For MORE great ideas visit: www.kissesofsunshine.com
One of my favorite parts of Christmas are neighbor, friend, teacher, etc. gifts. I have an incredible secret dried herb recipe that I have given many a year. You just add it to some sour cream or cream cheese and then with a loaf of fresh from the oven bread, presto! a much appreciated Christmas gift.
Alas, this year there just isn’t going to be the energy to bake a zillion loaves of fresh bread.
I wanted something handmade that I could do in stages, the ingredients for which would be cheap and hopefully mostly already on hand.
My choice?
Marble Magnets. You’ve seen them in the stores lately with the trendy magnetic bulletin boards. Around here I’ve seen them priced anywhere from $2.50 to $6.00.
Whoa!
They are embarrassingly easy to make.
The cast of characters:
I found the Decor Glass in the wedding section of my craft store. About $3.00 for close to 20 of them. Make sure you get the CLEAR ones. Not the ones that look like there are little sparkly specks in them.
Foam brush.
Mod Podge. Never could live without this stuff.
Sparkle Coat by Cream Coat.
E6000: This is a total necessity at my house. I use it to get shoes to make it one more month until we can afford new ones. It glues anything together and dries clear!
Magnets: Be sure to get STRONG magnets. And hold them up to the back of your Decor Glass to make sure they are the right size.
Now I used scrapbook paper for mine. BUT you can use pictures from old magazines. Or a fun and funky material. Or that way cool picture from the label off your juice bottle. The sky is the limit for the ‘background’ of you Marble Magnets.
First:
Find an image (using your background paper, scrapbook paper, material, etc.) that fits the size of your marble glass. Trace around it and cut it out.
Next I cover the FRONT of the design paper and the BACK of the glass with Mod Podge. Place paper on glass. Be sure to remove all bubbles. And make sure the Mod Podge totally covers both the glass and picture. Use your fingers to smooth it all out.
Allow this to dry really well. It will dry clear! I promise!
After this has dried you could cut out a circle of cardstock and glue that on the back of your marble glass.
I choose to paint over the back with this stuff from Dream Coat that leaves a high gloss and sparkly shimmer. With my 40% off coupon a bottle of this was way under $2.00.
Oh. Before I forget. You can use a scrapbooking paper punch to punch out your patterns. My glass is about 1.5 inches and I don’t have a punch that big. Plus the marble glass itself isn’t perfectly round. So I choose to cut it out by hand. Plus I go with larger magnets and that hides lots of imperfections too.
Although I will say that for this tutorial I focused more on speed than neatness. My for reals magnets will be cut out neater.
Time to add the magnet!
A tube of this runs about $8.00. I picked this up at a yard sale for .50. This stuff rocks and is totally worth the $8.00 if you do have to pay full price!
Thinly cover your magnet……
Attach to marble glass.
LET DRY!
Viola’! You are officially too cool for words!
Some examples:
(remembering my skills as a photographer leave lots to be desired)
Please note that these look MUCH, MUCH better in real life. Even Reed thinks they are pretty awesome, lol! These pictures just give you an idea.
If you would like some ideas on how to package these for gift giving, let me know in the comments section. Packaging can up the perceived value of a gift to sky high levels! But right now I have a little guy in dire need to sleepy time hugs and kisses!
These are awesome! What a great use for scraps and pictures.
When you get the time I would love to hear about packaging. Also, where did you find the strong magnets?
Thanks for sharing.
I have made these before and presented them in small tins that look like the altoids ones. You can get them at container stores. I also have used small squares of sheet metal (that I have had cut for me at the hardware store). Put them on the metal square, wrap in a clear bag and tie a big ribbon. Easy peasy…
GREAT instructions
Word of Warning: Do not make them too tasty looking. My 3 year old nephew ate one and needed his stomach pumped.
They look GREAT!
These are great! Ive actually made these before, but i printed out words on the computer. We did the fruits of the spirit, and i gave them as gifts to family and friends a few years ago. They are a big hit. Ive actually considered making them again this year. Thanks for sharing this one.
Oh…you can find these stones at the dollar store as well, and i just used tacky glue.
I love these! What a great idea.
Oh Tammy, those are so cool!! Thank you
I would love to make some of those. Maybe with my ever loved roses and bunnies 
LOL I have seen these sell really well on eBay and wondered how to make them, thank you for the wonderful step by step directions! I love that you talk about packaging gifts! That is one of my favorite parts of a gift is the packaging. I just painted up some sleighs to put gift cards and candy in for the boys teachers. I got them for $.50 at Micheals!! I think I will make up some magnets and add them too! Thanks so much again, I am excited about these!
The sweaters WILL be mailed next week
Hugs and kisses for sweet Parker and prayers to you all!
Amy
I’m sorry, I meant prayers FOR you all. It is too eaely, lol!
WOW! How clever are YOU!? LOL Those are adorable! I might just some…for ME! *wink*
Those are so cute!
I was just stressing about Christmas gifts – you’ve given me a little hope that things might not be as bad.
I’m thinking of you and praying for little Parker too!
Those are GREAT! Where do you think you can buy that super glue? Roberts?
I’ve bought that glue at WalMart… and the magnets… and the stones…
It’s a little cheaper than our local craft store. I took our Deseret Book ad and cut out pictures of Christ and gave them as gifts a few years ago… great instructions! I haven’t done that down here… maybe it’s time to pull the stuff out again!
Oh, MY WORD … I totally, TOTALLY love this idea. I also love Rebecca’s packaging ideas! So fun. I’m TOTALLY doing these this year!
And girl… where were you when I was using Gorilla glue to stick stuff on to the pavers? That stuff foams up and is such a mess! I had to paint over it to cover it up! Sorry Mod Podge, but E6000 — you’re my new best friend!
Thanks for sharing this totally awesome idea with us!
I would love to hear some of your ideas for packaging. Thanks for the great play by play description. Parker, you and the whole family are in my prayers!
I did this once! I still use them! they work AWESOME and they are unique! I like your pictures better than the ones I found though…sigh…oh well. Cute, cute, cute! =)
What a great idea! I wonder if I can paint all the Chocolate Covered Peppermin Altoid tins I seem to keep collecting in the bottom of my purse.
I’d love to hear your packaging ideas! I know though, that you have a lot on your plate right now, so if you don’t get to it, I’ll understand!
I’m praying for you and your family!
How creative! I have never seen anything like this – but I love it! I think I will be making some of these myself for the girls at work! I continue to pray for Parker and your family and appreciate the list of “special” prayer needs!
In His Love and Blessings,
annb
These are so cute.. I JUST made magnets for my niece about a week ago.. and posted them to my blog TODAY!! I made American Girl ones!!! I just hope she likes them!!!
After that amazing teaser you MUST share the dried herb recipe!
I like to package my marble magnets in empty Altoid tins – I just cover the top with scrapbook paper (that coordinates with the Altoid tin color) cut to size and Mod Podged to stay put.
I’ve also made travel Tic-Tac-Toe games using this same method – just put your grid on the outside of the tin and store them inside!
Still praying…
I’ve made these with my group of preschoolers just using Elmer’s glue, their artwork and photos printed on paper presented in decorated Altoid tins. Their parents loved them! Last time I used photos and glued a satin ribbon loop onto the back instead of a magnet and they became holiday ornaments. Very cute. Thanks for the tips…I want to try the sparkly paint on the back with my second graders this year.