Crafty Coasters

I have become slightly obsessed with Pinterest lately and want to make everything I see! I came across a pin for DIY coasters and loved the idea of creating my own with our photos from San Francisco. I printed out a ton of our pictures right after our trip a couple of months ago and then realized I hadn't done anything with them. These are so professional-looking that they make an ideal gift, and they cost less then $5 for a whole set.  You just need some cheap tiles, some paper, a little felt and mod podge. I am planning on making some as gifts for Christmas this year. The whole process is a bit time consuming but super easy and the end result is totally worth it. They turned out so cute! 

What you need:

Ceramic tiles (I found mine at Home Depot for only 16 cents a piece)

Photos (you can also use scrapbook paper or card stock)

Mod Podge

Clear Acrylic Gloss Coating

Sponge applicator

Felt

Tacky Glue (or you could use a hot glue gun)

What to do:

Trace your tiles onto the photos or paper. Trim photo into a square shape, to fit the tile.
Apply Mod Podge to the back of the photo with a sponge applicator, then press down onto tile. Allow to dry completely. Use your fingers to press the paper nice and flat.  Don't lift it up once you get it on or it will rip and turn into a big mess. 

Once dry, apply a layer of Mod Podge with a sponge applicator to the top of the photo.  Use even left-to-right strokes (lines will show).  Allow to dry completely for about 20-30 minutes. Repeat this step 4-5 times. (make sure each coat dries completely before applying the next coat)

Cut out squares of felt for the bottom of your coasters. You could also cut out small circles and put them in the corners of your tiles.

When your tiles are dry, turn them over and glue the felt squares to the back.  I used tacky glue but you can also use a hot glue gun. 

Once the coasters have had 5 layers of Mod Podge applied… and have dried completely, take them on outside.  It’s time to spray with Acrylic Sealer! Lay coasters on wax paper, or something else you don’t mind getting sprayed with some over-spray. The Acrylic Sealer is an important step, it will seal the project.  This will ensure the coaster is waterproof, and can handle wet glasses sitting on the coasters. You’ll want a strong coat of sealer on each coaster.  I applied a total of 5 coats of sealer, allowing each to dry completely before applying the next coat.