Simply Hearts Magnetic Photo Frame

 My February project from last year was a photo holder, and this year I'm making another one.  This one is a simple project that kids can work on too!



To create your own, you will need:

Delight™ air dry modeling compound
metal cookie sheet
magnetic tape or strips
pencil
paper
plastic wrap
acrylic paint in your choice of colors
acrylic varnish
masking tape
scissors
ruler
photo
plastic baggies
craft knife
*optional - heart-shaped cookie cutters
















After choosing the photo you'd like to use, place it on the paper and trace around it,  Add a 1/8" to 1/4" line inside the tracing on each side.  This will be used as a guideline for your frame.
When you've finished making the pattern, tape the paper to the back of the cookie sheet and cover it with plastic wrap.  Tape the plastic wrap in place as well.

 Now cut the magnetic strips to fit around the outside edge of the frame and lay that in place.  It doesn't have to be exact (my daughter is making one of these with me, and hers is the very neatly done one on the right)

Cover the magnetic strips with a layer of modeling compound.  We just pushed ours all around it, but you could also roll it into strips and lay it over the top.

Color some of the clay with acrylic paint by putting the clay and paint into a baggie and squishing both together until they are combined.  Start with just a few drops of paint, then add more to get to the desired color.

Now press or roll out the colored clay, and use cookie cutters, your own heart shaped pattern, or just freestyle cutting to create heart shaped pieces of various sizes.  Add these to the frame as desired.

Continue layering heart shapes until you are satisfied with your design.  Set the frame aside to dry.

When the frame is dry, carefully peel it from the cookie sheet.  Use scissors to trim any ragged edges or areas you want to change.  I rounded the corners of my frame and trimmed the little bits of clay off from where I had pushed it onto the cookie sheet.

Varnish with desired finish and you're done!  Put your photo behind it and stick it to the fridge or other magnetic surface, and enjoy looking at your loved ones!

Thanks for joining me here again this month!

I'd love for you to join me for more projects & art adventures on my personal blog

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Sandee's bibliophile magnet

While collecting refrigerator magnets from tourist locales use to be a souvenir enthusiast's hobby of mine; I have turned it into making my own art magnets. Sometimes they are motivational and sometimes they are just for fun. Either way I love having a little fridge art of my own.

I used Creative Paperclay to create a bibliophile magnet; for next to art, reading is a favorite past time for me...and owls, oh I do love owls.

I used ColourArte's Primary Elements mixed together with a gel medium to color the Creative Paperclay leaves. After the first coat which then sealed the Paperclay it was very easy to add layer upon layer of wet color to get the depth I wanted.

The owl was heat embossed which worked fantastically and was also another method of adding color and sealing the Paperclay at the same time.

All the steps to making my magnet are in the slide show...you might be surprised to see what the owl is mounted on.

Kid-friendly Magnet Project

Today I have an easy-peasy project for kids of all ages. Magnets made from Delight™ air dry modeling compound. I like using Delight™ for this project because it is so light weight when dry that the strength of the magnet focuses on holding up the paper you're displaying (probably a child's artwork!!), and not keeping the magnet face in place.

Here are the supplies that Chloe, my grand daughter, and I used to create our magnets.

First, we used that cute pink and white rolling pin to roll a piece of Delight™ to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. Next, we used the canape cutters—3/4 inch and 1 1/4 inch diameter— to cut out our circles. First part of the project done!!

After the magnet faces were dry we stamped a small design on each one using StazOn Timber Brown ink. So far, Chloe's done all the work, but I did the resin coating on the top of each magnet face. This step is optional. I thought it added a professional finish to our magnets—plus I like working with resins.

Last, was gluing the magnets to the backs of each piece with liquid glue. Here is a sampling of our finished project.

Variations on this project include coloring the Delight™ with food coloring prior to rolling and cutting. Just knead a couple drops of coloring into the Delight™. You could also use stamp pad inks or acrylic paints.

For an older child (Chloe is four) you might want to use larger cookie cutters and let the child paint the magnet faces. Or, instead of cookie cutters, freehand cut the Delight™ with a clay tool or blunt knife. 

