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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Tool Time Tuesday...Magnetic Business Card Ideas

This Tuesday finds us back at Home Depot again. I think I'm there more than the fabric store!! I found these magnetic business cards in the key making section. I'm sure all hardware stores sell them. Carpenters, plumbers, electricians would use them to adhere their business cards to and then they become advertising magnets for the refrigerator. They also sell them in office supply stores, but I've said it a hundred times before...things are cheaper in the hardware store, because they don't know what they have. If they knew crafters and quilters were in there, they would raise the prices. Shhhh...don't tell them.



This box of 50 was only $10.00. They are much more in other stores. They could be cheaper online, so shop around. All you do is peel away the paper and stick on your business card, maybe from your blog or etsy shop. However, you know me...I'll think of something else.



You can really just use regular paper or card stock with your own design, but I thought I would show you the world of packaged business cards for your printer. I might do another whole post just on the uses of business cards (because I have a lot), but these instructions are for printing for the magnets.

Business cards come in many different styles and colors.


White, cream...



and many, many more!



Here are a few close-ups.









If you use business cards for the computer, all you do is print, peel and stick.


Here is a quick tutorial for using Microsoft Word. Click on it from your desktop.



Once Microsoft Word opens, click on MAILINGS at the top.



Then click on LABELS at the left.



A pop up window appears that looks like this. At the bottom middle is an OPTIONS button.



Click OPTIONS.



Find out from your package of business cards what your template number is. This one is Avery 8371.



In that OPTIONS window, you will scroll down to find your template number.



Click OK...



At the next window, click NEW DOCUMENT, down there at the bottom.





The template that matches your business cards will appear.


Just type and print. There are a few adjustments if it's your first time....like centering, size of fonts etc. So when you are ready to print something, print on plain piece of paper then hold it up to the blank sheet of business cards to make sure the print is where you want it. Then print on the business card sheet.



Print away. Try to use the whole sheet, so you don't waste any cards like I did here.



Here's a close-up.



Separate on the perforations...



Peel paper away from front side of magnet.



and stick the card on.



Here it is on my magnetic memo board in my sewing room...see it on the bottom left. Right where I can always see it! The tutorial for the memo board can be found HERE. There is also a tutorial for those take out container on the bottom right HERE. I use those to store tiny things.



How about a fabric magnet to match your kitchen or craft room. The magnets are 2" x 3 1/2". Easy and great gifts too.



Too cute!



A picture magnet is another great gift idea or just a cute addition to your frig. Here's Annie 10 years ago.



Trying to center the picture on the magnet can be tricky, so take a piece of card board and trace your magnet.





Cut out the center of the card board.



Now you have the perfect "window" to trace around your picture.



Cut out along the pencil line.



Peel and stick.



and here's Annie, as a puppy, on the refrigerator.



The cutest magnet to hold up her reminder card for her vet appointment.



There are so many other uses for these magnetic cards.

How about all those important phone numbers.
  • great for the baby sitter
  • emergency numbers for your child to have with a quick look at it on the frig at his/her eye level
  • important numbers for your school aged child and it will stick inside their LOCKER!!


A list of all those important dates...a great quick reminder when they are always there at a glance.



How about sending a beautifully designed magnet as a SAVE THE DATE card for a wedding. There are so many beautiful business cards just for weddings, this would be perfect.



and how about your favorite MEASUREMENT EQUIVALENT CHART. You can design the one you would use the most.



The ideas are limitless for these cards. I have another idea in the works. If I finish it this week, I'll pass it on.

If you have any ideas and want to share, just let us know in your comments.
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Remember...always think outside the box.
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Happy Tuesday,
~Karen~

33 comments:

  1. You have some really great ideas for using those magnets...I have those things all over because my husband usues them to give out to clients with his business card on it...I use them for magnets with all sorts of things on them...thanks for sharing!!

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  2. Wow-some great ideas! I have a bunch of those-I think I'll make a few magnets.

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  3. Karen, este tutorial te quedó genial. Qué ideas tan buenas!!! cuando tenga tiempo intentaré ponerlo en práctica. Besos

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  4. Wish I knew about these earlier, they can be handy for so many things. Don't forget, business cards of people you use often! Thanks for the great tool!

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  5. Awesome! I just may have to stop at HD today :)

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  6. I love this. You are so clever. Especially the tute about how to print labels. I have had labels sitting in my drawer but could not use them!!

