Nifty and CHEAP (to make) coasters

I'm still working on the old window pane that I have but in the meantime I'm also making coasters to sell at our upcoming F4L craft fair.

Have you ever noticed that really durable, nice coasters are priced too high? Take it from me. I used to work at a very well known card/gift store and we sold sets of monogrammed coasters for $25-30!!!! That just seems a little high to me and unless I REALLY need something, I'm not typically willing to spend THAT much money (unless I have a coupon of course..hehe). It just seems a little ridiculous.

I'm actually taking an idea that I saw on another blogger's site and doing something similar. Go to your local Lowes store and see if they have any small ceramic tiles on sale. The ones that I bought were on clearance for 26 cents each! Yes, you heard me right. I would say that's a deal. I am almost positive that they are 3in x 3in, just large enough for a regular size cup to sit on top.

Next, get your favorite stencil out (obviously one that will fit on the stencil) and tape it down real good so that it doesn't slide everywhere. Pull out your stencil brush and stencil creme of your choice. I purchased some stencil creme from AC Moore. It's supposed to be permanent and the kind that I have is not nearly as "creamy" as regular paint. It's more like a really thick paste sealed in a tiny round jar. They aren't kidding when they say that the creme goes a long way. Just dab your brush down in the creme and then get to work on filling in the stencil. I've found that tapping the brush works better and has better coverage then simply brushing the creme on. Do whatever you like. It really just depends on what kind of look you're going for.

With the creme I was able to remove the stencil almost immediately. Let the tile sit for 24-48 hours so that the creme can dry. Once this is completed go over the tile with a clear sealant so that the creme doesn't run. I'm not convinced that anything is waterproof these days. Even waterproof mascara isn't waterproof!

The last step is to line the back of the tiles with corkboard so that they don't fly off the table if it's bumped OR scratch up the table. You can find corkboard at most craft stores, possibly even a hardware store. If you want to add a little pizazz to your coasters add SMALL rhinestones depending on the type of design you have. I would recommend gluing these on with a hot glue gun or Gorilla glue and do it BEFORE you put on the varnish. You want those pretty little boogers to stay on, right?

If you plan to give the coasters as a gift, wrap up a few with a pretty little ribbon.