Personalized Gift Posters

I made some coasters for my friend last year using some pictures I took of her boys.  I made several sets, in fact, for gifts.  This is the original post, complete with detailed instructions, about coaster making....before it exploded into my life and anything that wasn't nailed down....or running from me soon became a coaster subject...more on this in a minute.  Not to be confused with the second post (here), in which I discovered sticky cork backing.  Or the third post where I sprayed coasters with chalkboard paint....because the only thing more beautiful than one addictions is introducing aforementioned to the other addiction-ie chalkboard paint anything.  Pending live breaking news, I'll be sharing the art of coaster making on Good Morning, Texas today.  Look, those Coaster Anonymous meetings are going to be awful boring if I'm the only one attending, right?  So....pull up a tile, and a picture, make a coaster and  you can share your design at CA meeting number one. 

The project I'm sharing are the above photo coasters, what a fun way to commemorate summer vacations (I'm making a ton of projects like these for friends that traveled to the Amazon with me this summer....coming soon...).  These also make great Christmas gifts for Grandparents and relatives to enjoy this years batch of family photos.  I have a friend who recently made some of her and her fiance engagement photo shoot to give to her family as wedding gifts. 

I love this project because it's so affordable, and I think most people are good with coasters hanging out in their homes.  This cost anywhere from 25 cents=60 cents per tile (depending on what you are using for tile and slip-free material for the bottom). 

Aside from the original photo ideas, here are a few other coasters I'm working on for gifts.  I've seen this little fella floating all over the net lately (stumble upon), and I think it would be really great for a housewarming, especially if you can find out what color the couple is using for their house....or an art enthusiast.

Color Tile Coasters. 

I grabbed some color cards from the home improvement store.

I used the coaster to trace and later cut out the size I needed.  The coasters I used for this project were something life altering like 12 cents each. 

I used mod podge (no brand loyalty, just what I have on hand, anything sticky will do) to glue the squared tile card to the coasters.  I then used a coat of clear/water resistant spray paint to cover the coasters.  You can add a second coat if it makes you feel better.  I'm feel pretty fine with one coat, but I like to live life on the edge like that, so far my method has worked out well.   I found the spray at the craft store, and I used a coupon to get it half off. 

I'm also working on some coasters using pieces of free maps I've acquired while touring the country.  I'm giving these to friends to commemorate memories we've made in these places, or home town maps to remind them of home, even as the world pulls them further away from those roots.  This would be great for one of  my best friends and her husband who have called many places home thanks to the military.  I may make a coaster map in honor of each stop along their career path. 

I also took a leaf out of the project I made a few weeks back with my friend's wedding invitation (I cut it into strips, curled and filled an ornament here), and I'm making some coasters from other wedding invites I have, and other pieces of memorable I've kept from important life events. 

LAST (please take 'last' as a very loose term on this blog...it means last...for today, not the last you will hear of coasters)....I'm also using some scrapbook paper to make drink coasters for friends to keep on their desk at work.  It would be a great teacher gift....which aligns nicely with my career choice! 

A few notes:  When using thinner paper, like scrapbook paper, I like to use a glue stick or rubber cement to glue the paper onto the coaster.  Mod Podge is great for pictures and thicker paper, but it may wrinkle the thin paper. 

In addition, if you don't want to make your own coasters,one of my friends sells these on ETSY.  They take your personal pictures and make coasters for ya....how about that...a fun gift without any of the work!?  This is the link to her site.