DIY Picture Magnets

Hello, Blissful 55 readers! I'm really excited to be sharing a fun idea with you all today! Jen is one of my good friends since high school so I felt very honored when she asked me to guest post on their beautiful, talented, and crafty blog, especially considering I'm not nearly as crafty or creative as them. Jen and Laryssa are pretty amazing right?

A quick introduction, my name is Megan Robinson and I blog over at "And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson." I am a wife, mother, Marriage & Family degree holder, wannabe crafter, Oreo connoisseur, comedian in my own way {at least I think I'm funny}, and sucker for Rainbow Chip frosting. My blog follows my journey through marriage, motherhood, and all the ups and downs that come with life. I also like to pretend I know something about clothes, cooking, and occasionally crafts.

Today, I wanted to show you an easy and fun tutorial for picture magnets that is great for family gifts. I made these for my parents and in-laws for Christmas and they seemed to be a big hit. And you can't beat the price!

So here it goes!

DIY Picture Magnets

items needed:

-images to use {I used Instagram pictures. and I'll show you how to make them into a collage}

-2x2 plain tiles [found at Home Depot for about $3 for a sheet of 36]

-Mod Podge and brush

-magnets [I got a pack of 50 at Wal-Mart for cheap]

-hot glue gun

-paper cutter

steps:

step.one.

You need to print off your images that you are using first. I made an 8x10 collage of pictures using PicMonkey and then got it printed off at Costco (in matte format, not glossy).

a few tips about making your collage with PicMonkey:

- I used the 4x4 square collage template and then added an extra image to the rows so it was 4x5. To do this, you just need to hover an image in the white space until a gray box shows up where you want your image to go.

-I had to resize it a lot to make sure it would fit an 8x10. I finally settled on the dimensions 1657x2000 (you'll have to make sure the dimensions aren't locked) but even then I still had to crop it a tiny bit when I was ordering the 8x10. And I also still had to trim them quite a bit to fit the tiles after they were printed off. But thankfully most of the pictures I chose had space on the edge that i could trim down without affecting the actual focal point of the picture. So just be aware of that when choosing the pictures for your collage.

hopefully all that made sense.... 

-And one last tip with the collage: I adjusted the white space around each picture to be smaller so I had room to cut around the pictures and could then trim them as I wanted instead of how PicMonkey cropped them. I wanted to be able to show the majority of my image in each square and the larger, default white space didn't allow that as much.

Here is the finished collage result that I sent to be printed:

Hopefully all those tips helped...

moving on.

step.two.

once the collage is printed off [I got mine printed off at Costco for cheap. You can also just print them off at hope on photo-paper], cut the squares to fit your tiles.

You can also use these as photobooth pictures. So cute!

You will definitely need to trim, trim, trim to get the pictures cut to the size of the tiles.

Not even all of the scraps from trimming because I kept cutting crooked...ugh.

step.three. 

After you cut pictures to the size you want, it's time to glue them to the tiles.

First, I added the Mod Podge to the back of the pictures and laid them on top of the tiles.

Once the picture was dried somewhat, I then Mod Podged the top of the picture to the tile to seal it better. Make sure you get around the edge where the picture meets the tile. And don't be afraid to use too much because it dries clear.

tip: I originally tried to cut all the pictures so they fit perfectly on the tile, but then as I was gluing them I found that the ones that had a little white space around the edges stayed on the tile better, were able to be sealed better, and didn't slip around while I was gluing it. I also thought they just looked a lot better to have the small border as well. So if I did it again I would make sure I had that extra space.

Not dried Mod Podge. just to show you how much I put on. It dried clear and there wasn't any white streaks.

 step.four.

Next, after the glue is mostly dry, it's time to glue on the magnets.

Just use hot clue to adhere the magnets to the back of the tiles.

tip: Try to get the magnets as close to the center as possible! I didn't realize that even if they were just slightly off, the tile would not stay straight on the fridge. The ones that are a little off center end up shifting because the weight is not even (you can tell in the picture at the bottom). It doesn't look that bad and honestly, when you are just throwing stuff up on the fridge the magnets are not always straight. But if it's something that will really bother you make sure you are cautious on where you glue them.

step.five.

ENJOY!!

I love having the pictures right where we can see them every day.

