to the plastic.  Chuck it in the oven or use a heat gun and you'll have much better results.  The foil envelope can be used over and over, so don't throw it away!

I have me an idea to host a craftin' party at my joint sometime in July.  Stay tuned for details!

I often make brownies like that for parties or potlucks.  It's quick, easy, and always a big hit.  I've put slices of Snickers, Milky Way, Almond Joy, and several other sorts of candy bars on top, and everyone loves them.  I always cop to using a mix, but who cares?  I'm going to try the peppermint patties next time for sure!

I got LOTS of good stuff!  I ended up with 18 leopard-print booze flasks, and those suckers sell for $7.95 on the website!  Plus a WHOLE lot of other stuff.  I really wish I'd filled another box, actually, but c'est la vie!

Kath:  abeadstore.com and artbeads.com.

I had a blast with you girlies, too!  We'll definitely have to hook up again sometime after I get back from the wilds of Canadia!

Double-posting to say, now that I think of it, 11am would probably be better for me.  I'll need to get my butt home and make Mother's Day dinner for the fam-damily as soon as I can.

I'm inclined to go a bit earlier in the day, rather than later, to get the best selection.  But I'm definitely up for some foodage afterward!

Plain ol' rubbing alcohol should work to clean the adhesive residue off the plastic without damaging it.  Soak a cotton pad in alcohol and let it sit on the adhesive for a while, then rub off.  If there are any stickers you can't peel off easily, use a hair dryer to heat and loosen them until they peel off easily.

Yes, tea will stain your skin.  And if you've ever dyed Easter eggs or cleaned strawberries and gotten discolored fingers, you'll know how the color seeps further into any little cracks or imperfections in your skin, giving a really unsightly look.

I saw that Oprah episode, too, and I was disappointed that Dr. Oz didn't tell her to exfoliate her feet!  Foot odor comes from decaying dead skin cells that haven't been scrubbed off, so it's crucial to get rid of it.

However, he didn't say that tea would clean the skin or soak up oil; he said it would close up sweat glands and "tan" her feet, making them less likely to sweat so much.

If your face is too oily and you're having breakouts, try using a face wash that contains tea tree oil and some sort of alpha hydroxy ingredient.  Also, regular exfoliation is key; pores get plugged when dead skin cells are not removed, and that's how pimples start.  Just using a plain old washcloth to wash your face will work. 

If you have a breakout, put some 10% benzoyl peroxide cream on it.  Clean & Clear brand has one called Persagel that works well, although you can get cheaper generic/store brand versions that work just as well.  I use it on my T-zone daily, and it helps immensely to prevent breakouts.

The lovely Miss Babylonia is in Israel right now, but when she gets back, I'll be sure to point her over this way so she can admire your work!  It's FAB!

I'm going to take partial credit for it, since I inspired Babs to do her toilet seat!    Now you need to do like she did and do light switch plates, a tissue box cover, and picture frames!

Seriously, the spray acrylic is a great sealant and doing three or four coats is just fine for waterproofing decoupage work.  Cleaners shouldn't hurt it, but if you're concerned, do several  more coats just to be sure.  That'll also help smooth out any imperfections and make it more comfy for your bum.

Yes, definitely do a top border of cogs, and then the robot in different poses along the bottom!  It's adorable!