Paying with Glass Magnets

"Pay it forward 2011. I promise to make something handmade for the first five people to comment. They must in turn post this and make something for the first five people to comment. *The rules are; it has to be handmade by you, and they must receive it in 2011.*" -Posted on FB, Jan. 5th 2011

Personalized Glass Magnets

what you'll need

-1/2"+ clear glass stones

-magnet sheets

-glue gun

-glue stick

-favorite photos

what to do

this is a simple and fun craft project that any one can work on. you can either start from scratch or purchase completed glass magnets at a craft store like michael's or even target.

step 1

if you purchased existing magnets like I did, take everything apart and clean the glue off.

step 2

after printing your favorite photos (can be printed onto the magnet sheets), cut to fit the glass beads.

step 3

this step isn't necessary if you printed your pictures onto a magnet sheet, otherwise, glue your picture onto the magnet.

step 4

now, using your glue gun, carefully apply glue to the center of the bead. once glue is applied, quickly paste picture to the bead. apply pressure to prevent air bubbles and other such annoyances.

step 5

put them on your refrigerator!

these magnets are quick to make and very budget friendly. great for personalized party favors!

A Little About Mei

I spent the first three years of my life living in a small village in the outskirts of Jiangmen city in Guangdong, China. I lived with my mother and her family in the village she grew up. She needed the watchful eyes of my grandparents and her five siblings to keep track of me. I was an early bloomer for a toddler – walking, talking, and eating solid foods all by the time I was 1. For many mothers, such achievements were moments of happiness and while my mother was happy, she was also anxious.

I was a rowdy child who did what I pleased, and often took advantage of the fact that my father was away. Stories of how I left the house at dawn to watch vendors set up market or how I got my mother in trouble for stabbing a friend in attempts to administer a “shot” are often retold when my childhood is discussed. I don’t remember my childhood antics and even if I did, I would lie and say otherwise.

My father was not around much during my childhood because he was living in the United States. Eventually visas were issued for us to join him. At the age of 3, I left China and arrived to Ridgewood, Queens. A little more than a year after settling in Ridgewood, my parents gave me a brother. I wanted to return him.

When the time came, I attended the local elementary school with dreams of becoming a doctor and then the local middle school with ambitions to become a stockbroker. I chose to venture out of Ridgewood for high school, replacing the local high school with a school in Union Square, Manhattan. I was no longer sure what I wanted to be.

By the time I received my high school diploma, I discovered I had a knack for writing. What surprised me even more was that I enjoyed writing. I applied to a college in the city and pursued a double major in English language arts and media studies.

I am currently in my last semester of college – a far cry from where I thought I would be 10 years ago, but I don’t mind. While I spent my childhood ambitiously planning out the life I was to lead, my adult life has simply been about living in the moment – to savor every experience that comes my way.