These are great fun to make, to look at and to have. I think that a box of them would make a nifty gift for those "what will I get her?" gifts. The idea and a number of the pins came from our good friend and great guest, Linda Ragsdale, of Mixed Nuts. Once I got started making them, I didn't want to stop.
Materials:
clear colorless push pins
flat-backed clear glass "stones"*
clear super glue
cut-outs from magazines, gift wrap and newspapers
*I found the glass stones in the floral department of my local craft store. The stones come packaged in net bags and are available in a variety of colors and sizes. I used the smallest (about 3/4 inches in diameter), uncolored stones.
Steps:
1. Place a stone over a selected piece of paper or magazine page and move it around. You may find that not only small images but parts of images or designs will make interesting pictures. The stones act as a magnifying glass.
2. Cut out a bunch of small images. Do not worry about them fitting the bottom of the stone EXACTLY. Place a stone over some of the images and you will see that in this case being totally exact is not necessary.
3. Using a very small amount of any glue that will dry clear, glue the paper cutout to the bottom of the stone (figure A).
4. Using a crystal clear, strong household adhesive or Super Glue, glue the stones to the top of the pushpins. Allow to dry. That's all!
Variations:
Use some of the slightly larger stones (those that are about 1 to 1 1/2 inches) for refrigerator magnets. Glue pictures on them, and then place a piece of peel-off magnetic stripping on the back.
Instead of gluing a picture to the back side, punch out a decorative shape from a piece of Con-Tact paper and place it on the front (top side) of the stone. Spray or paint with frosted paint to give the etched glass effect, then remove the Con-Tact. Place a bunch of these decorative stones in a plate or around a plant.
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