Upcycled Comic Coaster

Since I have resigned my position as teacher and no longer have an income to contribute, I am working hard on my Etsy shop: SkyBlue Creations & Finds.  I don't know if I'm in love with the name but I've been SkyBlue online for as long as I can remember.  My child art prints haven't sold in a while so I am trying to break into the "Dude gift" market as my college roomie calls it.  The goal has been two-fold.  1) Get rid of hubby's excess comic books, 2) Make some money.  I just posted them online last week so we will see how it goes.  I'm really happy with all the sets I've made so far.

 

 So how did I do it?  You can use old comics, scrapbook paper, bits of books, sheet music, etc.  If you are making them to sell then you absolutely CANNOT make copies of your comic book.  You must use the actual comic book.  This way you should be covered by the First Sale Doctrine but check with a lawyer. My comics that I'm using are generally ready for the recycling bin...they just aren't worth selling on their own.  Covers are bent, pages torn, etc.  The comics that I'm not using are the ones that were kept in pristine condition and are going to continue to live in the file cabinets in the closet. My husband tried to keep all his comics in good condition.  But he's been collecting for over 20 years and many of the comics were pre-owned before that. 

DIY: Upcycled Comic Coaster

Materials

-Square ceramic tiles (mine were 16 cents each and 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ from Home Depot)

-Decoupage glue, I used Mod Podge Gloss

 -Paper

-Foam brushes
-Adhesive backed thin rolled cork (or felt)
-Paper cutter
-Heavy-duty glue
-Ribbon or raffia for tying, or small appropriately-sized boxes.

-Miniwax Polycrylic Protective Finish.

Instructions

1. Clean the tiles with alcohol to remove smudges/fingerprints. Be sure you’re working on a non-stick surface like plastic or vinyl.

2. Cut your paper into squares 1/4″ smaller than your tile.

3. Use the foam brush to coat the tile with decoupage glue.

4. Center your paper on the tile. Press the paper to the tile firmly, beginning in the middle and working your way outwards. Smooth out bubbles quickly! Decoupage glue is NOT very forgiving!  Check all the edges and allow this layer to dry, ~15 mins

5. Apply a layer of decoupage glue to the top of the paper. Make sure your strokes run in only one direction.  Allow to dry (~15-20 mins)

6. Add another layer of decoupage glue over the coaster. You can make your brushstrokes in the same direction or the opposite direction (horizontally). The latter will produce a hatchmark effect which I think ends up looking more professional.

7. Continue adding layers of decoupage glue until you are satisfied with the look. I used three. Then repeat the process of sealing with waterproof acrylic sealer, brushing on a layer and allowing it to dry.

8. When the coasters are completely sealed and dry, cut the cork to the appropriate size to match your tiles.

9. Stack and package your coasters. I am using twine and a little tag for mine. 

*Be sure you are in a well ventilated area and you follow the precautions on the product! I wait at least one day before adding the sealer.

*Clean brushes out after each use.  The decoupage glue dries fast and will quickly ruin your brushes.