Coasters

This weekend as I was thinking about Christmas (and the black Friday bargains I took advantage of) I realized how easy it is to spend $100 in one place quickly making the Christmas budget dwindle. So instead of purchasing all of our gifts this year I decided to make some of them (to hopefully save a little cash but more importantly to give a more meaningful gift). I am so excited about this because I really love giving people things that I have made or created. So I present to you Christmas Present Project #1!

I made coasters!

My first step was to gather all the supplies. I am not your typical "crafter" so I really have to buy everything when I want to do a craft (even the brushes...I know its something everyone should already have somewhere around the house, but I don't).

Materials:

Smooth Bathroom Tiles ($5.76 for 36 tiles, enough for 9 sets)

Modge Podge ($3.60 with coupon at Hobby Lobby)

Clear Acrylic Gloss Coating ($4.44 with coupon at Hobby Lobby)

Scrapbook Paper ($2.95 total including 6 different designed paper that make 8 coasters each)

Brushes ($1.33)

Peel and Stick Cork Board (My parents had some I used on my first two sets. I have not been lucky enough to find this anywhere! Not to worry, I am on my way to Hobby Lobby tomorrow after school!)

Total $18.08 for 9 gifts

Next, I measured and cut 4 x 4 squares of scrapbook paper that would fit on the front of the tile. I then set out all the tiles on cookie sheets covered with wax paper so they were easy to move later on in the process and I could cover then with modge podge without worrying about getting it everywhere or having the tiles stick.

I put one layer of modge podge on the tiles with my handy brushes. I carefully placed the small piece of scrapbook paper on the tile and pressed the edges slightly so they would not bubble up. I let this dry for about an hour. I am not really sure about the timing but I waited this long because I wanted to make sure the paper did not shift when I put the second coat on. (This was the longest I waited for the modge podge to dry throughout the entire process.) I applied three to four coats of modge podge on each tile, waiting between coats for them to dry. Once I finished I took the coasters outside and sprayed then generously with the clear acrylic coating.

I let them dry overnight after applying the coating. Once they were dry I cut 4 x 4 squares of the peel and stick (very thin) cork board. I stuck it to the bottom and tied a simple ribbon around the four coasters to make a set. I love them! They turned out great and I can't wait to give them to all the teachers Johnny and I work with. I hope they love them as much as I do!