How to Attach Images to Flat Back Marbles

Transparent glass marbles with smooth, flat backs are useful for many craft projects. You can attach images to the backs of these marbles and use them to make decorative magnets, embellished push-pins, jewelry charms or inspirational stones. You can acquire images from scrapbooking pages, gift wrap, magazines, catalogs, your own photos or print pages of colorful clip art graphics from your computer. Learn how fun and simple it is to create these versatile craft items.

Things You'll Need

• Flat-back transparent marbles, 1/2- to 1-inch wide
• Circle-shaped hole punch, same size as marbles
• Pen or pencil
• Silicon sealer or craft glue
• Toothpicks
• Paper images
• White card stock, optional

Instructions

1. Place a flat back marble onto the paper with the images you want to attach. Find the image you want to use while looking through the marble. Trace the image using the marble as your guide.

2. Punch the image out of the paper using a circle-shaped craft punch that is the same diameter as the marbles.

3. Apply a dot of silicon sealer or other craft glue to the center of the flat side of the marble. Use a toothpick to spread the sealer over the surface of the back of the marble.

4. Attach the paper to the marble, pressing the image onto the adhesive. Flatten the image with your fingers, smoothing out wrinkles or bubbles.

5. Allow the adhesive to dry for one to two hours. Punch a circle out of white card stock if the image's paper appears thin or somewhat transparent.

Tips & Warnings

• Circle-shaped punches can be found in various sizes at craft stores. You can use scissors or a craft knife to cut out the images if you are unable to obtain a punch.

References

• California State University
• Not Martha
• Polymer Clay Web