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  7. Thank you so much for the tutorial, it is was so helpful! Also, for the fyi on the magnetic business cards, awesome! Sue

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  8. I use the magnets alot, mostly with fabric. My studio is in the garage, and the garage door is metal, so I jusy stick everything on there, lol. Love the little cups!

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  9. I've said it before, I'll say it again......you're a dang genius! I see Christmas stocking stuffers in my future and gifties for my quilting buds!

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  10. What a great idea! I just found your blog the other night and spent a couple hours reading - you are a great inspiration!

    For those that don't have word, Avery has templates and free software on their site to use with all their labels. I used them last year for mailing Christmas cards (matchy, matchy labels and return address LOL).
    Here's the link: http://www.avery.com/avery/en_us

    I'm now one of your regular readers - you are amazing!

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  11. What a clever idea! I'm constantly amazed at the creative things you come up with. Thanks so much for sharing your brilliant ideas with all of us. :)

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  12. Great ideas! I don't use Word, but Pages (part of iWork) on my Mac has a variety of business card templates. I'll have to give it a try!

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  13. I love this idea! I just found how I am going to do my daughters "invites" to her party! Thanks a million! LOVE THIS!

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  14. Thanks, once again, Karen for your wonderful ideas. So cute...so many possibilities! I love the comment about stocking stuffers....great idea.

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  15. Thanks, I am going to use this idea to make some that will remind me what size square to cut for half square triangles, another one for side setting triangles, e--gads, the list could be endless . . .

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  16. Love your idea Karen. My girlfriend
    made me a picture magnetic about
    15yr.ago and I still have it on my
    frig. My cousin did pictures of her daughter and her husband on them and put them as place cards on the reception tables. There is so much you can do with them the list is endless for sure. I love your idea of the ones for the sewing room. I will be making them and stick them on my metal vintage sewing thread cabinet. I am always
    forgeting what size the beds are and that would be so easy. Thanks
    for your great ideas.":O)

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  17. Karen,
    I save these business cards/magnets whenever I get them. Sometimes they come on the new phone book. etc. Now I know what to do with them. Thanks for the good ideas.

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  18. I have used these for photos and also what I call "clip art" for my fridge--art magazines like Southwest Arts or Watercolor have great photos that you can cut out and put on one of these magnets. Instant class! Thanks for sharing.

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  19. This is such a great idea. I have a DD who has a wedding coming up in a year. I sent her a link to your site. I want her to put her engagement picture on the magnets with their married name and the date of the wedding at the bottom as a reminder of their wedding..

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  20. Another great idea Karen! I take the magnets I get from businesses and use them the same way!

    MGM

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  21. I just saw something similar at Hobby Lobby - print on magnets! You can buy a magnet sheet and run it through your printer with a pic, list, anything you would want to print on it! And I think you can cut them apart.....so many ideas.....where do I start?

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  22. Thanks so much for that great idea
    HUgs Gunda

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  23. Great tip - I especially like the idea of using your own photos to make photo magnets. Thanks!

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  24. Oh I like this, that one with the mattress sizes on it is great. I knew about using them for pictures as I take the ugly attorney magnets that are on the front of phone books soak it in water to get the ugly attorney off and then I use basting spray to put the pictures on. Oh and a hint of clear acrylic spray paint helps protect the picture when it's someplace more hazardous than a sewing room (like the family fridge).

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  25. I absolutely love this TTT! My first grandchild was born 1 month ago. A fridge magnet of her adorable face is gonna happen as soon as I get home from Office Max. Donna Wheeler

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  26. Wondeful ideas. I use those magnets as a temporary seam guide for odd sized seams that don't match the seam guide on the machine bed.

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  27. I also love using the magnetic paper to print schedules for quilt guild meetings, recipe sharing, and for tip sharing gifts at sew-cials.

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal

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  28. I found your blog today and read all about the magnetic board and business cards. I went straight over to Home Depot, then to the fabric store for some cute buttons to make into magnets. I so wish I could upload a photo of my finished magnet board. I absolutely love it! Thanks for sharing your creativity with all of us.
    Tori @ ThatsSoQuilt.com

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  29. What a neat post! There were so many ideas and thanks for sharing it with us.
    Micki

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  30. Love your blog....so many clever ideas!! Thanks for sharing!!!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment...I just love hearing from you!