Photo Transfer Coasters

Here are a few of the 520 coasters I ended up making for a local golf tournament. I initially used up my stash of JetPrint Photo paper, and then switched over to a decal paper. Of course, there were bumpy spots along the way, as there are bound to be in any large project, especially one that has a deadline!

I had to order the tumbled marble tiles, because of course Lowe's has stopped carrying the tiles I have always used--then the tumbled marble tiles  had LOTS of large holes in them, so I had to figure out how to fill the holes--I tried spackle, Golden Light Molding Paste, and white wood filler. The first two were much easier to use, but in the long run I think I liked the wood filler the best. But, spackling holes in 520 tiles, then sanding them after they dry, is a LONG process.

Then, of course, there's the job of gluing cork on the bottom of each tile--Cut the cork, glue the cork, stamp the cork with my name...I experimented with glues, and did you know that Gorilla Glue expands when it dries, leaving bubbly looking lines all around the edge of the cork? I didn't either. I don't recommend it for a project like this. In the end I think I like the contact cement the best, although it's slow going because you have to coat both surfaces with the glue and let it dry before you can put the two pieces together.

I ordered seven packages (ten sheets in each package) of decal paper, and when it arrived there was only ONE package! I panicked, leaving messages on the customer service phone number and emailing the company--but they fixed it, sending the other sixty sheets quickly enough that I could still manage to finish. I've got two-hundred some tiles sitting on my front porch and driveway, drying. I've got more topcoats to get on them, and then will package them in sets of four, tied up with twine, with wax paper between them.

Hopefully I'll get some orders for custom coasters--I'm taking a few with pix of my kids and house to the tile place, so people can see what can be done, and I'll post some on my Etsy site.

If there's any interest, I'll post a detailed tutorial on the whole process--