Magnets are definitely "must-have" computer crafting accessories because they allow you to add dimension and utility to all sorts of projects. 

There are many versatile magnetic crafting products on the market today. Printable magnet sheets feed directly through your inkjet printer, allowing you to print designs directly onto the flexible magnet. (You can learn more about crafting with magnet sheets on the "Let's Do Lunchboxes" page of this site.)

Adhesive-backed magnets come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Simply print your design on quality paper, laminate if needed or desired, remove the backing cover from an adhesive magnet, apply to your design, and you've got a personalized magnet.

The three easy magnetic crafts shown here will inspire your own creative designs!

Recipe Magnets

Recipe magnets are one of the easiest computer crafts to create and a perfect project for beginners.   The only "difficult" aspect is finding simple, short recipes that will easily fit into a business card sized design area while allowing space for a colorful graphic and recipe title.  You'll find some of my favorite recipes to get you started by clicking here.

To create your recipe magnets, simply make a business card sized rectangle in your graphics design program; insert the recipe title, simple graphic, and recipe.  Print on a lightweight white cardstock.  Laminate the design side of the sheet.  Cut apart the individual recipes (business card size).  attach the self-adhesive business card magnet to the back.

Magnetic Bookmark

Magnetic bookmarks are a quick & easy craft and fun to enclose in letters or greeting cards. Kids like creating them to swap with their friends, and they make great favors at birthday parties. Teachers can use magnetic bookmarks as incentives to encourage their students to read and as prizes in spelling bees.

Instructions:

1. Open a blank 8½" x 11" work area in graphic design program.
2. Create a rectangular design area measuring the width and twice the height desired for finished bookmark. (i.e., If bookmark is to be 2 inches wide and 3 inches high, the design area should be 2' x 6'.)
3. Place a horizontal line in center of design area. (Remove line before printing).
4. Place a graphic (and text, if desired) in the lower half of design area.
5. Create your desired design in upper half of design area; rotate the design 180 degrees.
6. Create as many bookmark designs as will fit on page.
7. Print on lightweight, white card stock.
8. Laminate each page.
9. Cut bookmarks apart and fold each in half.  The sharper the half-fold crease, the better.  (After folding mine, I run them through my heat laminator, which makes the crease nice and sharp.)
10. Cut magnets into pieces 1/2" tall and slightly narrower than the width of bookmark.
11. Remove backing from magnets and attach to inside bottom edges of bookmarks.

The bookmarks, obviously, have millions of different uses. They make great gifts, but also can be adapted into wonderful study aides. Students can create different ones to mark important material to be reviewed.

And the really great thing about magnetic bookmarks is that they securely mark your page in the book you're reading.

Play-and-Learn Cookie Sheet

Last, but certainly not least, is my solution for entertaining my grandkids--a perfect learning tool for preschoolers and toddlers.

Turn an ordinary cookie sheet into a learning tool your kids will love to play with. My Play-and-Learn Cookie Sheet was a fun way for my preschooler grandkids to learn letter recognition and spelling while encouraging their creativity making sentences. 

When selecting a cookie sheet, choose a large one with a hole in the handle. This makes it easy to store on the back of a door or on a wall with a nail or hook. The Play-and-Learn board also makes a great travel game because it's flat, and the magnetic pieces don't easily come loose from the cookie sheet.

Instructions:

1. Open a blank 8½" x 11" design area in graphic design program.
2. Create a rectangular work area the same dimensions as a business card magnet, 2" x 3½".
3. Add a vertical dividing line down the center of the rectangle, along with three evenly spaced horizontal dividing lines. The rectangle should now be divided into 8 squares.
4. Group the lines and rectangle together as one graphic.
5. Duplicate the design as many times as possible on an 8½" x 11" page. (This should be 8 to 12 times, depending on the margin requirements of your printer).
6. Align design areas in rows and columns.
7. In 50 point Arial font, place upper case letters in each square, making multiples of vowels and commonly used consonants.)
8. Print on lightweight, white card stock. 
9. Laminate the design side of each page.
10. Cut into business card size pieces. (Do not cut out each letter individually at this point).
11. Remove backing from self-adhesive business card magnets and attach design.
12. Cut each magnet into individual letters.
13. In your graphic design program, duplicate design just created.
14. Remove vertical dividing line from each business card-size design area.
15. In 50 point Arial font, upper case letters, type simple, commonly used 2- and 3-letter words such as WE, THE, HE, SHE, CAT, DOG, etc.
16. Repeat Steps 8 through 12 above.
17. In your graphic design program, duplicate design just created.
18. Remove top and bottom horizontal dividing lines from each business card-size design area, creating two design areas per rectangle.
19. Place simple, color graphics in each design area, as shown in the photograph.
20. Repeat Steps 8 through 12 above.
21. Place magnet collection on cookie sheet.