Monday, May 4, 2009

Magnets on the Cheap

Momma to Bug recently made a magnet board like mine(that turned out wonderfully, mind you!), and she asked if anyone had ideas for magnets for it.  Do I have ideas?  You bet!

Some time ago, I posted about these little babies out of scrapbook paper and dollar section glass blocks. 

IMG_2249

For all  the ideas I’m about to show you, I recommend three things.

1.  Something cute to turn into a magnet

2.  A STRONG magnet

3.  Sobo glue—Martha Stewart told me to use this

Up first?  Clothes pins.  I made about two dozen of these, and I can’t find a single one.  Go figure.  Luckily, Etsy is kind enough to pull through for me!

il_430xN_51344375 

While it might be easier to buy these adorable little things, you can somewhat easily make them yourself.  It takes a minute, but it’s so cheap!

il_430xN_67944793  While I buy my supplies at a local craft store, Etsy is really good for selling supplies for these types of things.  I may actually start going here instead.  Good prices, too!

I use these glass beads for all my magnet boards.  What I love about them is how easy they are to make for all different seasons or holidays.  They are also an easy gift to give to people.

 glass

I was at Lowe’s the other day and spotted the clearance tile table.  I picked up some coaster tiles and spotted these for $1.47.  You see where I’m going with this?

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They are currently holding my kids’ chore charts.  This is a new/old system, but I refuse to give up.  So far it’s working!

IMG_5179

 IMG_5168

When we went to Florida last year, I made a ton of these for our mudroom magnet board!  It was so summery and such a nice reminder of the time we spent there.  My daughter has since put all of them into one of her purses, and it is nowhere to be found.

Shell_magnets Image:  Powder Blue

Time for review.  I recommend Sobo glue, but I’m fully aware that other brands will work.  I also recommend spray painting your thumb with black paint and showing it to dozens of people online.

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Lastly (and most importantly), I recommend a very strong magnet.  Personally, I don’t care for the sheet or strip magnets at ALL.  They simply don’t work.  I buy mine at Hobby Lobby.  You can also find them at Etsy or Ebay in bulk if needed.

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Image:  Amazon

Whew!  You got all that?!  Basically, I’m just letting you know that there are magnet options out there.  Anything cute and little that can have a magnet glued to it is not safe around me.  My daughter just lost a tooth.  Hmmm…. :)

39 comments:

AJ said...

OMG tooth magnets! You know someone out there is going to make those;) Making magnets can be addicting. A few years ago I made some with the clear stones and scraps of fabric from my grandma's clothing. No, I wasn't stealing clothes from her closet, I kept some of her clothes after she passed:) Love those tiles from Lowe's. I'm going to have to check those out!!!

Missy said...

I haven't done this in ages. Thanks for the glue recomendation. I always had problems with those strip magnets.

Andi said...

I love those magnets! Too cute! A magnet tooth. Hmmm... I wonder if it would magnetize to something in the bathroom...maybe the toilet??? hehehe- You could use it to hold up a note that reminds people to brush, flush, and wash.

Paula said...

Super cute. I nearly lost it over your comment about spray painting your thumb black. You're too funny. :)

Kristen said...

This is going to be as hot as the hand soap post - I know it. You have just elevated yourself into blogger superstardom. I can't even call you Oprah anymore, you are so.far.past.that!

Graham just lost his first tooth on Saturday...um, nah.

I did make some with buttons once. But it's not as cool now that you posted it first. Dang it.

Nancy @ Live love laugh said...

I am hysterical over your black thumb! So often I wonder what people are thinking when they see colorful fingers! Your ideas are so cute! Thanks!
~Nancy

~Mommy+Me~ said...

All of those are sooo cute!
Mommatobug & I made the magnets together yesterday. We used the glass beads, but I really like those squares that you used in the first picture. They are really easy to make. Is the SOBO glue sold at Hobby Lobby too? We used Modge Podge.
Unfortunately neither one of us has gotten around to posting pics yet. :(
Thanks for sharing your ideas! :)

Molly said...

Love the ideas! Thanks!

Evy said...

Really cool ideas you have there! Definitely have to make any one of those.

Shell in your Pocket said...

What cute magnets...I love it!
sandy toe

LWLH said...

Cute magnets.. might try to make those! :)

Julia said...

