DIY Tile Coasters

I was recently over a friend's house and my son destroyed their coasters. So I had to figure a way to replace them, I didn't want to just go buy coasters anyone could have, I wanted something special. Then it hit me, tile coasters! I bought the supplies for these a few years ago in hopes of making cheap Christmas presents, and figured, why not now? These were so incredibly easy to make, and not expensive at all (and we know I'm cheap). They turned out so cute I didn't want to give them up. :/

 {What you need}

What you need: 
Tiles (I used 4)
Paper or pictures to decorate with
Mod Podge
Sissors
Enamel Sealer
Paper Cutter
Felt

When I bought the tiles, a year or two ago, I paid about .08 each for them. I bought the cheapest ones I could get away with. You don't want to get anything too textured or lumpy on top, because when you apply the paper you want it to go smoothly on. So I got a basic white shiny tile. They measure about 4.25 x 4.25 inches.

The next step is to choose your paper. You want to keep in mind you will have a trim of the tile showing around the edge, like a border, so choose something that matches well. I got this paper at Target a while back for $1.00 a pack and have been waiting for a project for it. I chose to use scrapbook paper because the quality seems to be a little bit nicer and they make such beautiful prints.

 

 {The paper is on!}

I cut the paper to be 4 1/16 x 4 1/16 inches. I know this is a weird measurement, but I wanted a small amount of edge showing. Remember to cut the part of the design you want. For example if you have a print like my blue one, get the floral part you want since it's not all the same. Next, I painted my Mod Podge on the tile, laid the paper on top and centered it. I finished with layer of Mod Podge on top again. I wanted it to be encased in Mod Podge, so it would be as protected as possible. I don't think it matters wether you have the matte finish or glossy finish Mod Podge, you are painting on top of it either way. 

 

 {Before spraying with the Enamel}

I allowed it to dry over night like this. Once I was certain it was dry I sprayed it with the Enamel Spray to seal it up and protect it. I did this outside and just made sure to get all the areas and angles of it. Once it dried I did a second coat. Since you can do multiple coats, there is no reason to spray it on thick. Just cover it so it will dry nicely, but not leave any unprotected areas.

{After spraying. As you can see, it doesn't change the color of the paper}

The last step is just to put some felt on the bottom of it. I just used Mod Podge to stick it on there. I have seen people just do a few spots underneath, and I'm sure that will be okay if that is what you want to do, but I chose to cover the whole thing, just in case. You just cut a square out 4.25 x 4.25 inches, the same size as your tile. You put the Mod Podge on the bottom of the tile and stick the felt on there. The one thing I would suggest is to buy a nice quality felt. This is going to be what separates your table from tile, so make sure it's nice and thick. Or even invest in cork. Voila, you're done!

 

 {A back view all finished}

 

 {All the fronts finished}

The neat thing about this project is that there are a thousand ways to do this different. You could do photos, pictures the kids drew, designs with paper, just plain squares like I did, or a millon other things. The sky is the limit! It's something personal and thoughtful to give to someone. With so many holidays coming up it's a great way to show someone you care, without breaking the bank. To me, that's what it should be about. Not the amount of money you spent, but how much thought you spent on their gift. Luckily with this, it doesn't take a lof time, but it looks like it would!

 {Add a bow and you're ready to go!}

Until next time,

BBNO