How to Make Polymer Clay Refrigerator Magnets

Refrigerator magnets are extremely useful for organizing the front of your refrigerator.

Polymer clay can be used to make a wide assortment of items, ranging from jewelry to refrigerator magnets. Refrigerator magnets are useful for holding shopping lists, reminder notes, children's artwork and other papers to the front of the refrigerator, where you will see them repeatedly. Polymer clay magnets can also be given as personalized party favors or gifts for special occasions.

Things You'll Need

• Baking paper
• Baking sheet
• Magnet
• Tape
• Glue

Instructions

Simple Magnet

1. Roll out the polymer clay until it is about 1/4 inch thick.

2. Cut the dough into the desired shape using a knife or a cookie cutter.

3. Shape the cut-out clay with your fingers. Add fine details with a toothpick, rubber stamp or clay texturing tool.

4. Place a sheet of baking paper on a baking sheet and place the clay objects on the baking paper. Bake the polymer clay object according to the clay manufacturer's instructions. Usually clay is baked between 215 and 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes for every 1/4 inch of thickness. Allow the objects to cool.

5. Paint the objects with acrylic craft paint and coat with a sealant if desired. Allow the paint and sealant to dry completely.

6. Tape the magnet to the flat side of the clay object. Test the magnet on the refrigerator; if the magnet cannot support the weight of the object, you will need a larger magnet. Look at how the object hangs, if one side of the object is heavier than the other for example, and make adjustments to the position of the magnet, if needed.

7. Glue the magnet to the back of the object and allow the glue to dry.

Hidden Magnet

1. Roll out the polymer clay until it is about 1/8 inch thick.

2. Draw a shape on a piece of poster board or card stock and cut it out to create a template.

3. Cut the shape out of the polymer clay using the poster board or card stock template. Cut out a second identical shape. Detail the shapes with a toothpick, rubber stamp or clay texturing tool, if desired.

4. Bake the clay shapes according to the manufacturer's instructions. Allow the clay shapes to cool.

5. Glue a magnet to the center of one of the clay shapes.

6. Glue the second shape to the magnet so that the magnet is sandwiched between the two clay pieces and the edges of the clay pieces line up.

7. Roll out a piece of polymer clay so that you have a cord about the same thickness as your magnet.

8. Wrap the clay cord around the clay shapes so that the cord fits neatly between the edges of the shapes and seals the gap between the them.

9. Bake the clay pieces a second time, this time with the magnet hidden within the clay. Allow the clay magnet to cool.

10. Paint the objects as desired and apply a coat of sealant. Allow the paint to dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Craft magnets, polymer clay and acrylic paint can be purchased at most craft stores. You can also use business card magnets, such as those that come with advertisements, for your refrigerator magnets.

• Paint the two sides of hidden magnets with different messages or designs that can be flipped, such as "To Do" and "Groceries."

• Use oven mitts when removing the baking sheet from the oven and don't handle clay objects until they've had time -- at least an hour or two -- to cool.

References

• Polymer Tutorials: Polymer Clay: Baking
• Coffee and Vanilla: Fridge Magnets from Polymer Clay
• Polymerclayweb: Chatty Charms
• CraftyGoat's Notes: How to Make a Polymer Clay Magnet from a Recycled Can Lid