Magnets and Craft Night

The other night, I attended "Coffee, Crafts and Conversation" at Bethany's house. What a fun time of getting together with friends and making new ones!

It was BYOC (bring your own craft) and it was inspiring to see what each lady was working on. Some even brought their own sewing machines!

And of course there were snacks!

Bethany's home is beautifully decorated and personalized with photographs of her family. She is so talented! She took some great photos that night - I was surprised to be front and center on her blog post! I was blessed to be part of the evening and am looking forward to doing it again! 

My craft was making magnets with scrapbook paper and clear vase gems.

I got the idea from my crafty friend Lindsay, after seeing ones that she made on her refrigerator. 

These are two that she gave to me. Aren't they adorable? 

You will need clear vase gems (not marbles) in either small or large size. I found a whole bag of gems at the Dollar Tree.

Small/large round magnets that will fit on the back of the gems. 

Start by placing the stone over the paper you would like to use, and trace the stone. Regular scrapbook paper works really well (no card stock or other specialty papers).

Cut out all your circles of paper with scissors. I like to set them under their intended gem so they don't get lost.

Spread a light amount of Mod Podge with a paint bush onto the back of the gem, and affix your paper, right side down. Brush around the edges of the paper to make sure it's completely sealed. Let it dry. 

Once the Mod Podge has completely dried, use a small dot of heavy-duty permanent glue to attach the magnet. I used Fabri-Tac Permanent Adhesive, because I happened to have some and it worked well.

Wait for the magnet glue to dry, and you're done! 

I really like how they turned out. However, they are a little tricky to photograph. Thank you Christy for documenting the process while I was working on them! The glass makes them look a little cloudy and blurry. The Mod Podge does dry clear. The gems actually magnify the image, which is why I like using small prints and patterns. 

 

They look nice on my fridge, holding up family photos. I think they would make cute gifts too! They're quick and inexpensive. A great use of paper scraps too. Go make some refrigerator bling!