Glass Bead Magnets

Here are the instructions for making glass bead magnets that can be used on the magnetic French memo board, or any magnetic surface for that matter. These are super-easy to make, and I think they’d be nice to give as a gift, especially if you presented them in an empty Altoids tin that’s been painted or covered somehow. Hmm…maybe a craft for another day.

Glass Bead Magnets
Nap Rating = 1 nap (2 if you haven’t found patterns to use yet. You’ll see what I mean…)

Tools & Materials

• Old magazines
• Scissors
• Clear, flat, glass beads (often sold in a fishnet bag at craft stores)
• Small, round magnets
• Packing tape
• Toothpick
• Glass and bead glue

Steps

1. As you browse through magazines, mark or rip out pages that have any kind of pattern that you like on them. Look at pictures of home decor like bedding or pillows, clothing, flowers, background colors or patterns. Have one of the glass beads handy so you can place it on top of a pattern to see how much it gets distorted. You’ll see what I mean, and start to be able to tell which patterns work and which won’t.
2. Cut out the pattern in a circular shape roughly the same size as the bead. You can probably eyeball this (I did), but if you’re unsure, just trace the bead and then cut the picture out slightly smaller. Don’t cut the picture to fit the magnet, because the beads are irregular and don’t fit the magnets exactly. It would look sloppy to have some of the magazine picture showing around the edge.
3. Once you have a series of patterns that kinda coordinates (see picture), place them all on a strip of packing tape, and put another strip of packing tape on top of them to encase them. Cut out the circles once again. This protects the paper and ensures that the picture won’t be discolored by the glue over time.
4. Using a toothpick, spread a little bit of glass and bead glue on the magnet and put the picture on.
5. Using the toothpick again, spread a bit more glue on the picture, and put the glass bead on. Press down to get rid of air bubbles and ensure that you can see the pattern clearly.
6. Let dry.