DIY Alcohol Ink Coasters

If you are on a budget or just want to make a unique gift for someone special, look no further ! These DIY Alcohol Ink Coasters are perfect! I have included a supply list and easy to follow instructions with photos. You too can be an artist in no time!

* Plain White Ceramic Tiles (these can be found in hardware stores~

I purchased a box of 100 for approximately $13)

*Small Paintbrush

*Garbage Bag

*Rubber Gloves

*Bottle of Rubbing Alcohol

*Alcohol Inks (they can be found in the scrapbook section of a craft store)

*Felt, cork or plastic furniture guards (I found mine at Target)

*Clear Spray Glaze

Are you ready to make fabulous homemade gifts that will dazzle your family and friends? This craft is easy, economical and very attractive.

Let's Begin!

Lay a clean garbage bag or sheet of plastic on your work surface. Then, set out all of your materials: Alcohol inks, paint brush, rubbing alcohol, gloves and paper towel.

For the first step, you will paint a thin coat of rubbing alcohol onto the tile. Let the air hit the tile a moment and select the first color you would like to put on the tile.

Make sure you are wearing gloves, then drip a dot of color onto the tile

As you notice, the color spreads out when the ink and alcohol touch

Now that you get the idea here, choose another color and drip it onto the tile. Don't worry about keeping the colors separated you WANT them to blend! It is truly a magical experience watching the inks dance around on the tile!

You can see the tile take on a personality and style as you add colors. You can stick to a certain color pallet or add multiple colors. Remember your old color wheel charts from school? For example, if you add a drop of blue and a drop of yellow? You will get a blend of green when the two colors mix.

Be careful not to add too many dark colors together because sometimes what you end up with is a very dark patch on the tile.

If you do have an area that got too much color,wait a couple of minutes and try this: select a lighter color that will match your tile and drip a drop over the area. Wait a moment and if it still is looking too dark, let the newest spot dry for a few minutes and re-apply the same color directly over the first spot. You will be surprised how the new color brightens up the spot!

As you add colors and blend you will see the tile changing right before your eyes. If you let your tile dry for a few minutes you can build layers on your tile. It creates a multidimensional effect that has highs and lows. You will be so happy by the beauty of the tiles!

In short amount of time you can have quite a few tiles completed! Please allow your tiles to dry for several hours before you move them or stack them. Once the tops of your tiles are dried, you will want to finish the sides of the tile too. Take an old plastic bowl or cap from a soda bottle and squirt your desired ink color into the container. Use your small paintbrush and paint the edges of the tile (You do NOT add rubbing alcohol) only paint on the ink. Again, let the ink dry for a few hours.

I usually wait until the next day and then I take the tiles outside or (to our garage if the weather is snowy) and put down another garbage bag on a flat surface and spray the clear sealer on the tiles. Allow the tiles to dry for a few hours. You have now completed your coasters! When the tiles have dried, affix the felt or plastic dots to the back corners of the tiles, (this will protect your furniture)

Do you have a tile that didn't turn out quite right? Don't worry there is simple fix. By simply pouring some rubbing alcohol onto the tile, let it sit a moment and grab a paper towel begin wiping the color off of the tile. In a matter of a few seconds you have a perfectly clean tile once again!

HOLD UP~ While you are smearing the colors around on the tile, take a moment and see what happens. The pink tile you see below is the result of blending the colors on the tile you see to the right. AMAZING RIGHT??

You will follow the same steps once the tile is painted, let it sit overnight and grab an old plastic container you wouldn't mind throwing away, and choose a color and squirt a small puddle into the container. You will use a paintbrush and paint the edges of your tile to give it a finished look. Let the tile sit for a few hours and when it is completely dried, you can spray the clear glaze onto your tile. You will need to let the tiles dry for a few hours. Once dry, add the furniture protectors to the back corners of the tiles. You are all done!

Find a cute square gift box or gift bag to package the tiles for gift-giving.

Trust me, if you give a set of these coasters to your family or friends, they will first ask you how you did this! Then, they will be awed by your artistic talents.

So, grab the above listed supplies and start making individualized art that CANNOT be duplicated! Please know that you can make coasters or for a different look, buy small wall hangers and use some heavy duty craft glue to affix to the back so you create a wall hanging. Your possibilities really are endless. Don't forget to add your initials to the back of each tile, after all it is your masterpiece and an artist always signs his work!

So, what are you waiting for? Go make some art! Good luck and above all else...

HAVE FUN!!

Thanks for reading my Hub !