Coasters, coasters, everywhere coasters!

I wanted to give some homemade presents along with the store bought gifts this year.  Last year I made aprons and gave them to a few girls.  This year I am giving coasters. They are so easy, and I think they turned out great!

To do this project you need:

• tiles from a hardware store (These cost 16¢ at Home Depot.)
• scrapbook paper (I love the black and white toile from Hobby Lobby)
• a printer
• Mod Podge (I used glossy)
• Acrylic spray sealer 
• Sponge brush
• Scissors or a paper cutter

Follow these easy steps:

1. Print initials on the scrapbook paper.  I was only able to get two per piece of paper.  I printed one initial in the top left corner and one in the bottom right corner. Do a test page first.
2. Make a pattern from the tile.  You want the pattern to be slightly smaller than the tile.
3. Cut out the scrapbook paper.
4. Paint a layer of Mod Podge on the tile.
5. Lay the paper on top of the wet Mode Podge.
6. Paint a layer of Mod Podge on the paper.
7. Let that dry 15-20 minutes.
8. Repeat with another layer of Mod Podge.
9. Wait 15-20 minutes.
10. Take the tiles outside and spray with the sealer.
11. Let dry 5 minutes.
12. Spray another coat of sealer.
13. The can says to wait 24 hours before handling.  The smell will be strong at first.  Give it some time to air out.
14. Add sticky felt dots to the back.
15. VOILA!

I did a simple packaging job.  I used clear cellophane and red shredded paper from the Dollar Tree, white toole tied it all together, and I added a handmade gift tag. I created it in Word. (The tag instructions came from Life in Grace.

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A Soft Place to Land

Today's Creative Blog

The Letter "M"

I found some letters in the clearance section at Walmart a couple of weeks ago. There weren't a whole lot left to choose from, BUT they did have an "M"!  It was destiny, I had to buy it for Madison.  Then, I had to decide what to do with it....paint it, decorate it, Mod Podge it, YEAH! I had a piece of scrapbook paper that mimicked the black and white tile in Madison's bathroom. So, I followed these simple steps!
1. Trace the M on the back of the scrapbook paper.
2. Cut out the paper.
3. Lay the cut-out on top of the letter. Trim where it is necessary.
4. Paint a thin layer of Mod Podge (I have glossy) on the top of the letter using a sponge brush.
5. Lay the paper cut-out on top of the moist Mod Podge.
6. Smooth out any bubbles.
7. Paint a thin layer of Mod Podge with the sponge brush.
8. Allow to dry 15-20 minutes.
9. Paint another thin layer of Mod Podge.  Allow to dry.
10. Find a special spot for it!

I LOVE IT! I can't wait to make more!

I just thought I would throw in some additional pics of her bathroom. I love her curtain and her shower curtain!

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Refurbished Picture Frame

This frame was a previous gift from a family member.....sorry! I think it was given to me when I still lived at my parents' house during college. It didn't match my current decor so it had been stored away. I got the idea to paint it and add a flower like I saw on the blog, My Mama Made It. So I did it. I just painted several coats of off-white craft paint on the frame. Then, I took a scrap of brown linen to cut my petals. I simply cut a strip of fabric that was about 30"x7" and folded it in half. Then, I cut petals with the fabric still folded. Don't bother with a pattern. As you cut the petals, decrease their size a little. I ended up with 15 petals. Start layering the petals, spiraling as you go. Start with the largest petals on bottom and end with the smallest. Next, thread a needle and sew an x in the center to hold the petals in place. Fold the group of petals in half and run your needle through. Fold it in half the other way, and run your needle through again. I did this a few times. Finally, secure the thread with a knot on the back. I used a hot glue gun to attach the flower to the frame. VOILA!

Before:

After:

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Personalized Wall Hanging

I went to a few yard sales this last weekend hoping to get some crafty inspiration....it worked! I bought several items that I plan to put my touch on. I saw a neat idea for personalizing plates at320 Sycamore. I used her idea and instructions to personalize a wall hanging. I got this nifty piece for 50¢. As you can see it was painted with a picture of fruit....not really my style. So I taped of the metal work and spray painted the tile an off-white. Then, I took a personalized napkin and cut out the G. I peeled away the back two layers and used Mod Podge to adhere it to the tile. The one layer of napkin is very delicate....so be careful if you try this. Brush on a thin layer of Mod Podge on the tile under the G then carefully brush it over. I used a Sharpe marker like a rolling pin to smooth out some of the bubbles. This definitely did not turn out perfectly, but I like it. I have yet to decide where its final resting place will be.

Check out other DIY projects at A Soft Place to Land.

Birthday Banner

My little girl will turn 2 on October 18th! I have been making preparations for her 2nd birthday party. Today I made a birthday banner. I got the idea from some other blogs I read last week. I plan to make another banner soon! My husband told me it would be a lot easier to just buy one....this is true, BUT I enjoy things like this! He did go on to say that I couldn't buy a banner that would be as cute. Ok, maybe he didn't use the word "cute", but his point was the same. :)