Bubble Magnets

Chances are you've already seen these kind of magnets elsewhere in the blogosphere, but these are so much fun to make (and so easy on the wallet) that I just had to share!

Bubble Magnets are one of my favorite things to give people. Each one is different and they add flair to your fridge. I can't tell you how many of these I have on my refrigerator right now. I've given them as gifts to my friends and family for holidays, and I've even given them as bridesmaids gifts - everyone loves them!

I know there are many sellers on Etsy.com that sell images to use for projects like this, but I prefer to use magazines because 1. you probably already have a pile of magazines sitting around somewhere already and 2. the images are going to be much more unique and diverse.

Supplies:

 

Round glass rocks from a craft store (I get a big bag of them for a buck at the Dollar Tree)
Magazines
Mod Podge
Scissors
Round magnets
Super glue
Paint brush

Let's get started!

Your goal is to find images that fit within your glass rocks that also look good. Busy patterns are usually distracting, and dark images won't show up well. Take a rock and, as you're thumbing through your magazines, place it on top of different images to see if the image would look good for your magnet.


These are all examples of good images to use:

They are interesting and small enough to fit within the confines of the magnet. The colors are also bright enough to show through the glass, which can sometimes be cloudy.

When you find a good image, cut both the image and a large amount of the background around it out. You can trace around your rock then cut your image out or do what I do (which might be a bit lazy because I don't feel like tracing.) Hold your glass rock on top of the image, making sure it's centered exactly how you want it. Firmly pinch your image and rock between your pointer and thumb, then take your scissors and carefully cut around the rock. Like I said, this is definitely the lazy way of doing it, but it works for me :)

When you're finished, you should have a round little image in the shape of the rock you are holding.

Next, take your Mod Podge and paintbrush and apply a thin layer of the Mod Podge to the front of your image. Press it onto your rock and press out any air bubbles. Your image might look a little "glue-y" (like my picture below) but don't worry, it will dry clear. Apply a thin layer of the Mod Podge to the back of your image to seal. Let dry.

After the Mod Podge has dried, use your super glue to attach one of the round magnets to the back of your glass rock. Let dry.

*A note about glue: use super glue and NOT a glue gun. I used a glue gun at first, and if your bubble magnets ever fall off your fridge (and if you have a 2-year-old like me they will) the magnet will pop right off when they hit the ground. I've had to re-glue most of my magnets that I've used a glue gun on.

Now pimp your fridge with your new magnets!

Linking up:

Show and Tell Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design