And my son, Elijah, loves to look at them and tell stories about them.

"Baby Za-Za at Halloween."

"Mama and Za-Za."

"Look, look, look! I on swing!!"

"Ooooh, Cowboy!"

{That was all supposed to be Elijah talking, p.s.}

And want to hear the best part??

They were less than $10 to make!

Happiness all around!

Also, I just made these again the other day for some friends and instead of using pictures I used some cute scrapbook paper that I had. They turned out SO cute and are great to add some flair to your kitchen or for gifts to people who don't your face all over their fridge. :)

Please let me know if you have any questions or want anything clarified. And feel free to share your picture magnets as well! I would love to see if any of you make them and how they turned out.

Thank you so much, Jen and Laryssa, for letting me guest post for you! I really appreciate it and hope your readers liked the tutorial as well! :)

Craft Project Sneak Peak

Want a sneak peak at a project I’m hoping to finish soon? It’s actually all done, the only problem is finding a frame to put it in…oops, did I just give away a hint?
Can you guess what it is? It’s a piece of artwork for my master bedroom. It also reveals part of the new color scheme I’m planning for the room. 
Now if only I could find a frame…

Chore Chart Printables

The other day, I mentioned that I have a chore chart so today I thought I would share it with you, along with a couple printables that you can download, frame and use a dry erase marker to fill it in.
I love my chore chart! I don’t ALWAYS complete the list but I do try my best. Having the chart breaks down the chores into small sections that don’t require a lot of time and therefore, makes keeping a clean house, a lot less stressful.
First I’ll share what my chore chart looks like. Mine incorporates the colors in my dining room, the goldish yellow, turquoise, and dark purple. I have 4 set tasks to complete each day.
1. Make the bed (I’m the worst at this one!)
2. Sort the incoming mail. This way it doesn’t pile up on the table, in the office, or on the buffet.
3. Wipe down kitchen. I’ve been making a huge effort to clean while I cook. It makes the biggest difference! I can enjoy my dinner knowing that all I have to do afterwards it put a few dishes in the dishwasher.
4. Dishes. It makes my heart happy to go to bed with a clean kitchen and the dishes put away or put in the washer. Helps me sleep like a baby.
I divided other chores throughout the week. Doing smaller chores throughout the week helps to make cleaning not such an overwhelming task and helps to keep it more organized.
I’m blessed to have a husband who is so willing to help out (when he isn’t studying for school or the Bar exam) He’ll help out with dishes and mow the lawn and clean the bathroom every now and then. I tell him that it specifically states in our marriage license that his responsibilities are taking out the trash & recycle, killing all bugs, and mowing the lawn.  He says he has no recollection of such an agreement but does it none the less. Swooon, isn’t he dreamy?!?
Saturday is the “heavy” chore day with yard work and 1 room deep clean on the schedule. Our deep cleaning includes cleaning the windows, baseboards, fans, appliances, any needed organization, and a good vacuum and dusting (furniture polish if needed) If the rooms are kept clean on a regular basis than the deep cleaning doesn’t take too much time.
Now for the free printables. I left them blank so you can frame them and then use a dry erase marker to fill them in.

I love the quotes at the top and bottom. Mr. Awesome makes marriage so fun and fairly easy that housework really is my hardest task. The quote on the bottom is inspired by my mother who, growing up, would always tell me that if I just picked up things and put them away as I used them, I wouldn’t have much to clean. Wow, it’s like I can hear her voice as I write that. I didn’t exactly take her advice growing up, it was just too much fun to drive her crazy. As an adult though, you often realize how many times your mother was right. Just try not to tell them that too often, they’ll get a big head :)
Happy Cleaning!

Free Ombre Chevron Valentine’s Day Printable

Looking for some last minute Valentine’s Day decoration? How about a free printable?!? And not just any printable. A free, ombre, chevron, subway art, Valentine’s Day printable. Did I say ombre? Chevron? Yes Ma’am I did! It’s all wrapped up in a pretty 8x10 frame with a bow…okay, so you’ll have to do the framing and the adding of the bow but at least it’s free right?

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!!! Love you guys!

Wonderfully Quick Valentines Day Gift!

