DIY Floral Coasters

A clear memory from childhood for most of us is hearing our mother or grandmother yell at us to put a coaster under our drink. Brent’s grandmother Edith had a house full of antiques and setting down a glass that was sweaty from the Carolina heat without a coaster underneath it was borderline blasphemy.

Back then we didn’t understand why it was important (some of us still don’t.) But now you will have coasters that you won’t just remember to use, you will want to show them off as well.

MATERIALS

Unfinished Wood Slices
Clear Wood Stain
Stain Brush
Wax Paper
Printer Paper
Inkjet Printer
Tape
Scissors

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1

Source your botanical images. We searched through the New York Public Library’s digital collection. Save your images in a high resolution.

 

Step 2

Lay the computer paper on a flat surface, line up wax paper with the printer paper and cut to size, width-wise, making sure the wax paper is just a tad smaller than the printer paper. The wax paper should be an inch or two longer that the height of the printer paper. Do not cut this excess, fold the wax paper over the printer paper, crease and tape on the backside. Now load the paper backside up and the taped top loading in first.

 

    

 

Step 3

Once the image prints, remove the print carefully as the wax paper allows the ink to not dry thus allowing the print to transfer. Trim the image to the similar size of the coaster. Remove the wax paper from the computer paper, discard the print paper. Turn the image wet side down. Now use a hard, flat surface to transfer the image onto the coaster. Holding the wax paper steady and allowing it not to shift, begin pressing the upside of the wax paper on to the wood. Peel the wax paper from the coaster once done pressing. Now you have your image!

 

Step 4

Once the image has a moment to dry onto the wood, you can seal the ink using clear wood stain. Using a finer brush, begin to dip it into the stain, brushing the excess off as you pull the brush out of the can. Begin to coat the wood, running the brush in the direction of the grain. Allow the stain to dry overnight in a well-ventilated area, since the stain may cause irritation if in a small, closed space.  Once dry begin use!

 

 

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Spring 2017 Almanac









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Summer 2017 Almanac









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Autumn 2017 Almanac









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Winter 2017 Almanac






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