Note: When I showed Chloe the blog post featuring our last project, she was excited to see "her" creation online. She asked why my picture was at the bottom of the post. I explained that it was because I did the project for the Creative Paperclay design team. She thought for a moment, and then said, "I did the project, too. Where's my picture?" So, I've included a photo of my co-designer on this post. :)

Carole	Chloe
Table Cell	Table Cell

Hand Stamped Magnets

If it's one thing (besides Jewelry) that I collect a lot of, it's magnets. I love them, don't you?

When working on hand stamped clay projects, I find that the best method for applying color is using pigment ink pads.

See the color on this? There are layers and layers of beautiful color on here, and this is achieved by using various shades of pigment ink, rather than acrylic paint.
When you're finished, you can spray it with a bit of acrylic sealer, though I opted not to. It's so pretty just as is, don't you think?


Diana Gonzalez

Shamrock Pin

Today, I thought I'd play aorund with Delight ™.

This air dry, modeling compound can easily be colored.

(I'll post a tutorial March 8th...so be sure to stop back here!)

I love celebrating..anything. But it must be a family thing.

When my younger sisters were growing up, they loved to wear pins and buttons

that proclaimed "Kiss me, I'm Irish!"

So, when my father tracked down our Irish history, you can imagine my sisters were 

extra joyful that St. Patty's Day!

Here's a pin to wear if your are Irish...or if you just like to celebrate!

OR...

You may want to make this into a locker magnet as my daughter did.

I love sharing crafting with my kids!

(And yes, I think she showed me up on the decorating!!)

Supplies:

Delight ™...dyed green

Rolling Pin

Scalloped heart cutters

Dew Drop embellishments from The Robin's Nest

Pin backing

magnets

Glue Gun

1. Roll out Delight ™.

2.  Cut out 3 hearts.

3. Gently press them together to form a shamrock.

4.  Let dry.

5.  Decorate the front as you wish.

6.  Add a pin back or magnet.

My DD just announced that she wants to make more things with Delight ™.

Go buy some Delight ™ and spend one on one time with your child.

The time is priceless.

Thanks for stopping by again!

Dawn Mercedes

Brenda's Snowflakes

Good morning, Brenda here and welcome to another Creative Paperclay® project.  I wanted to show you another project I made with all those embossed snowflakes and some others.  Remember, you can emboss your paperclay while it's still wet and using a cuddlebug folder or anything with texture just adds element to your project.  I love doing this.  Click on the link above if you don't remember the post or want to see it for the first time.  So let's get started:

After my snowflakes and other cookie cutter cut outs were completely dry, I painted them with acrylic paints and inked around the edges to give them dimension.  I do that allot. 

See how using different embossing folders gives them different looks.  I love this technique. 

So I wanted to turn them into memo holders... 

So I used Mod Podge and added some papers to the front of the clothespins.  Adding a bit of glitter here and there to make them sparkle and another layer of Mod Podge to seal them well. 

Aren't these cute? 

Now I wanted to turn them into refrigerator magnets...so off to my "hoarding" bin and there I found some old 2012 calendar magnets.  Yes, I keep "EVERYTHING" 

I cut them into strips that are the same width as the clothespins and glued them to the backside of them. 

Now they can hang on your file cabinet (like mine) or the 

refrigerator (like my mom did) to keep notes or cards or whatever your heart desires. 

These turned out so cute.  I wanted to make them for my mom, my dad's girlfriend and MIL 

but also wanted to package them up cutely...SO 

I used bakers paper to cut the bags from my TBBM cricut cartridge 

scored them. 

glued them. 

folded them. 

the bottom is also glued, but somewhat fragile if you were to put anything heavy into it, so... 

I just cut a piece of cardboard to fit the bottom of the bag and used an adhesive runner  

placed it into the bottom of the bag

my hand didn't fit, so I used my scissor to make sure it fit snuggly and... 

here they are packaged for gift giving.  I cut some tags using up most of my Christmas paper scraps, punched holes at the top and used some ribbon to close them up.  I gave them to my mom, my dad's girlfriend and MIL and they loved them.  

