More DIY presents

I can't believe Christmas is almost here.  Where did December go??  Thank God I've been on my game with gifts this year (which is most definitely not like me).

I just finished another one of my more labor-intensive gifts and I'm actually pretty excited about it!  I saw this crafting blog on Pinterest and immediately loved it.  This particular post shows how to make coasters from basic ceramic tiles, fun scrapbooking paper, and modpodge.  What a great idea!  I always see those cute coaster sets in stores and can't get over how crazy expensive they are.  And they're always in sets of four.  I mean, who's only going to need four coasters? Seriously.

I had every intention of making a set for myself with the scrapbooking paper.  And then I had a brainstorm.  What if I used pictures instead?  I could use them as a personalized present idea!  I immediately thought of my friends Ray and Ashleigh who were just married this past summer.Ashleigh can be pretty crafty herself, so I knew she'd appreciate the DIY aspect of it as well.

Here's what you'll need:

- ceramic tiles from your local hardware store ($0.16 at Home Depot)

- modpodge

- the pictures you're going to use

- acrylic top coat

- felt pads

- scissors, cutting board, etc.



I originally debated using real pictures with this, but I wasn't sure how the thicker paper would react.  I erred on the side of caution (and convenience) and found digital versions of the pictures I wanted to use.  Thanks Facebook!  I cropped each picture to 4x4 and printed them out on regular old computer paper.  Then I trimmed all the excess paper from around the edges.

Using a sponge brush, I painted on a thin layer of modpodge onto a clean tile.  Gently place the picture onto the tile and adjust so it's it's centered.  I don't have a fancy scraper, so I just used an old movie loyalty card to smooth out the paper.  Then I added another thin layer of modpodge on top.

Not too bad for my first attempt!  Once the glue was dry I added a second coat to be thorough and let them dry overnight.  The next morning, I added a top coat of the acrylic spray paint to seal and waterproof the coasters.  Let them dry, repeat.  I think I did three coats total.  Maybe I should have done more, but I was cold and just wanted to come inside.

Once they were completely dry, I added felt pads to the bottom to prevent scratching.  Sorry for the terrible picture!  I couldn't get my flash to cooperate.



Tah-Dah!  All ready to be wrapped and given as a present!