Let's kick this off with a little story. So as many of you know I am a preschool teacher and have been for the past 7 years. You meet A LOT of kids in that kind of time frame, and believe it or not, you remember most of them. There was this one child about 5 years ago that I remember specifically, Nolan. Nolan and I had an odd relationship at times. He didn't necessarily attach to me and he wasn't a fan of my rules in the classroom which made us butt heads at times. But he was a sweet little boy. Oh! Here's the kicker! His mom was my boss... Ya fun right. I felt odd disciplining him and I don't think she liked it either.  Differences aside they were a wonderful family. So when they made the decision to move back to Missouri I was a little sad. On Nolan's last day he came to me with a jar of what looked like rocks and paper. It was a Wonderful You Jar. He told me that when he was gone take one piece of paper out everyday and read it. I of course, teared up, gave him a hug and said goodbye. The next day I followed his instructions, taking out a piece of paper and reading it. On it was something special that we shared, laughed about, or something he thought was wonderful about me. After reading them all I still keep it on my desk and read them when I'm blue.

Years later I decided to make one for my wonderful husband. In it I put memories from our first date, inside jokes, dreams for the future, and everything I loved about him. It is a small but extremely meaningful gift... Perfect for a special valentines day.  I encourage ALL of you to make a wonderful you jar for someone, be it your spouse, parents, children or friends, for any occasion! It is something that will be remembered forever.

Sisterly Pranks

Today’s post is not a tutorial for a project or pictures of inspiration. I thought for this weekend, I’d share some stories about us.
Don’t ask me how this got started but for the longest time Laryssa and I would play pranks on each other…like pretty legit pranks. Even after I got married, she pranked our car…I’m still plotting my revenge and must admit, I have some pretty awesome ideas floating around in my head.
This is one of the things Laryssa loves to do most to our car and I should tell you, this is a lighter version of what she likes to do. Our signature move is to always leave the other a note and certainly not a note of endearment. A note that looks like this…The message can also be sent via text (which I’ve done quite a few times) or by calling and then laughing hysterically while the other person goes into overdrive trying to figure out what prank they just pulled…it makes for a very paranoid but loving sistership (I think I just made that word up but I like it!)
I think all the pranks eventually led to us giving each other this look quite often…Oh I can’t wait to have my revenge! Do you ever prank your sibling or friends? Better yet, do you have any good ideas? Email them to us if you do!

Bakers Twine Lamp Shade

Let me tell you how this project came to be. I was frantically trying to get my house in order to prepare for an upcoming event that I was hosting. I was redoing pictures on the wall, spray painting misc. items, and cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning (I’m kind of OCD about how my house looks before hosting an event, can we say no sleep the night before?) I feel bad for Mr. Awesome who inevitably stays up late with me and just nods and smiles as I explain why lampshade needs to be redone. What can I say? He’s a gem!
Okay, back to the project. I had been hating this plain lamp for a very long time but could never figure out what I wanted to do in it’s place until it was too late and the thought of not doing anything prior to the event took over an rational thinking and then I went looking for things to spruce it up with that I already had. I had purchased some Bakers Twine a few weeks earlier on Pick Your Plum (love that site!) and that’s when the light bulb went off. A Bakers Twine Covered Lamp Shade!!!!! Genius…right? So this project is pretty intense (not really) so let’s get right down to it and 1st let me apologize for the lack of before picture…again, last minute idea and did I mention it was late?
Supplies needed:
1 Lamp Shade
1 Roll of Bakers Twine
Handful of Push Pins (if you want something more permanent, use hot glue or a different adhesive)
Scissors (gotta cut the Bakers Twine)
Any extra embellishments you might want to add
A couch
A good T.V. Show or Movie
I settled on my couch and put on one of the best T.V. Shows ever..we all know the one I’m talking about…Gilmore Girls! Right?!? That was your answer too? Okay okay, don’t judge me!

I took my Bakers Twine and a pin and placed a pin in the Twine at the top of my shade where the seam was. I took the shade in one hand and the twine in the other and just kept slowly turning my shade while keeping my thumb on the twine to hold it in place.Now keep turning and turning and turning that lamp shade until it’s all covered. I chose to leave a strip of white at the top and bottom of my shade and secured the bottom with a couple more pins. See how intense that was? Once it’s all covered, you can add any embellishments you’d like. I had these 3 fabric flowers that I had made for Laryssa’s Bridal Shower Wreath that weren’t being used anymore and since they match my living room decor, I pinned them on there.  Now my lamp looked was something that I was happy to have around and no longer embarrassed about. So there you have it, a quick, cheap, and easy way to refinish your lamp shade. Bakers Twine…who know?

