Holiday Card Coasters

Up-cycle your holiday cards by transforming them into spectacular coasters you can use for any occasion with this simple, step-by-step guide.

How to Create Holiday Card Coasters

Create your own holiday card photo coasters in minutes with these supplies:

• Cork coasters measuring 4 inches across
• Holiday cards
• Mod Podge
• Foam brush
• Acrylic sealer spray
• Hot glue
• Old newspaper, cloth or protective paper

After you've gathered your supplies, it's time to get started. The total project time is about 4 hours, but most of that is the time you spend waiting for the Mod Podge and acrylic sealer to dry. Follow these steps:

• Cut your cards
• Attach the cards to the tiles
• Cover the cards with Mod Podge
• Spray with acrylic sealant
• Attach felt pads or cork coasters

Here's a closer look at each step so you can create your own up-cycled holiday card coasters. (And by the way, now's a great time to create your own holiday photo cards if you haven't already done so.)

<H3>1. Cut the Cards</h3>

Cut your holiday cards into the right sizes and shapes for your coasters. If you're using holiday photo cards, trim the picture as necessary; if you're going for a card's design elements, you can cut them out together or separately and rearrange them on the tile.

Pro tip: Try to cut the card about 0.25 inches smaller than the tile on each side. That way, you're working with a 4-inch-by-4-inch piece that you can center on each tile.

2. Attach the Cards to the Cork

Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the back of the card. Line it up on the tile and press it firmly in place. If some Mod Podge comes out from behind the card, gently wipe it away, moving outward so you don't smear it on the card itself.

Pro tip: Pay special attention to the corners and edges. If you're not careful, they can curl or lift as the Mod Podge dries.

Wait for the Mod Podge to dry completely before you move on to the next step.

3. Cover the Cards in Mod Podge

Cover the cards and tiles in Mod Podge with the foam brush. Mod Podge leaves a textured finish, so make sure your brush strokes are even and consistent. Brush from one side to the other, and don't worry that the Mod Podge is white; it'll be clear when it dries.

Wait for the coating to dry completely before you apply a second and third coat. Again, keep your brush strokes even and consistent on every coat.

It can take several hours for three coats of Mod Podge to dry completely, but you can't skip this step. Fortunately, you can take that time to create a Year in Review photo book for your family or create other special photo books to give as gifts.

4. Spray the Tiles With Sealant

When your three coats of Mod Podge have dried completely, take your tile coasters outside or to a well-ventilated space, like a garage with the door open. Put them on a dropcloth or old newspaper, making sure to secure the edges - if the wind blows the paper or cloth over on your tiles, it's going to stick to the acrylic spray.

Spray each tile evenly with acrylic sealer, moving side to side. Follow the instructions on the can to find out how far you should hold the nozzle from the tiles.

Reapply two more coats of acrylic sealer to each tile, making sure the last coat is completely dry before you apply another.

Pro tip: Always use acrylic sealer. While it might be tempting to leave the Mod Podge as-is without coating it in sealer, you have to know that it'll become sticky when a warm mug sits on top of it - and if something spills, the Mod Podge can get wet and smear.

5. Attach Felt Pads or Cork Coasters

If you're using felt pads, affix one to each corner of the underside of the tile. If you're using cork coasters that are the same size as your tiles, use a hot glue gun to attach them.

This step is optional, but it helps protect other surfaces from the coasters themselves - and it prevents them from hitting each other and breaking when you stack them.

Have You Created DIY Holiday Card Coasters?

If you've pulled off this fun, easy project, we'd love to see how your coasters turned out. Share a link in the comments below or tag us in a picture on Instagram (we're @Mixbook).