How to make your own National Park magnets
Posted by Sticker Mule Steve on
I recently had the pleasure of visiting the "Mighty 5", the five National Parks of Utah including Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion.
One of the most awe-inspiring hikes was going through Bryce Canyon. I went with my family in February, meaning we had to wear ice spikes and winter clothes. It also meant we were treated to some of the most spectacular views available any time of the year with clear, crisp air and the hoodoo rock formations frosted with snow.
After our hike, we went to the Visitor Center. I wanted to treat my daughter to a nice souvenir so we could always remember our experience.
In the magnet part of the National Park store, I came across magnets that looked like this.
Let me explain what you're looking at:
- The image is a stock photo the manufacturer of this magnet downloaded from iStockPhoto, taken in 2014
- Even a junior designer can see that whoever "designed" this magnet did a horrific job at color correction. (Spoiler alert: the real Bryce Canyon is not the color of vomit)
- The typography is hard-to-read and forgettable
- Making matters worse, this magnet was mass produced in China, 6,500 miles away from Bryce Canyon
Every other magnet on sale was equally forgettable.
What would you say if I told you that you could create your own National Park magnet:
- That captures your unique experience NOW (not some stock photographer's over a decade ago)
- Where YOU control the copyright, not some stock agency
- That's made in the USA
- Where you can receive 10 magnets for less than the cost of three at the gift shop
- That exceeds the quality of the gift shop magnet in virtually every way: color fidelity, magnet strength, design
- That takes about 5 minutes to make
How to make your own National Park magnet
I'll go beyond saying it. I'll show you how I did it.
1. Select your photo
Believe it or not, choosing the right photo ended up being the most time-consuming part of this process.
On the hike, I literally took over 500 pictures. If you've ever hiked Bryce Canyon, you'll know that an entire scene might look dramatically different in the matter of just a few minutes depending on the time of day, the weather, and even your viewing angle.
I finally decided on this one, one of the iconic views of a formation called Thor's Hammer, taken on my iPhone.
2. Go to Sticker Mule Studio
If you're a seasoned designer, you can go to your favorite design software, like Photoshop or Illustrator. Check out our FAQs for everything you need to know about design specs.
If you're not a professional designer (or you are one but just want to save some time) we created Sticker Mule Studio just for you.
Sticker Mule Studio is our easy-to-use design tool for magnets and some of our other products. People compare it to Canva, but we think it's even simpler—and it automatically ensures your artwork meets our specs. That means you have full creative control, and once you're happy with your design, the proofing process is a breeze.
Here's how I used Sticker Mule Studio to make a national park magnet.
To get started, click the green Create Design button in the top right corner
3. Choose your dimensions
The first step is to input your dimensions. I decided to use a width and height that matched the magnet I saw in the gift shop.
- I changed the units to inches
- I entered 3 inches for the width
- I entered 2.5 inches for the height
The canvas size automatically adjusts once you enter this information.
4. Upload your photo
Next, it's time to upload your photo.
Click the Uploads icon on the left side.
Click the blue Upload Image button and upload your image. Your photo will be placed onto the canvas.
5. Adjust the photo to cover the entire canvas
If the aspect ratio of your photo doesn’t match the canvas, don't worry; simply enlarge and position the image as desired. Any portion outside the canvas will be automatically cropped.
If you intend to include text on your image, make sure to leave some blank space on the canvas.
Use the controls at the bottom of the page to zoom in or out of the canvas as needed.
6. Put in text
The next step was to put in text.
Click on the Text icon on the left-hand menu to reveal different text styles and templates. I chose the template that says "ASAP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE"
I ungrouped the text and adjusted the color and positioning until I was happy with it. Notice how I intentionally cropped the photo so that there'd be a nice section of deep blue sky where a white font would stand out.
I clicked the Order prints button in the top right corner.
I figured I'd order the sample pack of 10 for $9. This way I'd have enough for my family, and also some to give out for Christmas and birthdays.
For comparison, 10 mass-produced magnets at the gift shop would have cost me $39.90.
7. Double-check everything
On the final step you'll want to double-check everything. Does the text look clear? Are all the words spelled correctly? Does the image appear crisp and in focus? Did you accidentally leave some gaps or unwanted white space around the canvas?
I was pretty happy with mine, so I added it to my cart.
8. Check out
On the checkout page, you'll enter or verify your shipping information, delivery date, and billing information. You'll see a note reminding you that orders created in Studio will bypass the proofing process (which you don't need because you can see exactly what the final product will look like on your screen).
9. Order confirmation
Check out, and you'll get to a final confirmation page.
Your product will be sent to production and manufactured.
For those who didn't create their design in Studio, at this point order will go through our proofing process, where our team will send them an e-mail asking them to approve the final proof before being sent to production.
Unboxing
Just one week later, my package arrived (two days before the estimated date).
As usual with Sticker Mule shipments, I got a few surprises in my package including the one I was hoping for: a few packets of Sticker Mule sauce!
But of course, what I was looking forward to most was this: my 10 magnets carefully wrapped in shrink-wrap, which I quickly unwrapped.
And here is how my magnets turned out.
I couldn’t be happier. The final product blew away anything I saw in the National Park gift shop. The colors were richer, the scene more meaningful—and best of all, it wasn’t some generic photo taken by a stock photographer a decade ago. It was the actual view I experienced with my family just two months earlier.
One thing I noticed—and something many customers have pointed out—is that these magnets are surprisingly thin. But as we explain in our article on how magnets work, thin doesn’t mean weak. In fact, our magnets are made with high-energy material that’s stronger than many thicker magnets. We even design them to grip securely to cars at highway speeds.
I kept a few magnets for our home, and gave the rest to friends and family. Everyone loved them. A couple of people even complimented me on "picking such nice magnets from the gift shop." Their jaws dropped when I told them I took the photo myself.
Support your National Parks
One thing to remember is that the National Parks and the organizations that support them rely on revenue from their gift shops to support their ongoing work. The nice thing about making your own magnets is that you can use the money you save to buy other cool souvenirs.
In my case, I also decided to make a donation to the Bryce Canyon Association, the official nonprofit partner of the park.
When you gift your magnets to others, consider adding a note encouraging them to visit and support the parks too.
Create your National Park magnet today
How long did this whole process take me? Believe it or not, about 5 minutes—far less time than I spent browsing in the gift shop at the park. And remember, I'm not a professional graphic designer. But Sticker Mule Studio made me feel like I was.
Like I said, the toughest part was finding the right photo to use. Once that was done, Sticker Mule Studio made it easy to upload the photo, position it, overlay it with text, and send the design to be printed.
When it comes to National Park magnets—or any vacation and travel magnets in general—you're no longer limited to whatever schlock you see in gift shops and rest stops. For less than the price of a souvenir shop, you can create a one-of-a-kind magnet that’s uniquely yours. Instead of settling for a generic design from a stock photographer, you get to showcase your own moments, creativity, and perspective.
Plus, since you own the copyright, you have full control over how your artwork is used and shared.
Whether you’re designing for yourself, selling to others, or gifting a meaningful, personalized keepsake, a custom magnet is a small but powerful way to preserve your memories. And when it’s made in the USA, you can take pride in supporting local craftsmanship while bringing your vision to life.
My Sticker Mule magnet of Bryce Canyon now sits on my fridge among all my other cherished magnets. I look forward to creating more!
