Drink coasters are a must in most any home. They prevent moisture from dripping off of glasses and ruining coffee tables, end tables and other flat surfaces. You’ve seen ordinary drink coasters, and you’ve probably seen others that were very unique, but a coaster is a coaster, basically. That is, until you make one that features a picture of your children, your pet, or even a cartoon character. As a matter of fact, you can easily create coasters that feature a picture of anything you love, from people to places to things.
Plastic canvas offers you an inexpensive way to create the customized coasters. It comes in a variety of colors at any craft store. Cut two same-size squares to start the project. There’s no absolute size that you have to make coasters but 4.5″x4.5″ is a nice size. Make the coasters smaller or larger according to what you prefer.
Choose the photo or picture you want for your new coasters. School pictures, wedding photos, baby pics – even scenes cut from a magazine, will all work to make coasters. The picture you choose can be cut to be a square, rectangle, circle or even an oval. However, it does need to be at least slightly smaller than the plastic canvas squares.
Lay the photo on top of one of the plastic canvas squares and draw around it. Most any markings – unless you use a permanent marker – can be wiped off the plastic. Cut the image you’ve drawn to be just slightly smaller than the actual picture. Laminate the photo. Use a laminating machine or simply trap it between two pieces of clear, adhesive shelf paper. Trim around the edges.
Use clear tape or dots of glue to affix the picture to the backside of the plastic canvas square. Turn it over and set the piece on top of the other canvas square. Now use colored tape to adjoin the two pieces of plastic canvas. Just tear a piece and use it to cover one side of the square. Trim so that the ends are even with the ends of the plastic canvas. Do this on all four sides.
Alternatively, you can use yarn to cover the raw edges of the plastic canvas. Start by putting the end through two matching holes, and tie a knot. Take the yarn in and out of each set of holes, and do this on all four sides, to make a yarn border and conceal the rough edges. Whether you use yarn or tape you have the option of adding a bottom to the coaster. A piece of rubber or cork works well to keep moisture from dripping through the holes in the canvas, around the photo.
Using the laminated photo and plastic canvas you can easily customize coasters for parties, weddings, graduations, birthdays and more! Since they’re very inexpensive you can create all sorts of different ones to use year-round. Make cartoon character themes for a child’s room, nautical themes for a living room or even ones with sensual images for a bedroom!
Reference:
- Purchase plastic canvas here: www.acmoore.com
