25 DIY Magnets to Make

DIY Magnets

DIY Magnets

You can make just about anything into a magnet, and I’m going to prove it to you!

1. alphabetHas the kiddo outgrown her magnetic alphabet? Make it look swanky and leave it up for the grown-ups!

2. Altoid tinsThese are transformed into magnetic shadow boxes, and I LOVE them!

DIY Magnets3. bottle capsThese do work best with epoxy, but if you’d like a non-toxic alternative, you can play with Mod Podge as a sealant.

4. buttonsThese would look especially cute on a miniature magnetic board.

5. clayThis is an easy way to make your own magnets from scratch.

6. clothespinsThe tute calls for embellishments using scrapbook paper and Mod Podge, but if you’ve got washi tape on hand, that’s a quicker, easier solution.

7. coinsThis is a great way to show off foreign coins that you’ve collected on your travels.

8. crystalsLook for ones that have a flat side, so that the magnet will have good surface adhesion.

9. fabric scrapsThese require a bit more hardware to make, but the reward is getting to see your beautiful fabric every day!

10. leavesYou do have to laminate these, so the process isn’t terribly eco-friendly, but they should last for several years.

11. LEGOsIf you use super-strong magnets, kids will be able to build right on top of the refrigerator!

DIY Magnets: Make DIY Mini Magnetic Chalkboards from Mason Jar Lids12. Mason jar lidsYou’ll love your new mini chalkboard magnets!

13. paint chipsJust remember: paint chip crafts are only eco-friendly if you’ve obtained the paint chips for a legitimate purpose first. Just grabbing paint chips and crafting with them is NOT upcycling!

14. pipe fittingsAdd toilet paper tubes and PVC or vinyl tubing scraps, and you’ve got an epic magnetic marble run for your refrigerator door. The kids will be thrilled!

15. puzzle pieces. Use large puzzles meant for small children, and then decoupage them with your own pretty papers.

16. rocksPaint them or leave them natural.

DIY Magnets: It takes less than an hour total to make these easy, DIY Scrabble tile magnets. They're strong enough to actually hold things on the fridge and won't fall apart.17. Scrabble tilesWe use these magnets both to spell words and to actually hold stuff to our big magnetic memo board, so I like to use these really strong magnets to back them.

18. sheet musicThis is just one of the MANY types of magnets that you can make with flattened glass marbles.

19. shellsThe ones in this tutorial are painted to look like turtles and crabs, which is pretty cute.

20. toy animalsInstead of buying these new, I suggest thrifting them or asking a kid if you can buy some from them.

21. vintage jewelryChunky pieces make great magnets.

22. wine corksShow off that special vintage!

23. woodPaint and a little lace make these wood bits into lovely magnets.

24. wooden cubesI use a weak magnetic tape for the backs of these, as they’re meant to be mosaic tiles to play with.

25. wood slicesTo make these more eco-friendly, stencil and paint your design instead of using vinyl. And to make them more elegant, drill a bit into the wood so that the magnet can be inset and the wood slice can sit flush against your metal surface.

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Written by Julie Finn

I'm a writer, crafter, Zombie Preparedness Planner, and homeschooling momma of two kids who will hopefully someday transition into using their genius for good, not the evil machinations and mess-making in which they currently indulge. I'm interested in recycling and nature crafts, food security, STEM education, and the DIY lifestyle, however it's manifested--making myself some underwear out of T-shirts? Done it. Teaching myself guitar? Doing it right now.

Visit my blog Craft Knife for a peek at our very weird handmade homeschool life, and my etsy shop Pumpkin+Bear for a truly odd number of rainbow-themed beeswax pretties.

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