Dear Friend,

I believe that you love handmade gifts as much as I. I also believe that you enjoy your time creating them, as much as you are amused when getting them. So, one day I was wandering through the local D.I.Y. shop, and I saw magnetic sheets. I was overwhelmed! Namely, over a past three years I got obsess with printing out my photos like polaroids. An instant idea came up – I wanted to make polaroid magnets for my loved ones!

I wanted to make something easy, yet retro and a bit different. And I definitely didn’t want to deal with painting the edges with white color or similar. There is a lot of great, creative DIY ideas on Pinterest, but they are likely to have “10 easy steps” to make one polaroid magnet. Well, isn’t that ‘easy’ indeed – ten steps. I manage to organize my project in just five steps. Now, that is what I find easy.

What supplies will you need:

• White magnet sheets (There is a few possibilities. You can buy this retro version in you local DIY or framing store or you can have it delivered from Amazon. Another option is fresh new. Namely, there are the Printable Magnetic Sheets which makes this process a lot easier. You can have your magnet design printed directly on these magnetic sheets. Yet, the hole charming retro crafting is lost this way. Eventually, after you done in photo editor, you are left with the cutting. Ant that’s it. Yet, I find them useful for some other creative magnets. I’ll write about in the following weeks.);
• Retro design block;
• Printer for print out photos;
• Clear foil or paper foil;
• Scissors, craft knife, or box cutter;
• Ruler (It is even better with a metal ruler with a cork bottom, it slips less.);
• Paper glue.

Let’s make some retro mini Polaroid magnets!

Step 1 – Choose photos you want to print

Think about how many photos you want to print. You don’t want to be angry at yourself later when the real crafting starts. This wasn’t so hard for me, but there are people who find this part the hardest, though. I have decided to make 15 mini Polaroid magnets for my family and friends.

Step 2 – Print out your photos

Unfortunately at the time I was crafting my magnets, I was using template from another designer that doesn’t exist anymore. However, the technique was pretty much the same.

Browsing the web you can find different free Polaroid frames, but I found this one the most practical. Pop-up to Mama Say What?! and you can download a file that makes creating these mini Polaroid magnets much easier. Many thanks to the creator of this free frame! The template has 36 frames, yet you don’t have to use them all. I was using Photoshop for this occasion, but there are templates for the Adobe Illustrator, as well as for a free editing program called Gimp.

Now, after you printed your desirable photos, let them dry for a while when needed.

Step 3 – Cut out your photos

This process is the longest, but for me was also most fun.

If you are a real retro soul as myself, you would use just the regular recycled paper to print your photos. In this case, first you have to stick the clear foil on the printed photos: put on the glue just along the edges and leave it for a while. During that time you can start cutting your white magnet sheet if you have a smaller version like myself. For my Polaroid template I was using dimensions as stated on the photo below.

If you are using the Printable Magnetic Sheet you can start cutting out your photos. A craft knife or box cutter might be more accurate than scissors, but it’s your decision after all.

Moreover, if you have used the photo paper and you have A4 white magnetic sheet, you need to stick the paper on magnetic sheet using the glue and leave it for a while.

Now, use scissors to cut out your photos. A craft knife or box cutter might be more accurate for the Printable Magnetic Sheet.

Step 4 – Make retro frame for your Polaroid magnets

For the retro frame I was using design paper block, that can buy in almost every bookstore, DIY store, gift shop, or smilier. Although any thick(er) decorative paper will work.

Draw dimensions of your polaroid magnet on desired paper design. Using a pair of scissors cut the edges of the paper, while the middle part (where the photo actually is) cut using a box cutter.
Repeat the technique for each Polaroid magnet you want to decorate and enjoy your crafting!

And voilà, aren’t they gorgeous! You can have your memories like mini Polaroid magnets. More then that, you can use it to jazz up you fridge, decorate your chalkboard or share it with your loved ones! Last but not least, since you made once, you can always come back to this guide and make some more of these cutie-pies.

Lots of Love,
Selena

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