Fun Bubble Magnets!

Put a smile on someone's face with handmade bubble magnets! Need I say more?!?! This is one of my all time favorite little projects that makes a BIG impression. It's an excellent gift for friends, family members, teachers, you name it! To me, handmade gifts are special because they have to be thought out and come from the heart and these are just so darn cute and fun to make!

They're a great, inexpensive homemade gift that you can do with your child or by yourself. Anyone can make them and EVERYONE will love them... Guaranteed!

What you'll need

Accent gems by Crafters Square (Dollar Tree or Garden Ridge or any craft store). Clear ones are best so you can see the image through the stone.

You probably don't want the ones that look like they have an "oily rainbow effect" b/c the images will appear a bit distorted.

Clear drying tacky glue
I used Aleene's Premium Quality Clear Gel Tacky Glue, purchased at Michael's - goes on clear, dries clear.

Comfy pair of scissors

Roll of Magnets

I prefer the hard ceramic ones but had to use the softer magnets this time but they work fine too!

Pencil

Paper

Scrap book paper is excellent to use! Magazine graphics and images work well! Anything printed on photo paper. Just make sure the paper you use is card stock, photo paper, or something that isn't super thin, although magazine print is great too!

Zacto knife

I love this project!!! Did I say that already? Whew it has been a whirlwind of a weekend and couple of days packed full of craziness and mishaps. Then there is Christmas! This little magnet project is quite relaxing in all the chaos of the holidays. Clear off the table, put down a vinyl table cloth or paper to work on. I used a child's finger painting pad beacause if you're like me, you will get glue on the table, for sure!

I've played around with this so much that I have it down to a science, although it is NOT rocket science! You can set up and do it while watching tv. That is the beauty of it!

Remember the stones are imperfect, as far as shape and size, and they have some noticable flaws but I think that is what is so cool about them. Combined with an image, no two magnets are the same. Just think! No one else in the world will have the same magnets you are making! Lots of fun!

Step One

Wash your stones/marbles. They come with a chalkie residue on them so dump them in a cup or bowl, add a little dish soap and wash and dry and you're ready!

Step Two

Pick a stone and place it on your paper over the image or design you want. I like symmetry but I also like things to be off center for added perspective, so I play around with what images or parts of images would look nice. Once you have the stone over the area of the paper you want, trace the stone closer to the underside of the stone to get more coverage through the stone.You'll want to trace each stone individually b/c the stones vary in shapes and sizes. I've tried different hole punches and they didn't work because the stones aren't perfect circles. I'm also attempting to trace left handed for the photo and it is hard when you are a righty. Trying to take pictures with my non-dominant hand is harder though!

Step Three

Cut out the circle with scissors and lay the stone over the circle to test to be sure they are about the same size.

 

Step Four

Put a dab(smaller than diameter of a pencil eraser) in the middle of the circle and rub the stone on the paper in a circular motion to spread the glue over the paper.

At this point you may want to use the Zacto knife and cut any excess paper from around the underside of the stone. 

Step Five

Place on the paper and let sit and set. Try not to use too much glue so that the stone doesn't slide all over the place and stick to the paper or surface below.

It's a little like a game because you want to keep checking on the stones and lifting them to move them so they don't stick to the surface below. Once they are dry, do the same and glue the back of the paper to the magnet. You don't want to place them too close together to dry because they will attract each other and move together. See below! You don't want this googly eye thing to happen! "Keep em separated!"

Once the magnets have dried, place them in these cute gift card tins, they'll hold on to the tins. : )

You have a very inexpensive gift that won't look it! Stones at Dollar Tree are $1.00 per pound. I used 3 sheets of scrap book paper to offer contrast between the designs and colors.I got the tins at Michael's for $0.50 each on clearance. The magnets are under $6.00 for one roll of about 60. The roll of magnets supplied me with enough to do plenty of peeps!

OK so Ta-Ta-for now! Sometime soon I'll send out some instructions for a little more advanced way to make and customize the magnets. Enjoy the last few days before Christmas!