Baby Shower Onesie Wreath

I told you I’d put up the tutorial for the baby shower onesie wreath, right? Well, here it is! You can find the post about the whole shower here.
I made this as part of the décor for a baby shower that we threw a few months back. You will need:
1 wreath form
Onesies (the amount depends on how many you want on the wreath, I did 7)
Filler items like socks, wash cloths (not pictures) or blankets
Lots and lots of pins ( I didn’t realize that I placed the onesies over all the pins)
Fabric to cover the wreath form
Okay, so here’s what you should understand about this project. This is one of those ideas that come into your head and then you figure it out as you go because your original idea, wasn’t exactly going to work how you wanted it to.
I covered my wreath form with some white minky fabric strips that I picked up from a discount fabric store called Sass Fabrics (love that place!) Next up is the rolling of the onesie into a flower type pattern.
Step 1: Lay your onesie out flatStep 2: Fold each side in towards the centerStep 3: Fold in halfStep 4: Tightly roll the onesie until you have a onesie rosette Step 5: Take a pin and push it through the onesie and into the wreath. Try to do this at the bottom and as inconspicuous as possible. I also put a couple pins from one onesie to another to hold it all together more. It takes some work to figure the best possible placement of the pins so they aren’t showing but just play with it, you’ll get it.Step 6: Continue to roll and pin until you are happy with the amount.
Step 7: Roll up any filler items (e.g. washcloth) in the same fashion and pin it in.
We also decided to loop some ribbon together and pin them in there for some extra added filler and cuteness.Step 8 (optional): Tie some pacifiers or toys or socks (whatever your heart desires) and hang them in the middle by ribbon. We opted for 2 pacifiers for the 2 twin boys. Step 9: Tie ribbon at the top, hang it up and enjoy!

It’s the End of the School Year…Go out with Style...

When I was a wee lass, one of my most memorable school experiences each year was the last day of school. Besides being so excited for summer to start and school to be out (which by the way, ever since I moved to the valley I no longer look forward to summers…) I was also excited to give my teachers an “end of the school year, thanks for putting up with me” gift. My Mom was so great when it came to being creative and throwing together something fabulous to show them how much we appreciated all their hard work. Well, now that I’m all grown up, I became a teacher, and let me tell you… we LOVE homemade gifts (ssshh… don’t tell, but I prefer a hand crafted gift over the all too familiar Starbucks gift card that I just end up re-gifting, ANY DAY!)

Distressed Reverse Sign

I love the blogging community. I love that we can so quickly become friends with someone we have never met. I love that we instantly have something in common. Yes, the blogging community rocks. It took 1 comment to get Natalie and I talking and I already just lover her to pieces! I first saw this adorable picture and asked her to link it up and Voila! Now you get the joy of hearing from Natalie yourself. I LOVE this sign. Talk about a clever idea and I couldn’t help but laugh at the phrase she chose to use. Mr. Awesome is sort of a total Star Wars Freak enthusiast and I knew he would love it! So welcome Natalie!

I am excited to be guest posting over at

DIY Diaries!

I'm Natalie from Doodlecraft

I am a SAHM of 3 cuties, we homeschool,

and they are my partners in crime.

I love anything crafty and creative!

Here's one of my latest projects!

Shower Me with Pretty Things-The Wreath

Laryssa is practically an old married woman now…hardly considered a newlywed. That is how pathetic I am and how long it’s taken to get this series done. To take my pathetic procrastination one step further…I’m not even the same age as I was when I did this project! How very lame of me.
There were a few different projects that were done for Laryssa’s shower that deserve their own post before giving the final recap of her shower. I’ll continue to take guesses as to the theme before revealing it on the final post.
My Sister in Law, Stephanie, was brilliant enough to decide that we should have a craft night and suggested making a wreath. She had a tutorial that she wanted to try and I decided I would make one for Laryssa’s shower that I could then use as décor in our living room afterwards. I needed something *hints to theme coming* pretty, vintagey?, delicate. All led to the final product of my….