This is a tutorial I am reposting from my old blog.  The holidays are coming and I thought I'd share this super-easy, super-cheap, but super-awesome gift idea with you all (again)!
This idea was orginally for a Father's Day gift for my Boyfriend, but I think it would make wonderful Christmas gifts as well!  Especially for parents and grandparents!!

I have an Instagram account with many photos of my boyfriend, his children and his Chocolate Lab, Mattie. He LOVES pictures and is always asking me to "Print Out" the good ones.  After much thought, I decided to make him magnets with some of my favorite shots of his family.  It was super easy, so I thought I would share this little 'how-to" with you!

These are the "Materials" that I used:
  • My Smartphone
  • Instagram Account
  • Diptic Account (other apps also work for this part. PicFrame is another of my favorites.)
  • A place to print Instagram photos (if you don't want to print at home, Walgreens has an app for your smartphone that allows you to print direct from Instagram onto 4x4 sheets you can pick up at their photo center)
  • Magnet Sheets with a sticky side

I first used my Diptic application.  I chose the layout (under "classic") with 4 square frames equal in size.  I selected 4 of my favorite pictures and placed them into each of the squares.  Then I saved it as a picture onto my phone.

Next, I used my Instagram app.  I chose the photo I had just made in Diptic, added a little Instagram flare, and them saved it to Instagram. I actually made 2 sets of four this way.
Picture


Next using my Walgreens smartphone application, I uploaded the two Intagram photos and had them printed at my local Walgreens. They turned out great by the way.  Wonderful quality, quick turn around, and they were only .39 each.


Picture

Once I had the prints, I purchased magnet sheets at Hobby Lobby.  I chose the sheets with one sticky side, so that I wouldn't have to glue the photos myself.  I strongly suggest this.  It obviously makes the whole process quicker and easier, but also you don't have to worry about the possibility of your photos getting ruined by the glue.


I simply stuck each photo onto a sheet, cut off the excess magnet, then cut each 2" x 2" square with a sharp pair of scissors.
The end result was a quick, easy and inexpensive gift that my boyfriend loved!  I can't wait to make more!!
A little update since I first created this tutorial....
I've made more.  In fact, I've made a ton more.  Our refrigerator at home is litterally covered in the damn things. 
But seriously...  They are so easy and so inexpensive, yet they make such a cool, unique gift.  Make some.  Just do it.  In fact, make a metric shit-ton and cover every single magnet surface you can find with them.  They're little 2" squares of joy.  You'll thank me. 



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