Magnets

When I am not working on a specific project, I will post some of my past projects and how I completed them. The first one I will show are custom made beer cap magnets.

Here are the final results:
image


The supplies you will need are:
beer caps
magnets
Mod Podge (found at craft stores)
some type of glue (I used Clear Silicone because I love it)
1 inch circle paper cutter (found at most craft stores)
Photos (from your computer or magazines)
Optional:
Needle nose pliers

1. To start, drink some beer. ha. Just kidding... but acquire some caps however you'd like. 

2. Then, find some pictures that you want to place in the magnets. I personally like to use pictures I've taken (or from friends) instead of generic magazine pictures. Whichever way you like, find them. I will give specific instructions on how to use pictures from the computer. 

If you're using magazines, skip to step 3.

2a. To use pictures from the Internet or pictures from a digital camera, locate the pictures on your computer (if using from the Internet, make sure to download the pictures and place them all into one folder to make it easier). For this, you will need Photoshop (any version). If you do not have Photoshop... I'm sorry. ;)

Photoshop Instructions:

• Create a new document that is 8.5 x 11 with at least 150 resolution.
• Open the picture you want to use.
• Using the Pointer tool (press V on the keyboard), drag your image onto the new document you created.  
• Switch to the elliptical marquee tool (press M on keyboard). If it defaults to the rectangle, just click and hold until the small menu appears and choose the ellipse. 
• Select "Fixed Size" next to Style and enter 1in next to width and height. This will make sure you are making 1inch circles.
• Click on the image you'd like. The circle is likely too small.You need to resize.

Marquee is too small

• Press ctrl+d (or cmd+d on mac) to deselect the circle you just made and switch to the pointer tool. Press ctrl+t (or cmd+t on mac) to resize the image. You must make sure you are working on the layer with the image you dragged on to the document. You should be able to resize now. Press shift when dragging your image to keep the same aspect ratio. 
• Switch back to marquee tool and check to see if you resized the image enough. If not, try again until it's right.  

Everything I want is in the marquee

•  Once you have everything in the circle marquee that you want in your magnet, press ctrl+shift+i (or cmd+shift+i on mac) to get the Invert and press Delete. This should erase everything except what is inside the circle.  
• Press ctrl+d to deselect and switch to pointer tool to move image to the edge of the document. 
• Repeat this process for as many images as you have. 
  

Repeat until all images are aligned on the edge

2b. Print document using photo paper.

3. Cut out images using the 1in cutter. Do your best to line up the hole on bottom of the cutter with the image.

If you look carefully, there is a little bit of white in the hole - don't do that!

And cut!

If you are using magazines, I highly recommend you cut an additional piece to glue underneath because magazine paper is very thin. The mod podge will leak through and show  both sides of the magazine paper. Just cut a 1in hole from some photo paper (or anything else that is slightly  more thick but you want it to be white so nothing comes through.
 
4. OPTIONAL - Bend edges of beer cap with pliers. This makes it so the image doesn't seem so crowded in the cap.

Forgot to paint my nails....

The one on the left is bent

Again, the one on the left is bent.

5. Glue image into the cap. This will prevent the mod podge from getting underneath the picture and pushing it up. WAIT for the glue to dry before moving on. Time will vary according to the glue you use. Read the label.

6. Time to Mod Podge! I like to use a cotton swab to help me with this part. Just scoop some mod podge onto the cotton swab and then place that onto the image. You want enough to cover the bottom but not too much because it won't be as clear once it's dry if you pile it on. Use the cotton swab to move it around the entire image.

7. Glue on the magnet. Use something metal to place the magnets onto while they dry.

8. Wait. Wait. Wait. Time for the mod podge to completely dry is about a day. I tried to rush it using a blow dryer once and it actually melted the picture so I DO NOT recommend trying to rush this.