Teacher Bits and Bobs: DIY Alphabet magnets...and Christmas in July -Day 3/4

Good morning, cyber friends! Kerri here...

Since it is summer, and we all have GOBS of time on our hands (or is that just lazy old me??), I thought I would re-post about a super fun and easy crafting idea-DIY Alphabet magnets!!

I made these bad boys last summer (I think?) and they have been SOOO useful to me in my classroom. I use them for center activities, but your kids could also build words with them on the side of a file cabinet or on a magnetic whiteboard during free time. The uses are really endless, and they are SOOO cute and easy to make!!

This post is actually from March 2013...

I am here to share with you a little craft I made last week, just because I was in the mood. Occasionally, the crafting spirit will overwhelm me and I will be inspired by something I see at Michaels. Most of the time, I see something and go, "Eh, cute, but I'm too lazy!" :)
This time it was wooden alphabet tiles and the Mod Podge dimensional magic that drew me in.

Have you used this stuff? It is AWESOME!! It adds a hard coat of dimensional shine to any project, and it is SUPER easy to use. Here's what I did to make my alphabet magnets:

Step one-purchase cute alphabet stickers and place on wooden alphabet tiles. I got 60 of them for $5 at Michaels. Easy peasy and cheap too.

Step 2-cover the stickers with a thin layer of mod podge. I used glitter mod podge, cause it's my favorite, of course!! :)

Step 3-After that dries (approximately 30 minutes), use the Mod Podge dimensional magic and cover each tile. You can be generous with the stuff, it will not spill over the sides of the tile. If you get an air bubble in it, just use a pin to pop it. It goes on opaque but dries clear and shiny!!

Step four-Let these dry overnight so they are super hard and sealed. Then, add a little magnet dot to the back (I got 300 of them from Lakeshore for $8!)... I put the magnet on the side that had the little black alphabet letter on it.

And VOILA!! You are good to go! It is hard to see the dimensional magic in these pics, but trust me, it's there!!

Here are some other ones I just made with different alphabet stickers...

Sooo pretty and fun, huh?? I am going to use these on magnetic boards for word building, my CVC blending puzzles, my alphabet mystery puzzles, oh the possibilities are ENDLESS!
______________________________________________________
Which brings me to the next part of my post-Christmas in July Days 3 and 4!!

All of my "Puzzles" centers (both individual and bundles) will be on sale today and tomorrow, and these magnets are PERFECT to use with these centers! There's even a pretty awesome FREEBIE in there too!