Possibly the cutest things I’ve ever made? These mini frame magnets bring vintage charm to even the most basic, boring refrigerators. The perfect way to add a little whimsy to your kitchen — whether you rent or you own! I’ve seen lots of people sell these, but I’m here to share a full breakdown of how you can make them yourself!
What You’ll Need:
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- Silicone Mini Frame Moulds
- Resincrete*
- Folkart Matte Black Base Coat*
- Grecian Gold Rub ‘N’ Buff*
- Annie Sloan Dark Wax
- Pebeo King Gold Gilding Wax*
- Magnet Backings*
Step 1: Pour Your Silicone Moulds
Lay your silicone moulds on a level surface. In a disposable cup, mix your Resincrete powder with water according to the ratios listed on the package instructions. With a stir stick or popsicle stick, stir thoroughly for the recommended amount of time. (I only needed to mix about 50-100 grams of the powder to its corresponding ratio of water — rather than the 300g example that the package gives, because the moulds are so tiny and I didn’t want to waste the Resincrete powder.)
Personally, I like Resincrete for this craft because it is very fluid (so gets into all the nooks and crannies of the silicone moulds), it’s non-toxic, and it sets in 30 minutes! I like to let mine set for longer, maybe even overnight (that’s a me thing though) — but you’re good to (gently) de-mould your frames 30 minutes after pouring.
*I recommend wearing gloves to protect your hands, as well as a standard mask over your nose and mouth so as to not breathe in the powder. It’s non-toxic, but it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.
** I didn’t find that I needed to apply any mould release to my silicone moulds. They popped out just fine without it.
Step 2: Base Coat
You need a base coat on your mini frame magnets before you add your metallic paste in the next step. Black (matte) acrylic paint works great for this — but if you want to go the extra mile, paint your base coat RED. Genuine antique frames that were gilded with traditional techniques have a base layer of red under the gold leaf. A red base allows the gold leaf to express it’s “goldness” even more. Ensures a warm, rich tone.
Whatever colour you choose, coat your mini frames thoroughly, leaving no visible white spots on the frames.
Step 3: Gilding Paste
I used Rub ‘N’ Buff in the colour Grecian Gold for this step. Apply the paste using a brush (that you don’t care about) and buff it imperfectly all over the frame and roughly into all the details and crevices. I found Grecian Gold to be the closest colour match to my favourite antique frames in my house.
If you find this colour too warm in tone for your taste, my second favourite colour for this is European Gold. It’s a lot more cool toned, without looking silver or grey. It’s like a shortcut shade to aged brass.
Step 4: Antiquing
Using a small brush, work Annie Sloan’s dark wax (or any kind of antiquing wax, glaze, paint, etc.) into all the details — concentrating it in all the recesses of the frame. It tones down the gold quite a bit, and makes it look aged. This step adds depth and dimension, mimicking the dirt and debris buildup that happens on real antique frames.
Step 5: Gilding Wax
Using a brush (or just your fingertip like I did), sweep Pebeo’s King Gold gilding wax across only the high points of the frame. This is where the frame really shines. Maybe not an essential step if you don’t want to buy another product, but it certainly brings a brightness and emphasis to all the ornate detailing on the frames.
Step 6: Artwork + Magnets
This is where it all comes together!
For the artwork, you can either draw or paint mini artworks (adorable!) or choose whatever artwork you like online. You can check out websites like Pexels for free personal/commercial-use + royalty-free photography, Canva for clip art (which is what I did for these), or art gallery websites like The Met Museum for free, public domain paintings.
(I used an 8.5″ 11″ document in Canva to shrink my images down to the proper sizes for my frames and got them printed at my local print shop. From there, I cut them out and adhered them into place with a glue stick on the backs of the frames.)
For the final step, use this magnetic strip (that you can cut to size with scissors) to cut out two small pieces of magnet to stick onto the backs of each frame, as pictured above. I found that one magnet didn’t have amazing holding power, but two pieces got the frames to stick very well to my refrigerator.
From there, you’re all set to arrange your mini frame magnets into a gallery wall for your fridge.
