Save the Magnets!

June 8, 2010 5:20 am Anitra Crafts, Green Crafting, Home Decor, Kid's Crafts, Projects

By Recycled Crafts Contributor, Anitra from the blog “Coffee Pot People”.

Here’s an activity that’s so fun everyone will want to do it, and so simple you can tell the kids, “Sure!” when they ask if they can make some, too. It’s also made with things you most likely have hanging around the house already, which, to my mind, makes it “practically perfect in every way”. We’re talking custom refrigerator magnets here.

You’ll need:

Sheet magnet material. If you have little magnetic calendars businesses sometimes hand out, those work great.
Glue
Images and objects

Notice that list says “Images and objects”. Don’t let the fact that most refrigerator magnets are flat limit you. You can uses anything you like that has a flat back for gluing—photos, bookmarks, blobs of fused glass, buttons, small tiles, stickers, broken jewelry, school pictures, beer mats, whatever strikes you as fun or attractive.

If you’re using a photo or other paper image, cut it almost to size but leave a bit of a border. Glue your image or object to the magnet sheet, and let dry.

Once dry, preserve and protect your creation with decoupage medium, DuraClear, or clear Contac Paper. (Contac paper is a good choice if you’ve printed your own images, as inkjet inks may smear if you use a liquid protectant.)

When the coating is dry, cut out the magnet(s) and you’re done! Don’t get stuck in a rectangle rut when you cut; shaped magnets can be especially appealing.

And remember the men! The magnets below are small collages using stickers: