Zinc Number Stencils / Magnet DIY

It seems I'm always running across something that I want to rebirth as creative note, memorabilia or photo holders.  This time around, I'm turning vintage french zinc number stencils into wonderful, utilitarian magnets.  You know the drill ~ as seen in similar posts here and here but in case you've not read about it on previous posts, here are a few supplies you will need. 

Supplies ~ 

• E6000 Glue
• Magnets 
• Item of Choice to be magnetized.  You can find similar reproduction zinc stencils here. 

Directions ~

Apply a little dab of E6000 to the back of the magnet and affix to zinc stencil.  Allow several hours for the glue to dry and you'll have yourself a new set of magnets in no time.   

A little side note ~ the boy and girl standing outside the house in the above pic are my oldest brother, Charlie, and myself (a few years ago :). 

Before I say bye, I have some exciting news to share.  Recently, I had the honor of having Sarah Greenman from HOUZZ, pop over to do a photo shoot of my home.  The photos and feature will be going live soon.  I'll keep you posted and share the link when it does. In the meantime, you can catch a sneak peek over on Sarah's beautiful and inspiring blog ~ La Maison Boheme.

Have a lovely week and be sure to share a hug or kiss on Valentine's Day!  XO ~ Dana

BINGO ~ Marker Magnets + Electrical Panel Magnet Board

I'm currently in the process of converting the garage space into my office/studio.  One necessary evil I'm having to deal with is the unsightly electrical panel.  Instead of trying to hide it, I decided why not use it to my advantage as a magnet board.  It gave me the perfect excuse to pull out the vintage bingo markers my hubby gave me as part of a Valentine's gift several years ago.  I've been holding out ~ knowing someday they would be of use.  

The bingo magnets were easy to make.  I simply glued magnets (you can find them here) to the back of the bingo markers with E6000.  I let them glue dry overnight before using them.

You may have noticed the not-so-tidy paint job around the panel door ~ no worries ~ the whole room is in the process of a makeover.  I'm so excited about my creative space!

Oh, and if you are interested you can see another magnet project I did here ~ using leftover foreign coins.  Now I have two sets of magnets with a story.  :)

XO ~ Dana

Change it Up

Today, I made magnets for my magnetic lifeboard ~ "What is a lifeboard," one might query?  It's what I've aptly named the magnetic boards I hung in a small hallway in my home a couple of years ago.  I'll share the "How To's" of this DIY project soon!  Until then, see some similar ones that I hung in a completed office design, here. 

My lifeboard is filling up rather quickly with various photos, notes, and memorabilia ~ actually to the point that I ended up having more mementos than magnets.  The magnets I wanted to purchase were kind of pricey, so I decided, "Why not make some myself?"  

I've been accumulating a lot of left over foreign coins over the years ~ you know ~ the ones you just can't ever seem to use up as a trip comes to an end?  Well, for lack of a better solution and to avoid pitching them out, I've been dumping them in a Ziploc bag for awhile now.  They came to mind for this little project. 

I purchased some inexpensive magnets from Michael's ~ they can also easily be found at Hobby Lobby, Joanne's, Target, Walmart or your local hardware store.

Additionally, I snatched up some E-6000 ~ the tough stuff ~ it'll hold anything together!

I put just a drop of E-6000 on the back of each magnet and then centered the magnet on the coin ~ allowing it ample time to dry.

These are simple to create and make for a great rainy day project you could get the kids involved with.  The variations on this little task are endless.  Items like; bottle caps, brooches, buttons, coins, pebbles, guitar picks, seashells, or whatever you fancy, can just as easily be made into magnets as well.  I just love the way these coins turned out ~ they provide so much diversity with their colors, shapes and sizes.    

I'm so glad I finally thought of a use for all those loose coins that have been rattling around in the drawer.  Not only have they become a functional item ~ they also remind me of various trips our family has taken over the years.  This was one of those instant gratification projects ~ it didn't require a lot of time ~ and I think the magnets turned out a lot more interesting than some I could have purchased (and they were cheaper to boot as well).  I'd love to hear of ways you might modify this project.  I hope you have a good week! :)