Show your Pokémon Go Team pride with these fun DIY Pokémon Go Pins!

You guys! You guys! I’m sure you’ve noticed, but you can now play Pokémon in real life and I feel like it’s 4th grade again except we’re actually leaving the lunch table and walking around.

I’m not going to lie, I’m walking around a lot more, meeting new people and taking random pictures of my friends petting Pokémon. It’s pretty amazing. So… health benefits y’all. Also!!! It is now okay for all of us to walk around looking completely geeked out. People think it’s awesome. The boys I babysit are even excited to leave the ipads at home (WHAT?) and take a walk with me!!!

So, as you play this awesome augmented reality game and wander around your city trying to catch them all, you may want to show your team pride. I made these fun DIY Pokémon Go Pins in about 30 minutes and am wearing them all over town. So the real question is… are you team Instinct, team Mystic, or team Valor?

DIY Pokémon Go Pins

Time: 30 minutes or less
Cost: Under $20
Nerd Level: 6

Shrink Paper – I got mine from the Dollar Tree and used 2 packs but you can also order some here. If you use traditional shrink paper, you’ll need some Fine Grit sandpaper to sand one side.
Sharpie Marker
Red, Yellow, Blue, White Paint
Small paint brush
Parchment Paper
Mod Podge
e6000 Glue
Pin Backs
THESE Templates

First, print out your templates. These are sized for a normal sized sheet of paper.

Use a sharpie and trace and color in each design. Cut each design out into the shape you want it to shrink down to.

Water down your paint in a 1:1 ratio and paint each. If you don’t do this your paint forms a weird clumpy chalky blob thing and no respectable Pokémon trainer wants that.

If you accidentally paint over some of your black lines, that’s cool. You can go back over them with your sharpie once the paint has dried.

Preheat your oven to 350 and lay your finished designs out on a sheet of parchment paper (under a baking pan of course) and bake for 3 minutes or until flat. Your pieces will curl up during the baking process, so it’s really fun to watch if you have a window in your oven. Once they’re done your pieces will be flat and have shrunk 2-3 times their size making them perfect for a pin!

Once your pieces cool, paint each with a thin layer or two of Mod Podge.

Use your E6000 glue to secure pins to the back of each design.

Once they’re dry, you’re free to let your Pokémon Team flag fly!