Fast and Fabulous Photo Coasters

I'll be honest; I'm in love with my children! I'm sure you feel the same way about your children, so you'll love creating these photo coasters to show off the adorable faces of the ones you love.

Of course you don't have to use photos of your children. Be creative. Create elegant monograms, or use vacation photos, floral pictures, or even detailed punch-art projects. Whatever you can create on a flat 4" x 4" surface is fair game. There are many elegant hand-made papers or decorative gift wrap choices on the market as well.

I'll share a few different techniques with you to create one-of-a-kind coasters that your friends and family will adore.

Glass Photo Tiles

Supplies:

• 4 pieces of 4" x 4" glass, 3/16 inches thick, with sanded edges for safety
• 4 photos of your choice, 4" x 4" size
• 1 roll craft cork, or enough sheets to cut four 4" x 4" pieces
• book binding cloth

Use your glass top as a template and trace out a back piece from the cork. If cork is rolling up on itself place it under a heavy book for a few hours.

Trim your photos to 4" x 4" square. Sandwich your photo between the cork and the glass.

Cover the edges of your tiles with the book binding cloth to finish this project. I like to fold and cut each piece of book binding cloth in half so that I don't have a very thick edge. I place less than a ½ inch of the adhesive cloth on the photo side and then firmly pull the rest to the back and adhere to the cork side of the coaster. Make sure to trim your corners so that they are tidy.

TIP: A rubber band will keep all the layers together while you place book binding tape on two edges. Remove the band to finish the opposite sides.

Altered Cork Coasters

Supplies:

• set of inexpensive cork coasters
• papers and/or photos of your choice
• Xyron adhesive
• Mod Podge Decoupage Glue
• sponge brush
• clear acrylic sealer

Use your coasters as a template. Trace and cut out papers and/or photos for the top of your coasters. Attach them to the top of the coaster using Xyron adhesive.

Using a foam brush, seal your project by applying multiple layers of Mod Podge Matte Sealer. Allow each layer to dry before adding another. Only apply sealer to top and sides of your coasters, avoiding the cork bottom. Finish by applying acrylic sealer.

TRY THIS: For another unique look, try getting your papers/photos laminated. Attach these to the top of an inexpensive cork coaster using decorative thumb tacks. You can place the tacks all along the outside edge, only in the corners, or in a specific pattern. These coasters are super sturdy and great for outdoor use as well. Just remember to have your photos cut down smaller than the coaster to allow space for the edge of the laminate.

Ceramic Photo Tiles

Supplies:

• four white ceramic tiles
• acid-free copy-weight paper, white
• computer and photo printer
• Mod Podge Decoupage Glue
• sponge brush
• sandpaper
• self-adhesive cork shapes
• clear acrylic sealer

Choose your photos and print them out on copy-weight paper. Make sure your paper is acid-free to avoid yellowing. Be careful to choose photos without large dark areas, as these will print out poorly on the thin paper. Soft colors and people's faces work best for this project.

Sand the tops of your tiles to remove some of the shine, and set aside.

Trim your photos slightly smaller than your tiles. Using a foam brush, apply Mod Podge adhesive to the top of the tiles. Adhere your photo to the tile and seal with multiple layers of decoupage sealer.

Use peel-and-stick cork pieces (available at most craft and home & garden stores) in the four corners and center of the bottom of your tiles. These will keep your tiles from scratching table tops. You could also hot-glue felt squares or cork to the bottom of your coasters. Finish by spraying with clear acrylic sealer.

TIP: Try applying paint, metallic marker/paint pen, or permanent ink to the edges of your tiles before you adhere your photos. This gives your project a finished appearance. For my set I used a metallic foil pen to finish the edges. Metallic inks will give a modern look when used with black-and-white photos. Colored inks can be playful or funky depending on the look you want to achieve.

Keep an eye out for expensive photo coasters in retail stores; you will be surprised how much they cost. For only a small portion of that cost you can create the same look, with a more personalized touch. So gather some photos and start making your own set of fast and fabulous photo coasters!

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