Feature Friday- Magnetic Mousetrap Clips Tutorial

BySusan Myers on paper crafts

magnetic clips made from mousetraps

So I was perusing the dollar store the other day and ran across the mouse traps.  After staring at them a bit, I threw a pack into my cart and was met by my husband’s questioning stare.

“Crafts”, I said.

He shrugged and moved on.  Yep, my husband has gotten used to my weird way of thinking.  Most folks look at these little wooden traps of springing metal and think “dead mouse”.  I, on the other hand, think “cool looking refrigerator clip!” I guess that is the difference between us crafters and mere mortals.  Ha!

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For this project I used:

Four wooden mouse traps
Acrylic paint in bright colors
Clip art, duplicated six times
Thin sheet of cardboard
Matte Mod Podge
White glue
Magnets

I began by taking the mousetraps apart, removing everything but the big metal spring.

I then chose four bright colors and painted the wood of each mouse trap.  I would have taken another photo at this point, but the stupid battery died on the camera, so you will have to take my word for it.  It took about three coats of acrylic paint to cover up all the wording on the traps.

Now for a theme.  I decided to go with the four major food groups.  You know, ice cream, fast food, hotdogs, and donuts.  (You really didn’t think I was going to say veggies, did you?)  Anyway, I used a clip art program and chose my graphics, printing six of each graphic.  I began by cutting out one of the graphics entirely, using a small pair of nail scissors.

 Using a second graphic, I cut out the next layer.  I’m going for a 3D effect here by raising those areas that would be closer.  Cutting some thin cardboard, I glue it down on top of the areas that I am raising using the white glue.

I then glued my second layer over top of the cardboard pieces.

I repeated this process with a third layer, choosing items that would be even closer, cutting them out and gluing them over tiny pieces of cardboard to raise them.

I then added a fourth layer, using the same process.

This created a great 3D look.  I then repeated the process on the other traps using my other clip art.

magnetic clips made from mousetraps

magnetic clips made from mousetraps magnetic clips made from mousetraps

 

magnetic clips made from mousetraps

I then added some dots around the edges in contrasting colors and coated the whole thing in Matte Mod Podge to protect the paper and give it a finished look.

The final touch was adding a magnet to the back of each one with hot glue.  And what do we use these for?

magnetic clips made from mousetraps

How about holding your notepads, your keys, your receipts, coupons, whatever?  Right there on the fridge where you can’t miss them!  And all being held in place by cute little mousetrap clips.  Pretty cool, huh?

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For more than 100 tutorials for all ages, be sure to check out my Tutorial Page!

suzy_sign

I am an artist, crafter and humor writer living in Atlanta, GA. I attended the Atlanta College of Art, and have a background in fine arts, graphic design, and photography. I like to specialize in vintage and recycled crafts such as quilling, Ukrainian Egg Dying, batik and quilting.

75 Comments

  4. LOVE the mousetrap clips!! I happily pinned! 🙂

  5. The dollar store traps I have are pretty worthless for catching mice! i guess i can repurpose them now! Found you via skip the housework linky party!

  6. Visiting from Artsey Fartsey linky! What a neat idea! I hate getting those fridge magnets with small magnets so they dont’ stay on well and a small little clippy thingy! I will pick some of these up at my next dollar store trip! And BTW…I used to do that at the hardware store when I was scrapbooking..looking at all the little nuts and bolts etc and thinking…”that’d be a good ________ embellishment on this page…” etc!I found some great embellishments!
    Cheri
    http://www.fabricandmemories.blogspot(dot)com

  7. These are so cute! I love this idea and we could ALWAYS use more clips around the house! Thanks for posting!

  8. Love your website. Clever DIY’s

  9. maura campos says:

    Vou fazer e colocar pequenas peças de biscuit.Parabéns!!!

  10. maura campos says:

    Sou do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, vou tentar fazer usando peças em biscuit, que adoro!!!!Adorei sua idéia!

  11. Many years ago my mother and I used to do the mousetraps too. After removing some of the parts as you did, we sanded the writing off of them and then stained them. After they dried, we tole painted miniature scenery on them. We sold them at craft shows and they were a good seller. My mother is gone now, but this brought back many good memories.

