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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Coaster Tutorial

I decided to make you guys a little 'How To' guide on how I made the coasters that I'll be handing out to family for Christmas. 

Thank you, Pinterest!

To begin, you'll need to get the supplies.

Pictures- To personalize them, duh. You can also use scrapbook paper instead of pictures if you just prefer a certain pattern. You could also use scrapbook paper and then add the picture for a double effect. That could be for experts, I'm still a beginner ;)

Tiles- I just got the plain white 4x4's from Lowe's, Home Depot, etc.. Only 10 cents each.

Mod Podge- Glossy or Matte, I chose the Glossy and a friend chose Matte, but wished she had used Glossy. Just depends on the look you are going for. Hobby Lobby has the big bottle for $6.99.

Glue Stick- This is to stick the pictures on the coaster, so any kind of glue would really work. $2.00?

Brush- You can use a paint brush or a sponge brush. I chose the sponge brush. Again, it's just a preference. A paint brush will give you a different type of stroke look. $1.33 at Hobby Lobby.

Felt- This is to apply to the back of them so they are more legit ;) I used the sticky sheet felt. A friend of mine used the role and just applied it to the four corners. Hers gave a higher lift, but they both successfully served the same purpose. $1 per sheet at Hobby Lobby. If you are doing the entire back you can get 6 coasters done per sheet. I made 30 coasters, so I got 5 sheets. 

Ribbon-A cute packaging for the final product. $2.00 at Hob Lob. 

The total price was around $20 & that included presents for My Mom, Grandma, Myself and My Boyfriend's Parents. Score!

The supplies. Glue stick not pictured.

Setting out the tiles. I suggest putting paper towels or something underneath.

Cut the pictures out to your liking. If you get 4x6 photos, you only have to cut off a little bit. The new true digital is really 4x5.3 so allot for some cropping.

Tip: Don't get photos that are too close up, because they won't fit once you cut them.

Glue the pictures to the tiles.

Mod Podge time! Use the brush and just lightly paint over the tiles. I did 6 coats of Mod Podge. You have to wait for them to dry between each coat. The bottle says 20 minutes, I found that it was more like 7 minutes, but you'll know because the Mod Podge goes on white and once it turns clear it's dry.

Tip: Don't fret, the white WILL turn to clear.

All done with the Mod Podge. I should have gotten a better picture once it was completely dry. They basically look just like they did before the Mod Podge went on. So adorable

Some people use a sealant spray to make them more water resistant. I did not. However, I still may go back and add that since I hear it helps.

Once they are dry, add the felt to the back. I cut them almost into 4x4's as well. I wasn't so picky on how straight they were, it is the bottom after all.

Add the ribbon and give them as a gift to a loved one. I think it's an adorable personalized present that you can give to family, friends, co-workers, in-laws, etc... 

I hope you guys enjoyed this. Please send me any questions that you may have and I'd be happy to help :)

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3 comments:

  1. I need to start using Pinterest more to find some fun projects! These coasters are awesome!!

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  2. That is too awesome!! Good job! They look adorable!

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  3. i think this is a great idea! i think i will do it for my mom for mothers day! she is a neat freak so she will love coasters :)

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