Tutorial Tuesday ~ Simple Glass Magnets

I redid my workspace recently, and realized I needed some magnets for my inspiration board. And of course since it was a crafty space, I decided I needed some crafty and cute magnets and why not figure out how to make them myself, so the color scheme would be exactly what I wanted.

This is a quick craft, taking maybe 15 minutes from start to finish, depending how many magnets you're making and what supplies you have onhand. Here's what you'll need:

- Scrapbook paper or similar
- Scissors (or a large hole punch)
- Adhesive
- Magnets
- Clear glass cabochons or flattened marbles

All supplies are easy to find at a craft store and probably even at local big box general merchandise stores. In this case I used adhesive made for glass and beads, but have also used Mod Podge and other clear adhesives -- so long as your adhesive dries somewhat quickly and completely clear, it should work. These are for my own personal use for gifting and using myself, but not up to selling standards. They should obviously be kept away from small children who are still likely to put things into their mouth, and magnets should be checked occasionally to make sure they're still firmly attached.

Step 1
I start out by going through my scrapbook papers and cutting out small circles or ovals of designs I'd like on my magnets. A hole punch for the size of cabochon you have would come in very handy, but I'm low tech and just cut things out by hand and guesstimate the size. After doing a few you get a feel for the sizing.

Step 2
Next it's time for assembly! I dab some adhesive onto the back/flat side of the cabochon and press the paper onto it (design side onto the adhesive so it show through the top of the glass). Squish it into place, make sure any air bubbles get smoothed away, and adjust to center as needed.

Step 3
Then dab a little adhesive onto the paper and place the magnet onto the back. Press to make sure it's on securely, then turn over and press again to make sure everything is sandwiched together firmly and positioned well.

Step 4
Give the adhesive a few hours to dry according to the package directions, and then if you have any areas where the paper sticks out a bit, you can shave those off (I just use my fingernails) or press them down around the edges if you'd like.

Viola! Cute as can be, matches my decor perfectly, and is a simple thing to put together for myself or a quick gift with a nice little metal tin to hold them.

Submitted by Lori, Alfabette Zoope