  14. awesome cool idea, so handy. thank you for the sharing and the tute.
    Love it;XD

  15. What a fab idea! Can’t wait to try!!

  16. Great idea! Who knew something so gross could be so beautiful!
    Susan

  17. LOVE this idea!!!! My daughter has so much stuff from school that I need reminding of, that I am running out of magnets for the fridge. Some magnets are not strong enough to hold some of the literature to the fridge. This has got to be the best idea since sliced bread…lol…. ~we are in the middle of a snow storm, but you know where I will be headed as soon as we can find the roads! 🙂 ~
    Thanks for another great and useful idea Suzy!

  18. My 7 year old son has to do a project for school and he loved these when he saw them. What kind of paint did you use for the contrasting colors and how did you apply them to make the same size circles?

  19. How did you undo all the extra stuff on the mousetraps?

  20. OLÁ AMIGA ADOREI SUA IDÉIA, MORO EM GUARULHOS, SP, ONDE ACHO ESTAS RATOEIRAS EM MADEIRA??

    PARABÉNS!!!!!!!!!!!!11

  21. OLÁ AMIGA ADOREI SUA IDÉIA, MORO EM GUARULHOS, SP, ONDE ACHO ESTAS RATOEIRAS EM MADEIRA??

    PARABÉNS!!!!!!!!!!!!11

  22. I couldn’t find a way to contact you so I’m leaving a comment. One of my readers sent me a link to a site in Potuguese that lifted one of my tutorials. Your tutorial was there as well. I’m wondering if you have contacted that site and had any luck with that. I’m trying to figure out what to do….

  23. We had a mouse run across the kitchen yesterday and the husband said, “Where did we put those mouse traps that you bought?”.

    Ummmmm…..

  24. Clydean Hendley says:

    These are too adorable! The Dollar General will wonder why the frenzy of buying mouse traps.

  25. I’m making this right now what I did first I put a coat of white paint and then two coats of the color and it covered the words perfectly u can’t even tell the letters are there and I put cupcake stickers on the top came out really nice

  26. Fabulously creative! I need to go to the hardware store now! tfs

  27. Too cute! I bet I can sell these at the church bazaar! (It benefits the local nursing home that my mother lives in.) Thanks for the unique idea!

    –Melody

  28. This is the smartest!! You have a great crafty mind. Thanks for the great project!!!

  29. Maro Morales says:

    Wow, very nice! Good job!

  30. These are awesome!!! Very creative 🙂

  31. Hi, This are just so cute! Today I was in my local Dollar General Store and I found a four pack of traps for a bit over 1.00. When I got them home I found that their logo is on an easy to remove sticker! I stained mine and then dry brushed it with cream paint. Waiting on all that to set. I am leaving the little half round metal piece at the top and will tie a ribbon or twine to it. So may ideas for decorations…however your food groups are colorful and fun! Thanks for a fab idea!

  32. Great idea~ thanks for sharing. I’ll be using it replace the mess of clipboards I’m currently using in my sewing room~

  33. Hi!

    Mod Podge is a brand of clear sealant used for things like decoupage. http://www.plaidonline.com/mod-podge/brand/home.htm Any brush on, or spray on clear sealant would work to complete your project and protect the paper. I used a matte sealant rather than a shiny one.

    Hope that helps! Thanks so much for stopping by! Let me know how your project turns out!

    suzy

  34. Hi there,

    CAn you tell me what “Matte Mod Podge” is, please? I love these traps and would like to make them, too, but don’t understand what this ingredient in the magic mix is.

    Thanks

  35. Denise Burton says:

    Those are sooooo cute! I am definitely going to add these to my list!! Also writing down where I got the idea so if I post them on my blog I can give credit.

  36. Hello Suzy! I have only one work for this adorable project: Eeks! This is one of THE most brilliant altered art projects I’ve ever seen — and I’ve seen (and made) a lot! Just this morning, I was at the 99cent Store, and saw the mousetraps, and seriously stopped in front of them, and then moved on! Now I look forward to going back and getting a few!

    I am definitely a new follower and look forward to catching up on your blog. Please do visit me if you get a chance.

