How to make flat marble photo magnets
I started making these flat-glass marble photo magnets for a Relay for Life fundraiser (suggested donation of $1) and got addicted. They're easy to make and they make great gifts for friends or co-workers.
Materials:
- Flat glass marbles (I got mine at Michaels for about $2.50 for a bag of 20, 1.5" in diameter)
- Glue (rubber cement, decoupage/hodgepodge, or clear art glue; see instructions for more details on which to use)
- Photos
- Magnets (I got a pack of 50 3/4" round flat magnets for about $7)
Instructions
- Choose a photo for the magnet. It can be a regular glossy photo, or a photo that is printed off of your computer. I use photo paper that is not glossy. Remember that you will be trying to fit this into a 1.5" circular space, so choose something small. It will be magnified by the glass too.
- Put a flat glass marble over the area of the photo you want to use, and trace a circle around it.
- Cut out the circle.
- Glue the photo to the bottom (flat part) of the glass marble. If it is a glossy photo, I would use the decoupage to avoid air bubbles. If it is a printed photo, rubber cement is fine, but make sure to press hard to get the air bubbles out. Air bubbles can make for texture but can distort the image. I find more luck getting rid of air bubbles by applying glue to the photo rather than the marble, but it can depend on the type of glue.
- Let dry before gluing the magnet to the back of the photo, especially if you printed the photo on your computer, as the ink may run. (Rubber cement doesn't need as much time.) Glue the magnet to the back using the clear art glue.
- Let dry.
You're done!