I hope I've given you some more ideas for using your Creative Paperclay® and hope to see you here again in a month.  In the meantime, you can always come check me out here.  As always, have a great day and God Bless.

Halloween Magnets Tutorial

Halloween is my favorite holiday and the cooler autumn air has me thinking the same question I have pondered every year around this time since I was about 5 years old: What will I be for Halloween this year? I decided to make some cute Halloween magnets to celebrate this special and spooky time of year! This tutorial will walk you through the process of making a pumpkin, a witch's face, a ghost, and a skeleton's face.

What You Need
Creative Paperclay
Round magnets the size of nickels
Aleene's Tacky Glue (or your favorite craft glue)
Acrylic Paint (not pictured)
Cup of water for sculpting and paintbrush wash
Sharp pottery tool or toothpick
Chopstick and/or regular pen

1. Take a lump of clay at least the size of a quarter. You can work larger if you want as long as the piece is light enough for your magnet to hold it to your fridge or filing cabinet later!

2. Let's make a pumpkin first. Take your sharp tool or toothpick and carve two lines.

3. For the stem, make a small teardrop shape out of the clay. Use your sharp tool or toothpick to score the teardrop onto the top of the pumpkin. Basically, you want to take your toothpick and blend small the end of the teardrop shape into the top of the pumpkin. Don't worry about this being smooth. In fact, if it is a bit rough, it will look more realistic.

4. Set your pumpkin aside to dry. Let's start the witch! Start with a lump of clay the same size as the pumpkin.

5. Make another tear drop shape from the clay. Dampen this teardrop with a drop of water. Place it in the middle of your round shape of clay. This will be the witch's nose.

6. Poke two holes, one on each side of the nose you just created. Carve out a mouth as well. I prefer happy witches!

7. Make a witch's hat by sculpting a small cone-shape, and a flat round shape. Make a slip to attach the cone to the round, and then the hat to the witch's face. "Slip" as potters call it is a paste made from clay and water. Place a little paperclay on your finger, dip into water, and then rub between fingers. It should be sticky and paste-like. This is slip! Use it to attach sculpted parts together!

8. To make your witch's hair, take small bits of paperclay, dampen your toothpick or sharp tool in a bit of water, and poke the bits of paperclay under the witches hat. Once you've applied all of the hair you want (just a few in the front will do), press the back of the hat rim down. Remember, these are magnets, so they need to be relatively flat in the back. The good thing is, this will secure your witch's hat and her hair!

9. Set your witch aside next to your pumpkin and let's start on the ghost. Sculpt a bell shape out of paperclay about the same size as your pumpkin and witch. Pinch the bottom of the clay two or three times to make slight waves.

10. Use your sharp tool to poke eyes and a mouth. Again, I prefer happy smiling ghosts. Here's a picture of the three sculpted pieces together.

11. Finally, let's make a skeleton face! Make an egg shape with the paperclay. Take the end of your sharp tool, the blunt of a chopstick or pen and press two eyes. Take your sharp tool tip or toothpick and make a couple of holes for the skeleton's nose. You can carve out a mouth or paint it on if you prefer.

12. Now that you have your Halloween characters sculpted, allow them to dry completely or pop them in a toaster over - bake at 225 degrees for 10-20 minutes turning once halfway.

13. Now it's time to paint! Cheap acrylic paint works well!!! Michael's Craft Stores usually has a good deal where you can buy two 2 ounce bottles of acrylic paint for under $2. And then you can go over to the clay isle to get a few new packages of Creative Paperclay!

14. Once the paint is dry on both sides, apply a good drop of white craft glue to one magnet at a time and place your Halloween character on top. Give a good press and allow to dry before your adorn your fridge with your lovely new creation! Repeat three more times and enjoy!

Love Creative Paperclay? Let Michael's Craft Stores know as they may be discontinuing the sale of this excellent product!!! If they do, you can always purchase your Creative Paperclay on their website:

http://creativepaperclay.com/

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http://marissartdolls.blogspot.com/