Coasters.

So, I have no coffee table.

Wait, no.

I have a coffee table, but it's been commandeered as an entertainment center, currently housing basically every electronic gizmo we have in the house.  Honestly, it was rickety at best when we bought it (but CHEAP), and I'm not really sure if it will be able to withstand its current workload much longer.  The poor thing is sagging sadly in the middle, and we've glued a popsicle stick to the bottom of one of the shelf supports because it snapped in half five minutes after we bought it. (Aaron had the audacity to rest his feet on the bottom shelf).  We really should just put it out of its misery, but I mean, it's doing such an admirable job and I don't want it to feel like Curly's dog from Of Mice and Men.  And who's to say a piece of furniture doesn't have feelings?

Yeah, so, anyway.  I have no coffee table.  So what on God's green earth possessed me to make coasters when I have no functional coffee table?  Because I could.  That's why.

And I have to say, they're pretty cool.

Mod Podge Coasters

To clarify, it is "mod podge," NOT "modge podge," which I may or may not have said all the time until I actually went to buy mod podge today and read the label.  Oops.

Materials:

Sprecher root beer and Chairman Bob
drop cloth are highly recommended, but not required.

1. Ceramic tiles:  I got mine from Menards for $.11 a piece.  This made Aaron very happy - Menards and a cheap craft to keep me happy.  If you are not blessed from above with a Menards, try Home Depot or the like.
2. Mod podge:  There are a variety of finishes available.  I chose the glossy finish.  You can find this in any craft store.
3. Sponge brush or mod podge brush from Michaels.
4. Scrapbooking paper:  I used s.e.i. brand "Field Notes" 6x6 paper pad which I purchased from Hobby Lobby.  Seriously, there are so many paper options out there.  You should not have trouble finding patterns you love.  I really loved the mix of this particular paper pad.
5. Felt with an adhesive back:   Purchased at Michaels (you could also just hot glue felt to the back of the coasters).  If I had been thinking more clearly, I would have used cork instead of felt, but I guess waste not...and also felt was cheaper.
6. Acrylic clear coat spray:  Again, these are available in many finishes - I chose glossy.  Available at craft stores or probably Home Depot and Menards.  In any case, look for it in the paint aisle.
7. Scissors
8. Pencil
9. Ruler or any straight edge

The Process:

I knew nothing - NOTHING, not even the correct pronunciation - about mod podge before this project, other than it existed.  I don't think it involves much in the way of fancy technique, and the Pinterest post that this idea came from made it seem pretty simple, which, for the most part it is.

step 1.  Take one of your tiles and trace it onto the back of one of your pieces of paper so you have a rough estimate of the size of your tile.  You are going to use this first piece as a template for tracing your other paper pieces.

This is important:  You want your piece of paper to be SMALLER than the actual tile.  You should have a little bit of tile showing on each side of your coaster (how much you want showing is up to you, but you shouldn't have paper right to the edge of your tile).  This allows for a seamless mod podge application and prevents your paper from peeling off later.

step 2.  After you trace, take a ruler (or any straight edge - I just used a piece of paper) and trace a few millimeters INSIDE your original trace line.  Remember: you'll be using this as a template, so make sure leave just a little bit extra space to allow for the extra width of trace lines.

step 3.  Trace your template onto the rest of your scrapbook paper, cut them out, and set them aside.

step 4.  Take two or three of your tiles and apply an even, thin-ish layer of mod podge onto the tile.  I recommend doing two or three tiles at a time  

Side Note:  In my ignorance, I somehow thought that if I just brushed mod podge on top of a piece of paper sitting on a tile, it would magically adhere.  After I did that, I sat there looking stupidly at the tile thinking, Is that it? Why doesn't that look right?  I did some research and figured out you need to apply mod podge first.  Derp deh derp.

step 5.  After you've applied your thin-ish layer of mod podge to the tile, apply your scrapbook paper, squaring it with the tile and pressing around the paper (edges especially) to assure adherence.

step 6.  Once your paper is set, apply a thin-ish coat of mod podge on top of the paper.  Make sure the coat application is even and goes all the way to the edges of the tile.

step 7.  Now, you just need to apply more coats of mod podge.  The bottle directions said apply five coats, letting each coat completely dry (takes about 20 minutes) before applying the next.  I just followed the directions.

However,  the bottle directions also said something about wet sanding in between each coat.  I didn't know what that meant, soooo I just didn't do it.

step 8.  After you've applied all five coats and let them dry, you are now ready to apply the acrylic sealer.  Make sure you follow the direction on the can, and do this in a well-ventilated area.  I wore a bandana around my face because I am a total gangsta.

I moved my operation outside to avoid inhaling sealant.
Also, it was GORGEOUS out today.

After sealant was applied.  Not much of a difference other than being
slightly shinier and stinkier.

 step 9.  Make sure to let your coasters dry in a cooler place than outside in the direct sunlight.  While they are drying, cut out the felt that you will be sticking to the bottom of your coasters.

Note:  If you're smarter than me, you'll see that using circles for felt pads is a ridiculous idea.  They were tedious to trace and tedious to cut out.  Not to mention, it wasted felt.  Be brilliant - cut out squares.

step 10.  Stick your felt pads in each corner of your coaster, as close to the edges as you can without the felt pad being seen.

step 11.  Enjoy your beautiful new coasters!  Or, in case of the utter lack of a coffee table, give them as a gift to friends who are cooler than you because they actually own a coffee table.

If you have read any of my other posts, sometimes I don't think of something brilliant (or obvious) about what I'm making until after the fact.  If you were reading this and at some point thought, "Oh, honey, you're doing that the hardest way possible," please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, and tips!  I'm always looking to improve my crafty adventures.

So, until next time...!