Suggestions for making flat refrigerator magnets with magnetic sheeting and any picture or photo, along with tips and instructions on placing the pictures on the sheets correctly.
The magnetic sheets can be found in craft stores and usually have a peel-off coating which reveals the sticky side of the magnet. You can also buy the type of magnetic sheets that don't have the sticky side but instead, you glue the object to the sheet. There's a third type of magnetic sheet, which is the printable type. The sticky magnetic sheet is the best for making paper magnets, since no glue is used to wrinkle the picture. The sheets are extremely sticky, though, so you have only one shot at positioning the picture just right. After laying the picture on the magnetic sheet, cut around it with old scissors, since extended use for this purpose will definitely dull your scissors.
If you're unable to find the sticky magnetic sheet, but you can locate the glue-on magnetic sheet, you can still use it, but it takes a little more work to get it just right. Use white glue and smear it on the magnetic sheet, but very sparingly. Wait until the glue is nearly dry, then position your picture, and place a heavy book or another weighted object on top of the picture. This lessens the chances of the picture getting wrinkled, as paper often does when it gets wet. Leave in this position for a couple of hours, then remove and trim. Another way to prevent wrinkles and a method that can be used with sticky or non-sticky magnetic sheet is to laminate the picture first. If you don't have a laminating machine, laminating sheets can be purchased where you just lift one of two layers, place the picture, and lay the other layer on top. After trimming, these pictures are ready to glue or stick to the magnetic strip.
You can use the sticky magnetic sheets to make some very unique magnets like calendars or photos of kids, grand kids and pets. If you own a business, put some of your business cards on the sticky magnetic sheet to give to customers for their refrigerators. It's easiest if you lay the entire sheet out and place as many on the sheet as will fit, then cut around them. They're great for small cross stitching, plastic canvas projects, and small wood crafts too. And, you can use the sheeting to place on the back of letter tiles for the kids to practice spelling. There are dozens of uses for magnetic sheet, and after making several, you'll think of many more.