  37. WOW Now that is a crafty mind at work at all times! Love these!

  39. Hi Suzy,
    Thanks so much for sharing your mousetrap magnets at Project Queen! I LOVE THEM!!!
    I will be featuring them tonight at the Highlights Party.

  40. How fun I am gonna have to feature this next Thursday for sure, thanks for joining us for A Crafty Soiree.

  41. Stopping by from Sew can do link party, that is a great idea I had never come up with! They turned out so cool! Thanks for sharing!
    Greetings from Spain

  42. I never thought I’d use “adorable” and “mouse trap” in the same sentence, but I just love this idea! So cool! I’ll be pinning and sharing on my PreschoolPowolPackets Facebook page!

  43. You are just brilliant! So great to see you again, and thanks for sharing on Craft Schooling Sunday!

  44. Thank you so much for stopping by!

    suzy

  45. We just wanted to let you know we featured this amazing mouse trap clips tomorrow! Stop by and see your work!

  46. Just so you know, I pinned this a day or two ago, and it’s already gotten 672 repins. You know you’ve got something super genius when that happens! Thanks for sharing!

  47. forgot to leave my info on previous comment!

  48. Anonymous says:

    this just made my day! what a fantastic/creative way of thinking! I must tweet your blog and maybe one day re-create this! way to go!

  49. How fun is this idea.. Love it!
    You decorated them so well too
    thanks for linking up at Friday Fun Party
    Hani
    craftionary.net

  50. I saw this incredible cool idea on dollarstorecrafts and I love it! Really really nice! I hate mouse traps. More I hate them when they are full 🙁 But these traps… I love them ! Great job and thank you for it!

  51. TOO cute Suzy! What an idea to use mousetraps! Fabulous! I’m off to share this one on facebook!

    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a fabulous week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

  52. I just held it up while painting underneath it. I imagine I still got a bit of paint on the metal here and there, but it really isn’t noticable. I really didn’t want to take anything apart that I’d have to put back together. Thanks for stopping by!!

    suzy

  53. Wow. These are really cool! Thanks for sharing! I’m going to have to try these out. And make room on the fridge

  54. Cool idea! How’d you paint the wooden part w/o getting paint on the metal? Those spring loaded thingys are actually pretty strong! Thanks 🙂

  55. HA! I would never, ever have thought to make something so cute out of an icky mouse trap. Your mind works in crazy ways 🙂

    I’m going to pin this!

  56. Valerie @ Glittering Muffins says:

    What a cool, unusual, useful idea! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  58. This is really a super idea. Now to get a heavy weight magnet. My first thought was, “Why would anyone paint a mouse trap”. Then I scrolled down and to my surprize it is the neatest idea. Thanks for posting.

  59. Leave it to you to craft up something that leaves me coveting a mousetrap. You have earned your repurposing card (ok, so you already had one from when you made tricked out faux metal filigree from freaking toilet paper tubes). Great job.

  60. Stinkin’ cute is right!! I want to run out and get some mouse traps right now!

  61. Absolutely wonderful idea! Very creative.

  63. These are so cute! What a grand way to think outside of the box! Even the mice would love them.

  65. Dyani Evans says:

    These are really nifty! And a much nicer use for mousetraps than their other intended purpose.

  66. Alecia @ ChickenScratchNY says:

    Love Love Love! I can’t think of a better use for mouse traps!

  67. Hmmmm………….sooooo…………I’m thinking ornament club idea???? hehehehe
    I love it!!!!!!!!! also love your grocery list, hehehe gotta get that chocolate, LOL

  68. I would never have thought to do that with mouse traps. You go girl.

    Taz

  69. this is really an awesome idea, love it!!!!

  70. OMG…who thinks of this stuff! Brilliant, I absolutely love it!

  71. Well that’s neat! I can just imagine the looks I’ll get if I walk in the door with mouse traps 🙂

  73. What a neat idea. I don,t know how you think these things up, you amaze me. I think I like the ice cream sundae the best,

  74. Hee hee, love it!

  75. These adorable mouse traps absolutely blew my mind. I have to try this one for sure. Our readers will get a kick out checking you out on this one. Annie

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