Photo Magnets

DIY Photo Magnets!

These are fun and easy (and cheap) gifts. We made ours as Mother's Day gifts, but they can be for any occasion.

WHAT YOU NEED

• Glass Beads (about 1-2 inches) – I got mine at the dollar store for $1, but you can also find them at craft stores.
• Photos – You’ll need small photos. You’ll want the face to be an inch or less to fit nicely in the center.
• Glue – I used Mod Podge, but any glue that dries clear will work
• Magnets – You need a strong magnet to hold it up; I found ceramic magnets work the best and come in the perfect round shape. I got mine at Michaels, although I'm sure you can find them at any craft store.

First step is to pick out the perfect photos. These are pretty small, 1" diameter, so you'll need to use faces or close up objects printed in a small size.

I found the photos I wanted to use and in Photoshop and resized them so that the face was just an inch or smaller to fit. I printed mine at Walgreen’s, but you can also just print them at home as well. I find it cheaper to print them there than to use up all of my color ink at home.

Trace & cut the bead
Since each bead is shaped and sized a little differently, I took the bead, laid it on the photo and traced around it before cutting it out. I cut it inside of the line I drew so that it doesn’t hang over the edge of the bead.

Glue the photo to the bead
I then took the glue and made a circle around the edge of the photo. I pressed down and then placed a weight on top while it dried. I used a wooden cutting board as my weight.

Glue on Magnets
Once the photo is dry, you’ll want to add the magnet to the back. I just put a dab of Mod Podge on the magnet and placed it on the back. I let it dry and then I wrapped them up in a pretty package as a gift.

Don't have kids? Use photos of flowers or whatever else you like to make your own custom set of magnets.