Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Do-It-Yourself Project #2: Coasters

Last week, I invited a few of my closest friends over for a fondue and DIY coaster party. We enjoyed appetizers, bubbly and each other’s company all while making neat little coasters. I suppose I should say, we had so much “fonduing” it!

QUICK NOTE: Come back tomorrow for the recipes to these tasty treats pictured above!

It’s the perfect craft to enjoy with friends all while catching up on the latest news.

I set up the working station before the girls arrived. I covered a table with a vinyl table cloth so we could get messy and not worry about it. I laid out all the supplies needed: tiles, paper, felt, Mod Podge, spray acrylic, hot glue gun and sponge brushes for each of us.


After plenty of snacking and sipping, we got to work!


We had a lot of fun selecting which paper to choose. Some of the girls even added photos on their coasters. To do this, you must print your photos on regular copy paper. Otherwise, the Mod Podge will strip the ink from photo paper.


The project is really quite simple. I picked up the tiles from Lowe’s for $.16 each. The paper, Mod Podge, felt, spray acrylic and sponge brushes all came from Hobby Lobby. It’s an affordable way to add some extra fun to your dinner party.




A little closer:


I suppose this makes me two for two on DIY projects. Success!

Go get crafty, y’all!
Christi


What you’ll need:

From a home improvement store, like Lowe’s:
Square ceramic tiles. Mine were 16 cents each and about 4” x 4”. Mine were glossy tiles. It really doesn’t matter what kind you use.)

From a craft store like Hobby Lobby or Michael’s:
Mod Podge
Paper of your choice. You can use anything from scrapbook paper, special cardstock, old invitations, or photos printed on copy paper.
Foam brushes
Felt for backing coasters
Glossy acrylic sealer spray
Hot glue gun

HOW TO:

1. Cut your paper into squares 1/8” - 1/4″ smaller than your tile. Stack these up and place in your work station.

2. Brush the tile Mod Podge glue. Use a generous coat and work quickly. This stuff dries quickly! Once you place your paper, there’s no turning back.

3. Press the paper to the tile starting in the middle and work to the edges to eliminate air bubbles. Add extra glue to the edges if it’s needs a little more to stick to.

4. After about 10 minutes, apply a layer of decoupage glue to the top of the paper. Allow this layer to dry 15 minutes and repeat 2-3 times.

7. After 10 minutes of drying, spray the acrylic sealant. You should probably take this part outside. The sealant is rather strong.

8. Lastly, when the coasters are completely dried, glue the felt square to the back of your coasters.

*Wait at least one day before using the coasters to ensure they are completely dry.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a fun & pretty project! I'm hosting 2 more showers this Fall; I'm thinking this could be a great party craft!

I love the black & white damask, paisley, photo coasters. And the food looks fantastic too Christi.

I wish I lived closer to Arkansas. I wanna come to one of your fab parties!!

E.Leigh's said...

I'm SO jealous that I wasn't in on this little shindig. :( A DIY project PLUS foundue?! What more could a girl want?!?

Christi's Chirps said...

Hi, Ally! Wouldn't this make for a cute Christmas gift?

If you're ever find yourself in Arkansas, you must let me know right away! :) Maybe our football teams will play each other sometime soon!

Erin, it just wasn't the same without you! Next time you are in town we will have to plan a DIY/Fondue party in your honor! :)

Thanks to you both for visiting and your sweet comments! xo