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Magnets are a great way to show off fun pictures and memories – and you don’t need a fancy magnet maker to DIY something that you or your friends will want to display proudly. I encourage you to give this DIY a try!
What you’ll need to make your own magnets:
- Glass cabochons: I generally order cabochons and magnets separately, that way I can control the quality of each. I like these cabochons. If you want to order cabochons and magnets together, however, here is a good place to start.
- Magnets: As mentioned above, I generally order my cabochons and magnets separately. These are a great option. I’d caution against magnets that already have sticky backing, as they don’t tend to stick that well. Go with magnets you have to glue for the best results and make sure you use glue that can stick to paper, glass, and magnets.
- Glue: My glue of choice is called Diamond Glaze, which you can find here. However, other people have had great success with E6000 glue, which you can find here.
- Photos or Images: You’ll need images depending on the type of magnets you want to make. I generally print individual photos at Staples or the Walmart photo center. You can also take images from magazines, wrapping paper, old calendars, etc. The sky is the limit!
Directions
Step 1
Collect your supplies! I’ve got four cat photos here, along with my glass cabochons, magnets, diamond glaze, and a paintbrush for spreading the diamond glaze. Diamond glaze is my “glue” of preference when working with cabochons but other glues will work too!
Step 2
It’s time to glue down your glass cabochons! If you have cabochons that are domed and the backs aren’t flat, you’ll want to be extra careful during glue application or you risk trapping air bubbles under the glass. I spread a thin layer of my glue directly on the cabochon, then carefully place it on the image while I’m holding it. That allows me to smooth the back of the paper onto the cabochon and press out any air bubbles that appear. Once you have the image placed correctly and you don’t see any air bubbles, hold it in place for 30 seconds to a minute to give the glue some time to start drying before you put it down and move onto the next one.
Step 3
Give the glue ample time to dry. Once it’s dry, carefully cut around the cabochon, and then glue the magnets onto the back.
Step 4
Once all the glue is dry, you’ll have these adorable magnets! Not sure how to package them? You could put them inside an old Altoids tin, or tape them (with a tape loop) down to a cute card or inside a little box.
What will you make?
Pets are always a fun choice for these adorable magnets, but you could try baby photos, pictures of bucket list travel destinations, or images from a favorite movie or TV show! Let me know in the comments what you’ll make!
And for more fun DIY gifts, check out this post: 6 Simple DIY Gifts That You Can Make on a Budget
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