What to do with those advertising magnets; that is the question? Let the kids make holiday decorations for the refrigerator out of them; that is the answer!
Approximate Time: 10 minutes
Supplies:
- advertising magnets or thin sheet of magnet
- fabric or cardstock for holiday decor
- tacky glue
- fusible web or spray glue
- heavy scissors
- iron
- seed beads
- glitter
- yarn
- cardboard for pattern
- pencil
- patterns or draw your own
Instructions:
- Either draw your patterns (you could print out the photo for my patterns): Easter eggs, shamrocks, elf hats, pot of gold, fire crackers, Uncle Sam hat, turkey, pumpkin, fall leaves, jack-o-lantern, black cat, ghosts, you get the idea. Anything will work just make sure you have the fabric or cardstock to match the character.
Perhaps you want to put a child's face on a magnet. No matter what shape you are making the directions from here on out are the same.
- You can use spray adhesive instead of fusible web, it works wonderfully and no one will get burned. It is a little messy, but if you lay paper out and spray the sheet of magnet, apply fabric, let it dry and then cut out your shape it isn't bad. You will then trace your pattern on your magnet with ink and cut inside your line.
- Cut out his or her face, or what ever shape you are working with. Trace it onto the fusible web and cut it out leaving about 1/4 inch around the pattern. Fuse this to the wrong side of your fabric; cut out on the lines. Now peel the paper off and fuse to a magnet. Be careful if your magnet has writing on it, place paper towel between your iron and the magnet. Remember it doesn't take, but a few seconds to fuse the web. After you get it all fused together, cut out the shape and you are ready to decorate.
- Using your tacky glue draw lines and apply your beads, yarn, glitter, or whatever. If you use glitter you will want to seal it after it is dry with a couple of coats of thinned tacky glue or it will continue to shed. Use fabric pens, but be sure to test them of fabric before using on your magnets some pens spread and you don't want to ruin your child's work.
Note: Don't glue on large beads or rocks as the magnets aren't strong enough to hold them.
Make a set for each holiday and you can change them with the seasons.
By Ann Winberg from Loup City, NE
