Monday, December 6, 2010

25 Days of Hand Crafted Gifts and Ornaments - Jumbo Glass Pebble Magnets & Tin

Early this summer I went to the Dollar Tree in search of something I just had to have and while I was there I stumbled upon something I had never seen before....  JUMBO glass pebbles!  These puppies are anywhere from 1.25" to a little over 1.5".  Normally the glass pebbles you find are around half to three quarters of an inch.   I've been saving them for now and I've got a couple projects to share using them.  Today's project is a fun gift for anyone on your list by simply changing up the themes. 

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Jumbo Glass Pebble Magnets
in a
Decorative Tin

Supplies:

Jumbo Glass Pebbles
Images (stamped or collage images)
Glossy Accents
Sandpaper
Magnet
Metal Tin
Alcohol Inks
Ink Blending Tool
Distress Ink
Distress Stickles (optional)
Distress Crackle Paint (optional)
Vintage Sheet Music or Cardstock
Embellishments

Jumbo Glass Pebble Magnet
Instructions:

1. Apply a bit of Glossy Accents to the flat side of the glass pebble.

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2. Place the glass pebble on the desired image ~ slide it around a bit to ensure that the entire back of the pebble is covered in glue.  Let the GA dry completely.

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You can see here that I'm making several at one time....

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3. After the glue has dried, trim away the excess paper and sand the rough edges.

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4. (optional) If desired you can ink the exposed white edge with Distress Inks.

5. Glue magnet to the back of each pebble with a strong glue.  Let the glue dry completely.

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Decorative Tin
Instructions:

1. If you are recycling a mint tin you will want to sand areas of the tin that you will be inking/gluing. I am going to ink the bottom half of the tin and gluing on the top of the lid so that's where I sanded.

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2. Paint or ink the tin as desired.  I am inking the bottom of the tin with a combination of Adirondack Alcohol Inks for a vintage feel.  I used Espresso, Ginger and Latte with a bit of Gold Metal Mixative.  I love the distressed, worn look it creates.

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3. Next I traced the lid onto a bit of scrap vintage sheet music...you of course could use anything you like...cardstock, pattern paper, other ephemera, gift wrap, etc.

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4. Cut the paper out and glue it to the top of the tin.  I used Aleene's Extra Thick Tacky Glue. 

5. When the glue has dried, Trim off the excess paper and sand the edges just as you did with the glass pebble.

6. (optional) Apply a layer of Distress Inks on the paper if desired.

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7. Finish embellishing as desired!

ENJOY!!!
Now just think of all the cool variation you can come up with by using stamped images, collage images, vintage ephemera, clip art images and so much more!  The possibilities are endless and this truly is a gift for everyone!  It's even small enough to be a perfect stocking stuffer.

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Would you like to make your own set of Jumbo Glass Pebble Magnets?

I have a set of goodies all set to go to a new home ~

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and I will also be giving away the finished set of magnets and tin!!

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Just post a comment sharing your favorite gift you've GIVEN in the past...

You'll have until 12-12-10 to post to be entered to win.

Good Luck Everyone!!!


34 comments:

  1. What a great project to use things and recycle. I love this idea!!

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  2. Roni -

    I am going to have to stop at the Dollar Tree this week. They just built a new one by me. I am in love with today's gift. I think it is just fabulous and I agree with you, it can be themed around any occasion. This is just a great idea. Thanks for another wonderful project.
    My very favorite gift that I have given is one I gave my sister Kathy. She loves mermaids, so I bought a wooden shadow box with a glass window. Altered the outside with paints, inks, molding pastes to give it an ocean look. I then added sand to which I had added tacky glue to the inside bottom to make the bottom of the sea, I inbedded small shells, pearls, etc. in the sand. I added netting from a cheese bag that I colored to look like fish nets, made a mermaid using a Betty Grable upper torso and then I added a lower body that I made myself, colored and added glitter to. I added some images of colorful fish, a pillow for the mermaid to lounge against, an image of an old ship's wheel that I cut out and covered with glossy accents. After I finished it I was tempted to keep it for myself. But it was worth giving it to my sister when I saw how happy she was. Sadly, never got around to making one for myself - LOL!

