Today is the last day of my Curbly guest posting spree. I'm so happy I got to share my Curiosity Bone Vase, Printable Watercolor Art and DIY Coasters with you all. For my last post, I'm really excited to share this DIY S'mores atio "grill." S'mores are one of my favorite parts of summer - but city ordinances in my hometown don't allow patio fireplaces.
It's day three of my whirlwind adventures in guest blogging here on Curbly. Today, it's all in the details...of home decor, that is. Sometimes in DIY home accents, it isn't about the big, striking pieces. Often, it's the lovely, custom details that add up to make a space. Like these DIY coasters. They can be any color, and the watercolor effect is both elegant and whimsical.
Making a set of these takes less than an afternoon, and they would definitely make great gifts. Think of how sweet a matching set would be for a housewarming party, or a patio get together!
Begin by cleaning your ceramic tiles thoroughly to make sure that there isn't any dust or oils on the surface. Then, begin by scribbling some of the permanent marker on the shiny surface of the tile. Not all of the colors react the same to the rubbing alcohol in step two, so feel free to experiment with a couple of shades in the pallet you are hoping to achieve.
After you've got your colors on the tile, use a soft bristled brush dipped in the rubbing alcohol to make a painterly effect on the tile. The rubbing alcohol dissolves the ink a bit, and can make a lot of really interesting effects. I just did a straight brush across, but you could try dripping the rubbing alcohol, or using different types of brushes. If you don't like what you've made, just wash off the ink with more rubbing alcohol and start over.
Once your design is dry, use a coordinating color to paint the unfinished edges. I chose silver because it really makes the color pop.
The ink is going to be pretty water safe, but with the moisture of condensation threatening our pretty coasters, we'll want to add some extra protection. Mod Podge has a dishwasher safe coating that should work perfectly for this. Use a wide soft brush to coat both the top and sides of your tile. Don't over brush it though, as you might smudge your design.
Finally, we will need something to protect table surfaces from the scratchy backside of the coasters. Trace out and cut pieces of white felt and glue them to the bottom of the ceramic tiles.
That's it! The Mod Podge takes 28 days so try not to get them too wet for a couple of weeks. After that, these should be perfectly water safe and ready for every day use!