Great idea and I'll try it! Made me laugh when you said to paint your thumb! Thanks!

Jessica said...

LOL I love your humor and thanks for the great tips/ideas. I can't wait to scrounge around my house to find things to make magnets out of!

Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...

What fun - I love the shell magnets!

Farmgirl Paints said...

I'm lovin' the magnet ideas. Thanks and the black thumb is really cool:)

Desiree said...

Oh, thank you so much for posting this and mentioning my name! I love all of your ideas and have already made some of the glass bead magnets which I'll post today. I'll get to work on the clothespin ones later this month to use for our new baby's magnet board in the nursery (those ones I know they can't swallow)!
-Desiree (Momma to Bug)

Jill said...

Black thumb had me rolling in a big way. Hilarious! Magnets are great too! :)

Danielle (Life with the Hewitt Family) said...

What projects! I am on the hunt now to make some cute magnets of my own!

Kenningtons said...

Love the magnets!! I tried something similar but I painted the back of them. It was a disaster (I'm sure you could make them look cute...) so next time I will be trying the scrapbook paper. Thanks for the tips and adorable ideas!

Shannon said...

Those are all such cute ideas! The clothespins are a great idea because those are so expensive in the stores!

Sarah said...

Adorable magnets! Great ideas for friends at church for Mother's Day! Thanks! :)

jamie t. said...

Thanks for the great ideas. I love to make magnets and also love your blog!

Anonymous said...

love the glass blocks. i've never thought of those. any of these magnets would make wonderful teacher gifts!!!

Kim said...

Great idea! Thanks for "expanding" our views of the traditional magnet. Your examples were so cute!!

Sarah said...

Love the clothes pins!

Katy said...

Really cute ideas!! I love the first (square) glass ones shown, really cool.

Beth@The Stories of A to Z said...

I have no idea how you work full-time, have a family, and have time to do such adorable posts with fantastic ideas. You can't see me right now, but I'm bowing to you through the computer. Seriously impressive and inspiring Chris!

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

Great ideas - I made the glass bead magnets last summer, although I never put the magnet on...hmm....guess I can only call them cute, glass beads. :) Off to find stronger magnets to hold them.

Kim Pigue said...

Loving the magnet ideas! I am also going to give a go at the clothespin idea with some of my scrapbook supplies. Cute black thumb!

Nicolle said...

I love all of those! I might copy. I love making magnets. I have made the ones with the glass gems before. It took me several tries before I figured out I needed the small silver really strong magnets! I love the ones you made out of tiles too!

~Kristen~ said...

A great adhesive to use with those glass beads is Glossy Accents. It adheres super fast and dries totally clear. And if you wanted to make lighter weight magnets along the same idea as using paper and glass beads, Ranger's Fragments are great!

http://www.rangerink.com/products/prod_inkssentials_glossy.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkfHkf7vxWM

*I have nothing to do with these companies. I just love the products!

Infarrantly Creative said...

oh thanks for posting this I love magnets...here is another idea

http://infarrantlycreative.blogspot.com/2007/12/funkalicious-magnet-balls.html

they are kinda funky but fun

Infarrantly Creative said...

oh dang it...one more

http://infarrantlycreative.blogspot.com/search/label/Bottlecap%20Magnets

Shayla said...

k, first ♥ your blog! These are so cute, but it makes me sad. I made some of the clothes pin magnets last week & was so proud... I don't know why I thought I was the only one/first one to think of it :) hahaha. AND yours are cuter!

M.L. @ The House of Whimsy said...

First of all, you're an angel! And second, thank you for all the glorious inspiration. Must file these ideas away for the future!

ShareandRemember said...

Love your magnets but I gotta know - what are those Dollar Store glass blocks? I'm not sure I've seen those at our dollar store. Where would I find them/what are they used for? Thanks!

L said...

I'm so bad...well not bad - I was out of town this week so I had NO time to make or buy gifts for the teachers this week...Teacher Appreciation Week.

So I thought I could do something this weekend and came straight to your blog.

I made the hand santizer things for Valentines day and they were a huge hit!

Hopefully they will forgive me for being late!

Thanks!

L

Jennifer said...

I love the clothes pins!

Color Printing said...

LOL @ the possibility of a tooth magnet!
Those are very creative magnets. I remembered doing something like that back in third grade. But we designed it to look like fishes. I wonder where those are now...

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