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Homemade magnets with acrylic shapes, watercolors, and Mod Podge
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5 from 1 vote

Rainbow Fridge Magnets

Learn how to make the cutest rainbow magnets with simple shapes and Mod Podge! These are perfect for kids and beginning crafters.
Prep Time30 minutes
Active Time1 hour
Dry Time4 hours
Total Time5 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 9 magnets
Cost: $2

Equipment

Materials

Instructions

  • Cut pieces of cardstock to the same size as the acrylic shapes. It's fine if they are a little larger; you can trim them later.
    Acrylic shapes, cut cardstock, Mod Podge, watercolors, scissors, pencil, and a paintbrush
  • Paint the pieces of cardstock. To create a beautiful watercolor look, start by painting a rectangle with a lot of water and less pigment.
    Painting on paper with watercolors
  • Get a lot of color on the brush, and go back in and add more color to the rectangle while the first layer is still wet. I especially added more to the top of each one to make it look like a brushstroke. Let the rectangles dry completely.
    Rectangular pieces of cardstock painted with watercolors
  • Use a paintbrush to cover a rectangle with Mod Podge. Add a medium coat.
    Painting over the watercolor with Mod Podge
  • Attach the acrylic shape on top of the piece of paper. Press them together fully so that there aren't any holes or bubbles. Repeat with each rectangle and let dry completely.
    Watercolor paper attached to the acrylic shapes and drying
  • Trim any paper edges that might be sticking out. Attach magnets to the back using either craft glue or a hot glue gun. You may also want to clean off any Mod Podge that may be on the front with a damp paper towel. Let dry/cool before using.
    Make DIY magnets using paper and watercolors

Notes

Step 4 - I was worried that the Mod Podge would make the watercolors bleed everywhere (and a little bit of that would be ok), but it didn't at all. I would just suggest trying to dab a medium coat over the watercolors and not to brush it on with a lot of force.
You can also spray the watercolor paper with hairspray or acrylic sealer and let dry if you're worried about bleeding.
The reason is because both watercolors and Mod Podge are waterbased. So when a waterbased product like a decoupage medium touches the watercolors, it can "reactivate" them.