Decorative Tile Coasters

I've been wanting a set of coasters for several months now (after purchasing coffee and end tables made partly out of wood). As I searched, I never found a set that I really liked, that matched my living room or that I thought were worth the price tag. So my conclusion...to make my own. This was a little trial and error for me, since this was the first time I had ever used mod podge. I think the overall product turned out well though.

Supplies:

Cheap ceramic tiles (apx 16-17 cents at Lowes or Home Depot)

Scrapbook paper (design of your choice)

Some type of footing to go underneath tile (foam, felt or cork)

Acrylic Spray

Mod Podge

Foam Brush

Scissors or Paper cutter

Ruler

-First measure the width of the tile. Take that measurement and reduce it by 1/4 inch. Use that measurement to cut the squares from the scrapbook paper.

-As you can see, there is a glue stick in the picture...it's not recommended...lol. I originally used the glue stick so that it would be easier to center the squares on top of the tiles. Once I started applying the mod podge problems occurred since the paper was not solidly glued down to the tile.

-So what I ended up doing is applying 1 layer of mod podge on top of the tile (do this one tile at a time as the mod podge dries fast). Apply the scrapbook paper square on top of the tile and center (fast). Squeeze out any air bubbles under the paper. Repeat this step on each additional tile until all tiles are complete.

-Next apply 1 layer of mod podge at a time as directed on bottle (every 15-20 mins or till dry). I did 4 layers, but I was pretty generous with the amount I used per layer. Do as many layers as you feel is needed. Make sure you are doing this on top of plastic or some type of non-paper surface, as to not glue that to your tile accidentally.

-I let the tiles then dry over night. The next day I took the tiles out on the porch (well ventilated area) and sprayed the tiles with a layer of acrylic spray (follow directions on can) to provide a waterproof surface.

-Finally I affixed the little foot protectors on to the bottom of the tiles (to protect the tiles from scratching my furniture).

Side Note: If you live in a house with curious pets as I do, it's recommended to keep a pair of tweezers around during the mod podge process. This way you can remove any stray pet hairs that may try to glue themselves to your coasters.

-Susan