Altered Magnet Tutorial - UTEE

I went to the dentist yesterday - something I'm sure everyone just LOVES to do! On my way out I picked up a little magnet for my refrigerator - you know, those magnetic business cards that companies use for advertising. Well, when I got home I found that they were SO thin that I had four of them, not one. I wasn't going to return them and I sure as heck don't need four of them so I altered the extras.

Want to learn how to make these? Just keep reading!

Now I'm not going to tell you to steal some magnets from a local business but you might already have some. I mean magnetic cards someone gave you not that you stole. Sometimes I get these in credit card solicitations, this would be a good use for that trash. Anyhow - get hold of a magnet or two.

Supply list:
Thin paper, glue, paint, clear embossing ink pad, Clear Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE) , Gold Ultra thick Embossing Enamel, Pearl-Ex powders, black ink pad, stamp, embellishments, heat gun.

The UTEE is found in jars in the scrapbook section of craft stores. It is like embossing powder but in bigger particles. You can get it in different colors but I only have two.

Step 1: Obtain a magnet. This one's cute, huh?

Step 2: Glue some tissue paper or mulberry paper onto the magnet. Paint the paper (I forgot to take a photo of that step). Pretend this paper is painted Lumiere Halo Blue Gold. Trim paper.



Step 3:
Once the paint is dry, pat the magnet all over with the clear embossing ink pad. Then pour some Clear UTEE on it. Shake off the excess and melt with your heat gun. Melt until the crystals turn clear.



Step 4:
The clear UTEE should be pebbly looking. Pat the embossing ink pad on the magnet again and add another thin layer of the clear UTEE. Shake off the excess. Now take a few different colors of the Pearl Ex powders and sprinkle it on the magnet. I just put a toothpick in the little jar, picked up a tiny bit, then tapped the toothpick so it fell off onto the magnet. I used a pink, a copper, and a gold.



Melt the UTEE. I use a low temperature heat gun so everything doesn't fly everywhere. It doesn't have much of a fan.



Step 5:
Take your stamp and ink it up with the black ink. If you use a pigment ink it won't dry out so fast. Then take your clear embossing pad and ink the middle of the magnet. Take the gold UTEE and pour some in the middle of the magnet. Make this fairly thick because you're going to stamp into it.



Step 6:
Start to melt the UTEE. Make sure the stamp is nearby. This is going to take longer than before. Starting to melt ...



Melted all the way. Looks pretty, eh?



Step 7:
Take your inked stamp and press it down into the **HOT** UTEE. Leave it to cool.



Step 8:
When it is cooled off, remove the stamp.



Step 9:
Embellish! I wrapped some wire around the magnet and glued a butterfly to it. I used E6000 glue because I'm not sure what else would stick to the UTEE. Don't bend the magnet much or you might crack the UTEE. You'd never know this little piece of art started out as a silly little tooth washing it's 'hair' . That will be our little secret!

Feel free to share this tutorial. Just be sure to give me credit ...
copyright 2006 - Judi Wellnitz