DIY photo coasters

Hello! Today I want to share with you my new DIY coaster which are relatively easy to make yourselves at home!

I decided to make these for my parents as it was their 20th year wedding anniversary and so I wanted to give them something a little more personal. Parents love photos of their children so I had to include some wonderful moments from my sister’s wedding but I also managed to get hold of some of their holiday snaps from over the years so included them too.

What you will need:

• Tiles. I used 10cm x 10cm and in white, however you can use whatever size  you would like.
• Photos re-sized 10×10.
• Glue (I used glue spots but I would now recommend using PVA glue as the dots made the photos slightly raised on the tiles.
• High gloss finish resin
• felt or plastic dots to sit on the bottom of your coasters to stop them damaging your table.
• Spreader
• Straws

First of all, cut you photos out so that they are slightly smaller than your tiles. I picked my tiles up from B&Q but you can get cheap tiles from most DIY shops. I initially cut the photos the same size but this meant the corners were difficult to seal so make sure you make the photos a bit smaller. Once you have done this, glue them onto your tiles and let the glue dry otherwise your photos will be sliding all over the place!

I used Enviro Tex Lite pour on high gloss finish resin. You can pick some up on Amazon here. Follow their instructions to mix the resin and the hardener, making sure you measure your quantities. I mixed mine in used baby jars but the bottom of a milk carton will work or anything with a flat bottom you don’t mind ruining.

Place a plastic table-cloth or an old bit of wood down so that your table doesn’t end up with hardened resin all over it and then place your tiles on something smaller that will raise them off of the surface (I used small bits of cork board). Pour the resin on top of your photo (I found it easier to pour a blob in the middle) and then spread it out with something flat, allowing the resin to pour down the sides of the tile. This will mean your corners are sealed and less likely to peel away. Now grab your straw and blow all those bubbles that are forming on the surface. As you can see from the photo, I always work in a clutter free, tidy environment!

Allow to dry for approx 24hrs. I finished mine by placing plastic bumps on the bottom to protect the table.

And now you have some amazing personalised coasters!!! Will you have a go at making some for yourself or as a present?

 

Embroidery hoop wall decorations!

Todays post takes the form of an interior fix! My house, like many of yours I’m sure, is full of photographs. Photos of people Steve and I love, photos of beautiful places we have been, photos of beautiful places we are yet to go. I have come to a point where I think, a line has got to be drawn somewhere- No more photos! I am not a minimalist sort of girl so I am not a fan of a blank wall when it is calling out to have something hanging on it! But with my photo ban, I have had to come up with something else. Que. Pinterest! God, don’t you love that site!

I saw a pin of fabrics and embroidery that had been placed in embroidery hoops which covered the whole wall. Well, being a crafty lady myself, I adored the idea of this! It’s a quirky way of displaying some of my favourite fabrics and showing a bit of my personality. I slowly built up my collection, buying fabrics as I saw them and I’m not entirely convinced I am finished yet.

This is hanging on my side of the bed by a window. There is the same size piece of wall on Steve’s side (with an arch next to it) and he has some photos of Australia hanging. Originally I wanted to have his side of the wall covered in pictures in different mis-match frames and have a ‘his’ frame at the top and a ‘hers’ hoop at the top of my side but Steve squashed it! I still really like the idea but looks like I’m going to have to work a bit harder to convince him on that one!

What home decoration have you been doing lately? Do you think I should add some more hoops or do you think I should leave it like this? I would appreciate your comments.