    Elaine Allen

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  3. I am a frequent visitor to our Dollar Tree, but there was nothing like that at ours. I suspect they go to the "popular" stores. I am a fan of Altoid tins, though. What an awesome gift this would make.

    The favorite thing(s) I have made in the past are handmade books for friends. They seem to go over quite well. Some are totally decorated, others are more for journaling. Thanks for offering this giveaway AND the tutorials. I'm loving them all.

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  4. I love the magnet/tin set. It is a great gift idea.

    I have made and given many great (IMHO) gifts over the years. My recent favorites have been the ornaments my grandson and I have made with his picture on them - we've made them the last four years. Sadly, we won't be doing it this year.

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  5. I've got to add this to my trip to the Dollar tree. You just never know what you will find there. Great idea! Thanks for sharing!

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  6. well I think I have to look for these! luv the size and what you did with them..such a cute lil gift for almost anyone...ty again Roni

    I have not given that many hand made gifts as yet...fairly new to this crafting. In years past my stitchery was my craft and I gifted almost my whole family with a heirloom sampler. As they took 6-12 months to finish (each) it took me a few years to get that job done!

    cher

    hilly77 at comcast dot net

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  7. What great ideas and so simple to do! Thanks for sharing.

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  8. Oops, forgot to say what was the favourite gift I have given...hmm, I think I would have to say the altered book I made for my best friend last Xmas, I was so pleased with the way it turned out, I almost wish I hadn't given it away except it was so wonderful to see how much she enjoyed receiving it!

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  9. Oh Roni, this is just a wonderful gift and can be used in so many ways, birthdays, just because, etc. Love the vintage theme on this one.
    In the past I made homemade cards of all occasions and now I am getting requests for certain ones, they seem to be a real hit and not something you will get in a store. I love handmade and glad my family and friends do as well.
    Loving your ideas Roni. I sent an email regarding my prize, hope you got it.
    Greetings from Canada

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  10. Love your vintage box and the pebble magnets you made! Thanks for sharing!

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  11. where did you get the collage images small enough?
    i can find larger images but not small ones?
    br3n

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  12. Those are sooo cool! Love the tin too. What an awesome gift that would be. Thanks for a chance to win. My favorite person to buy for is my Mom because I can gather all things crafty and eclectic and she is so happy!

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  13. I love this & your ida of theming it around other occasions!

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  14. I made handmade birthday calendar books for all the families within my family. It was very time consuming but they all loved them. While we were all gathered, we passed them around and had someone from each family write in the names on the birthdays and anniversaries of everyone in their family so they were complete when everyone went home.

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  15. The favorite gift I gave in the past was a star for the Christmas tree. You see, Our home was hit by a tornado. We were in temporary housing and realized we did not have ornaments. We made some and others were donated to us but our tree was missing a star. My 5yr old wrote a letter to Santa in school and his one request was a star to top the tree. His teacher notified me and we made sure Santa got the message. His eyes glowed when he opened it up and his dad held him up to put it on top of our tree. I still have the ornaments and the star was on top of our tree for the next ten years. It finally broke last year. We were all sad to say goodbye...

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  16. The favorite gift I gave in the past was a star for the Christmas tree. You see, Our home was hit by a tornado. We were in temporary housing and realized we did not have ornaments. We made some and others were donated to us but our tree was missing a star. My 5yr old wrote a letter to Santa in school and his one request was a star to top the tree. His teacher notified me and we made sure Santa got the message. His eyes glowed when he opened it up and his dad held him up to put it on top of our tree. I still have the ornaments and the star was on top of our tree for the next ten years. It finally broke last year. We were all sad to say goodbye...

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  17. Your talents are so amazing. These look just like the professional ones I have seen at the gift stores. How fun to make them yourself. Happy gifting...

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  18. My most favorite gift that I have given is handmade scrapbook calenders personalized for each family. The oohs and ahs that I got that year was mahvelous!

