Crafty Chic: Marble Magnets & Push Pins

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Oh, yes, we are out there. We are the women who can’t tole paint worth a darn. The ones who are met with suppressed smiles when we bring home our latest Enrichment Night creation. Scrapbooks, wreaths, holiday yard stakes…ours are just, well, ugly. We know what looks good, but we just have trouble creating it. Perhaps you are one of us. We are the Craft-Impaired.

But us CIs have creative urges, too! We’d love to make something that we don’t have to turn around and throw away. Is there an answer?

Two words, fellow CIs: Marble Magnets.

Marble magnets are fun, easy, and very stylish. They require no sewing, painting, cute lettering or extra embellishment. We're sure you're going to like these too.

By Sharla Fox, staff writer

What You'll Need: (Note, you can get most all products at your local craft store.)

• clear craft "mashed" marbles (the kind with one flat side)

• craft punch (same size as mashed marble) or scissors

• small round magnets

(Crafty Chic Note: these magnets MUST be super strong in order to hold up the marble. They can usually be found in small quantities of 10 or less.)

• tacky, clear craft glue (E6000 or Sobo for example)

[Crafty Chic note: If you’re doing this project with kids (Achievement Days girls love these!) you’ll want to use something less potent. Clear school glue isn't strong enough, though, and the magnets could break apart if they were knocked off the refrigerator.]

Step by Step:

Collecting Pictures:

1. There are many places you can find great pictures for your marble magnets: magazines, printed scrapbook paper, small photographs, using your computer, or your own tiny artwork.

Look for small images that are about the size of the marbles. Some ideas to use:

Church-themed

• Temples

• >Young Women medallion
Download our free template

• > Relief Society Seal
Download our free template

Cartoon Characters

• Suzy Zoo

• Sponge Bob

• Scooby Doo

• Hello Kitty

• Barbie

Nature

• Ladybugs

• Frogs

• Ducks

• Cats

• Dogs

• Bunnies

• Flowers

Decor-themed

• Country

• Contemporary

• Kitsch

Family-themed

• Family members' faces

Letters

• Print out letters spelling names, phrases or the entire alphabet

2. Punch the pictures out with the hole punch or trace around a marble and cut out with scissors.

Assemble

3. Put a drop of glue over the picture and adhere to the flat-size of the marble. Squeeze to get rid of any bubbles.

4. Spread a drop of glue onto the magnet and adhere it to the back of the picture. Let it dry.

The Final Project

Just like that, you’ve made a cute marble magnet that anyone will love. It’s like jewelry for your refrigerator! You could also adhere a flat push pin to the back of them and use them on bulletin boards, etc. They make great, personalized gifts, too. Make a set of flower magnets for the gardener, or Audrey Hepburn poses for the girl that loved "Breakfast at Tiffany’s." You could make a set featuring the American Idol finalists if you wanted. The sky’s the limit on this easy but neat craft.

Leftover marbles? Try this garden project:

Marble Stepping Stones

This stepping stone is great for introducing a new texture into the garden, and will sparkle when the sun hits the smooth iridescent marbles. Better yet, it’s easy!

What You’ll need:

• step stone (found at a home improvement store)

• grout. (It's easier to used premixed)

• craft marbles, with the backs painted with acrylic paint in coordinating colors

• putty knife or strong, plastic knife

Step by Step:

1. Using a putty knife or strong, plastic knife, frost your stepping stone with a thick layer of grout.

2. Place marbles in the grout randomly, or in a pattern. Use different sizes of marbles or all the same. You can also use other items: broken dishes or tiles, seashells, buttons, beads, old keys…whatever can stand a little weather.

3. Wearing plastic gloves, apply another layer of grout over the marbles. Use your fingers to press the grout in between the marbles to make sure all the spaces are filled.

4. Using a wet cloth wipe the excess grout off, exposing the marbles.

Let the step stone dry overnight, and then place and enjoy in your garden.