Tuesday, January 11, 2011

DIY Stone Drink Coaster Set

We've been using the same four stone drink coasters for about 8 years now and they have seen better days! They have been dropped several times and I've glued a couple back together plus they also don't match the rest of the room anymore. I've always liked them a lot but have been contemplating getting new ones, just haven't found any I really like. It wasn't until I saw some DIY sets on Mod Podge Rocks! that I thought it made more sense to just make my own, and I am pleased to share the result!

I purchased a box of natural marble stone tiles for the project at Home Depot. It was under $5.00 for nine tiles so this is another great gift idea! Before I started the project I cleaned the stones using dish soap and warm water. I let them air dry. I used two pieces of scrap book paper I already had. I didn't want to be bored of them all looking exactly alike so I used two sheets of paper that had the same pattern but were two different colors so they'd look like a set and would "flow" with the color scheme of the living room.

I didn't do any real measuring. Using the stone, I positioned the paper where I wanted it and made my cut marks with the zacto knife. I then lined up the cut marks using a metal straight edge to do the cuts and make each square.
 
If you don't know what Mod Podge is, you should check it out because it does rock! It's a glue/sealer that you apply with a brush. You can find it at most craft stores. Anyhow I brushed a thin layer of glue on the top of the stone, placed the scrap book paper where I wanted it, and brushed on another thin layer of glue over top of the scrap paper, making sure the paper was flat and not bubbling, especially on the edges.  


When wet, the Mod Podge made the paper a little white but the glue dried clear. Can you see the shimmery glitter on the paper? Love it!

After the glue dried completely, I added some soft circle "feet" to the bottom corners of each stone to protect the furniture.

Here is the result! Four simple, modern looking drink coasters that actually go with the colors in the room.
Tie some ribbon or twine around these four cute coasters and you have a really nice, handmade gift for someone! I loved making this. What a fun little project!