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  19. OMG..I love these!! Best of all, they look easy to make too! thanks for the instructions for another great Christmas (or anytime) gift. I'd love to have either part of this giveaway!!

    I've sewn and crocheted for many, many years. My favorite gifts I've given have been Men's Flannel shirts and Women's crocheted scarves one year for Christmas. There were 8 shirts and 12 scarves...big family!!!

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  20. Gorgeous tin and magnets!!! Fabulous idea!!! A favorite gift... I don't know... but I do remember many years I was moved out but my brother and sister were still at home... they are 9 and 11 years younger than me... We (my to be hubby and I) gave my brother a small racetrack/car set for Christmas... Now my brother was not one to show a whole lot of emotion or excitement but when he opened it he actually jumped up all excited... it was awesome and I still remember it.

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  21. I just love the way you share. This is a great gift idea. Lots of fun here!! Thanks for the ideas.

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  22. Great idea! I have done some of these in the past that were the much smaller size. I like these big ones! My favorite gift that I have given...that's a hard one. One of them would be from last year. I had bought some Christmas chipboard coutouts that Michael's had. I them inked and glued paper to them. The last thing put on them were either a picture of my husband's parents on one side or my parents on the other side. I made them for all of our family (both sides) so everyone had a new ornament with pictures of loved ones on them. They turned out wonderfully!

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  23. We do not have a Dollar tree shop here .... these glass pebbles are beautiful!
    I like to give others selfmade thingies, from a watercolor to stamped cards or what I think that person would like.

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  24. ooo what a wonderful idea..hope our dollar stores in canada have some..i'd love to winn the c'mas candy..
    My gift in the past..was a lot of years ago..when we struggled one c'mas..me and my girls and hubby all made home-made gifts..for each other and to family after 35 yrs.gone..we all still have them..loves ya

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  25. Love this tin! I'm a big fan of altering reuseable items. I am more of a vintage lover that bright girly colors, but I once created a handmade book for a friend of mine who collects Hello Kitty "stuff". I altered a large box and also made a book that she could add pics to of her collection...I just had to call it a Hello Kitty Katalogue Keepsake! The look on her face was priceless!

    So glad I found your blog!

    Donna

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  26. I love the inked tin box. I just found your blog and I will be back! It has been a while since I had time to craft presents, but I think my favorites were the cross-stitched ones I made for family and friends. Boy, do I wish I had kept some for myself!

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  27. My favorite gift I have ever given was a horse saddle I gave to my daughter. She had asked for it but I thought she was crazy because we had no horse! Lol. It seems riding someones horse was not a problem but using their saddle was! I told her there was no was I would buy a saddle for a girl with no horse. When she came out of her room on Christmas morning the look on her face was priceless. We still talk about that Christmas now 20 years later and she still has the saddle.

    The tag said "from Santa" but I think I should get some credit for it too...I was the one that talked him into it!

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  28. Love the tin and magnets. I think the gift I most enjoyed giving was a couple of years ago I made 2 friends an advent calendar using small match boxes that were filled with tiny trinkets for card making,holiday earrings(hand made of course) homemade christmas tags for their packages,and many other delights. It was so much fun just trying to find stuff small enough but yet worthy of the small gift wrapped box.

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  29. My favorite gift was a play gardening set I gave my niece when she was about 4 years old. She went around planting "lollypop trees".

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  30. Really great project! I love the vintage look, too! You did a nice job on it.

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  31. Oh, what a gorgeous set of Glass Pebble Magnets and Tin. Love them for its vintage look and thanks for sharing such a great idea!

    I would think the favorite gift that I've GIVEN in the past will be an altered canvas board for my best friend, Mandy as a wedding gift. She loves it to bits and even display it on her reception table. And I'm real thankful to have such a great pal in life!

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  32. These are stinkin' cute! My favorite gift was an altered book for my daughter starring her 3 cats! It was a hugh hit!

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  33. I just found the site and I am explory further now that I am at home. What a fantasitc site. Each post is so varied and your information for each project is to the T. This magnet set is a great one for all occasions...Thanks!

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Thanks for your thoughts and comments!