Magnetic memories

Hands-on time: Less than two hours.
Total time: Add a couple of hours of drying time for the paint.
Skill: Easy.
Project cost: Less than $25.

Materials and Tools

• 6 unpainted wooden fence post caps, 13.5 cm x 13.5 cm x 1.9 cm thick (available at hardware stores)
• Medium-grit sandpaper and a tack cloth
• 6 small leveling hangers with small nails and a hammer
• Magnetic paint by Krylon
• Fusion paints for plastic by Krylon (I used red and yellow)
• 6 pictures of your choice
• 1 Magnetic Sheet (21.6 cm x 27.9 cm) by Avery (printable magnet paper for inkjet printers)
• Preserve It by Krylon (matt or gloss)
• Craft knife, steel ruler and a cutting mat (or scissors)

Make the most of your magical memories. Convert wooden fence-post caps (with raised centres) into colourful, 3-D picture blocks.

Print your photos on super-thin magnetic sheets (coated for vivid colour), and then affix them to the caps, which have been painted with a magnetic paint base. The magnetic base allows you to change the pictures as often as you wish.

These caps are ideal decorative accents for children's bedrooms or to give as gifts for Mother's Day. Each season simply send replacement pictures to mom by mail in order for her not to miss a single special moment.

Most of the fence post caps have a very rough finish and need to be thoroughly sanded until smooth, then wiped with a tack cloth prior to painting. Apply one leveling hanger to the back of each cap. It is better to apply the hardware at this point to prevent marring the paint.

Shake the magnetic paint can well for two minutes prior to use. In a well ventilated area, apply four to five coats of the paint to all the caps, allowing them to dry between each application. The grey magnetic paint will create a surface that magnets will stick to even if covered with a coat of another paint. The magnetic paint also serves as a base coat prior to applying the Fusion paint.

Vigorously shake the Fusion paint can for two minutes. In a well ventilated area at room temperature, spray the wooden blocks in your choice of colour using a steady motion for an even coat.

Apply a second coat if needed, letting the paint dry between each coat. No topcoat or varnish is needed since the Fusion paints have a super high-gloss finish.

Measure the raised centre square of the wooden caps. On a Magnet Sheet, make a printout of your choice of six images in the size needed to fit over the centre square.

I used a series of pictures that coordinated well with the room's theme. The lightweight magnet paper will cling to magnetic painted surfaces and is guaranteed to feed easily through inkjet printers.

To preserve the appearance and colour of your pictures, apply a few light coats of matt or gloss Preserve It. Shake the can for two to three minutes prior to use, and then spray an even coat on the pictures in a well-ventilated area. Let the pictures dry for about an hour.

Cut the excess paper surrounding your images with a craft knife or scissors. Position each image in the centre of a painted cap and watch them magically cling to the surface.

Arrange and mount your magnetic block montage on a wall using the proper hardware.

Variations

• Since the special magnetic printable paper will cling to metal and magnetic painted surfaces, it can be used throughout your home. Toy boxes, pencil holders, walls and doors are among a variety of countless other household items that can be bedecked with magnetic paints to make your memories stick.