Well folks, it’s that time of year again. April showers bring… time for crafts! Last week my three-year-old and I had a great time creating our very own coasters. I am by no means a neat freak but one thing I CANNOT stand are water rings left under glasses and when I came across an idea for making my own coasters I was a little (okay, a lot) excited. It’s the little things people!

Here’s what you will need:

• white tiles – you can get these at any home improvement store and they are super cheap
• rubbing alcohol
• alcohol ink dye – you can find this at craft stores. I found mine at Michaels craft store and they usually come in sets of three different colors (I chose red, green, and blue).
• sealer (to protect it from chipping, etc.)
• felt
• glue gun

Step 1: Use a paper towel and coat the tile with the rubbing alcohol.

Step 2: Use the ink dye to create your design on the tile. It’s pretty fun to watch the dye colors mix – almost like a tie-dye effect!

Step 3: Let your coasters dry for at least a few hours so they can really dry. Then, spray them with a sealer to protect the colors from chipping and wearing away (I used an acrylic sealer I had on hand from Michaels craft store).

Step 4:  Cut a piece of felt to cover the bottom of your tile and glue it on. This will prevent it from scratching any tables.

Step 5: Now it’s time to use them! Who knows? Maybe your kids will even be more inclined to use their homemade coasters and in turn you just might avoid a water ring or two! Another idea would be to wrap a stack of four of these babies with a pretty ribbon and give them as a gift!

Cheers!