by Hope
I know we are now past the gift giving holiday, but I couldn’t resist sharing this idea. My cousin created these adorable handmade magnets as gifts for our extended family. And I couldn’t help but steal the idea for myself.
Are they not adorable? I thought one of the BAD members might like the idea for down the road as well!
When my grandmother first opened the present, she wasn’t sure what they were. At first, she thought they were coasters, which would actually be a good idea too. But in this case, they are magnets, featuring my cousin’s adorable kiddos.
How to Make these Magnets
The supplies needed are items most people have around their homes:
- Can lid
- Cardstock or thin cardboard
- Glue
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Magnet strips
- Pictures
- Modge Podge (optional, but necessary if you want to make them coasters instead)
Directions to Make Magnets
The directions are pretty straightforward and of course, you can modify as you see fit for your own project.
- Trace the outline of the lid on the cardstock/cardboard and on the back of the photos.
- Cut them out and glue the photo onto the cardstock/cardboard.
- Glue the cardstock/cardboard into the inside of the lid. It should fit snug. (My cousin used the two part Ball can lids which made this step even easier.)
- Add the magnet strips to the top of the can lid.
And voila, you are done. A completely homemade, customized gift for your favorite loved one to enjoy daily when they look at their refrigerator covered with smiling faces!
Make it a Coaster
Modifying this project to make a set of coasters instead of magnets is pretty simple.
- Skip step #4 above.
- Instead put several coats of Modge Podge on the images. Don’t spread it too thick or it may smear or tear the photo. And let each coat dry completely.
No promises on these coasters lasting forever, but as long as they don’t get soaked, they will make a very cute set of coasters.
Did you get any cute, homemade gifts this Christmas? Or make some yourself?
Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.
But life has a way of rewriting your plans.
A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.
Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.
Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.
She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.
So, what do you think ?