How to make a magnet wedding favor

Refrigerator magnets make wonderful wedding favors. They can be crafted easily and will be appreciated by all as a little something to remember the happy occasion.

Wedding favors can include a photo of the couple as well as their names and the date, but it is not essential. If a photo is desired, one can be scanned into the computer and configured to fit a business card. Add decorations, names, and date, and print on blank business cards. Now add stick on magnets. Magnet backing for business cards is available at office supply stores.

If you are more craft-savvy than computer-savvy, you can still create magnetic wedding favors that feature a photo of the couple. A good way to do this is to decorate magnetic picture frames and add a photo of the couple. On oval sticker labels, write the names of the couple and the date of the wedding in calligraphy. Carefully glue the photo behind the frame. Place the sticker label on the front of the frame above or below the picture. To decorate the frame, use a hot glue gun to attach a small bow and a tiny silk rose to a corner of the frame. Use the wedding colors for the frame and the decorations.

A picture can also be placed into a heart-shaped paper pocket which has a magnet attached. To make four heart pockets which will each display a 2" by 3" photo, begin with an 8-1/2 by 11 inch piece of cardstock cut into fourths. Each piece will be 4-1/4 inches by 5-1/2 inches. Fold each piece in half the short way. (Not the long way - the front of the folded piece should be 2-3/4 inches wide.) Trim the corners of the folded piece to create the top curves of a heart. The folded piece will be shaped something like a tombstone. Unfolded, it will be shaped like a Ten Commandments tablet.

With the piece unfolded, fold up each of the bottom corners with the bottom edge along the center fold line. The result will be a heart shape. Open the bottom corners back out and fold the point to the inside until the point falls at the center of the fold you just made. Place a small piece of double-sided tape down inside the point of the heart to keep the pocket up. Do the same at each outside point of the pocket. The corners of the photo can now be slipped down into the pocket flaps so that the photo is secure, but is visible, too. Decorate the finished heart as desired and glue a magnet to the back.

These hearts can be made in parchment-look paper and trimmed with narrow ruffled lace all around. They can also be made in paper that matches the wedding colors. The couple's names can be written on the top of the heart if desired.

Wedding favors don't have to feature either a photograph or even the names of the couple. If desired, they can be simply a cute, romantic, memento. A very simple wedding favor magnet can be made from the small wooden hearts available in craft stores. Paint the heart white. Decorate by gluing on a ribbon bow and a small silk flower. Glue a magnet on the back. These hearts could also be painted in one of the wedding colors and decorated with foil stickers of the couple's monogram. There are many options for decorating this simple magnet wedding favor.

Magnets can also be glued onto the back of small Victorian fans. Cut a strip of paper 3 or 4 inches wide and 8 inches long. Fan-fold into a little fan. These are lovely made from wallpaper samples or decorative cardstock. A piece of 8-1/2 inch by 11 inch paper can be cut into thirds to make three favors. Hold the bottom of the fan together with a small rubber band. Tie a ribbon over the rubberband, and decorate the front of the bow with lace and silk roses as desired. Glue a magnet to the back of the fan. Narrow lace can be glued to the top of the fan before the paper is folded. Another idea for dressing these up is to cut a round paper doily in half and glue it to the paper before folding.

For theme weddings, different miniatures from the craft section can have magnets glued on to become wedding favors. For instance, at a spring wedding give out magnets made from miniature watering cans. For personalization, write on each one, "Love is blooming," or some similar sentiment.

For a fall wedding, glue two walnut shell halves onto a piece of cardstock. In tiny letters, paint the couple's first names on them. On the card write, "Mr. and Mrs. - Nuts about each other!" Glue a strip of magnet tape on the back for a cute inexpensive favor.

For a winter wedding, make tiny pairs of mittens from felt. Cut two mitten shapes from felt for each mitten and sew them around the outside with decorative embroidery stitches. Glue to a small card and write the couple's names and "They make the perfect pair!" Glue a piece of magnet tape on the back of the card. A similar idea could be made for a summer wedding by making a small pair of flip-flops from craft foam with pipe-cleaner for the straps. Attach the sandals to a card with a similar message about the "perfect pair" and glue the magnet on the back.

These are just a few ideas for crafting wedding favors that make cute refrigerator magnets. With a little imagination the possibilities are endless.