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Saturday, December 17, 2011

DIY Tile Coaster Tutorial


Tile coasters are so easy & inexpensive to make. With Christmas right around the corner, they make a nice present or even a hostess gift. Below are the step on how to make your own.

Materials
1. Four Tiles: I bought mine at Home Depot for $0.31 each. You can get plain white ones for $0.16, but they don't have the nice finished edges. You could always file or paint them white, though.
2. Cardstock, scrapbook paper, photos, music sheets, etc. You can use anything except something printed from a home printer, because the ink will smear.
3. Mod Podge: available at craft stores or Walmart. I think mine was around $4 but I bought it a while ago and it lasts a long time. You can get a matte or glossy finish (I chose glossy).
4. Scissors
5. Paintbrush or foam sponge (just rinse well if you plan to reuse)
6. Ruler
7. Felt circles: mine were already adhesive on the back, but you can cut your own and use tacky glue or a hot glue gun. I got 100 1/2 inch circles for $9 (used originally for another project) on Ebay here or you can visit their Etsy shop here.
8. Varnish: I used the Krylon Clear Glaze 0500. It was $4 at Walmart. If you chose matte Mod Podge, you could also find a matte varnish.
All the supplies laid out
The varnish I used
Steps
1. Cut your cardstock so a bit of the tile shows on each side. I cut mine 3.5 x 3.5 inches.

2. Put a thin layer of Mod Podge on your selected tile. Lay the cardstock down quickly and carefully, since it's hard to move once its down. Use your fingers or a ruler to press out any air bubbles.


  
3. Add a 2-3 coats of Mod Podge, letting each layer dry in between 



4. Take your tiles outside or to a well ventilated area, lay down newspaper, and spray your tiles with varnish according to the directions. I used 2 layers, letting them dry in between. 


5. Once everything is dry, add your felt circles to the bottom. You could also use rolled cork (available at craft stores) for a more professional look. If your circles aren't adhesive on the bottom, just cut small circles and glue them down with Tacky Glue (found at craft stores or Walmart). 


8. Wrap with ribbon, and finish with a bow! 




I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, please let me know if you have any questions or ideas for other tutorials!

PS: I think photo coasters are also a great idea! 

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