Simple Sixteen Cent Coasters

Yep, you read that right... 16 pennies per coaster (granting you have spray paint and lace already)

Our coasters were pretty dinky. Just your standard Wal-Mart coasters that my parents picked up when we moved in and didn't have any (Don't get me wrong, they served us well for a full year). After making precious little hand print coasters for Father's Day with my class at the preschool (you're welcome dads), I got to thinking. "Hm, that was really easy. Not to mention super cheap. I bet I could come up with something cool to go on the tiles." Thus the wheels started turning. I thought about using my new stamp letters for quotes, painting something, patterns, then it hit me. I love lace. LOVE it. I'd seen where people spray painted through lace with beautiful results, so I googled it, and what do ya know? There it is, the exact same idea in Martha Stewart. 

What can I say? Great minds think alike. 

In her tutorial she recommends using a spray adhesive to keep the lace in place while you spray paint. I can see the advantage, but it really isn't necessary. I just laid the lace on top and sprayed through it. It only takes maybe 5 seconds, so my lace didn't move around. A couple times I tucked it under on the side just to be sure. After it dried, I turned it over and sprayed the bottoms as well. Just because. Then I sprayed a clear coat to make them shiny and extra safe from chipping.

I had this metallic silver spray paint from when I spray painted a bright orange lamp to a sleek silver. I'm loving the metallic these days. The lace is from Hobby Lobby a while back. The tiles are in the flooring section of Lowe's or Home Depot and are literally 16 cents a piece. I got six.

This is an example of tucking it in place (And my go-to spray painting protection barrier... aka - an old towel)

Viola! Sleek and chic sixteen cent tile coasters! I'm sure if I had used that spray adhesive, you'd have been able to see more details of the lace, but I really didn't feel like driving back out to Lowe's for one thing...

Okay, let's talk details folks. I believe that true DIY crafts are all about the little something-extras you add to personalize it or make it unique. Taking inspiration from several sources and meshing them together.

I used the aforementioned letter stamps to add our monogram to the back. Fits perfectly. 

I also added those little self-adhesive cork pads, which also fit perfectly in the squares (They are actually cupboard door stoppers and were about $2.50 for 32. Don't quote me on that)

What I love most is the coral accents on the edges. It adds just the right amount of interest. I had them sitting around for a couple weeks before I added the coral, and let me just say, it made all the difference. Before, they just didn't feel complete. Now they feel neat and colorful. 

Ahhh! I spy a baby booty!

I was inspired by Madigan Made's neon edged trivets. Also a very neat idea.

I didn't have any coral on hand, so I mixed some red and orange with a fleshy peach paint to get a lovely shade of coral. It's more orangey and less pinky in real life. And less neony.

Don't you just love that stack of vintage LIFE magazines? We bought several from 8th Avenue Antiques here in Nashville. They are from the 60's, and the one on top is my favorite! It's all about prizewinning pictures from that year. There is also one about the moon landing! One day I hope to be able to display them more properly, maybe in the office.  Someday.

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Stay tuned!

Haley

Broccolisauri and Falafel Rappers

Lessons from preschool:

As I was trying to diffuse the tension between two 5 year-old boys arguing over dinosaur toys, I pulled on my educational-pants and tried to teach them a thing or two in the process. It went a little something like this: {lets call them John and Johnny}

{John} Teacher! Johnny won't share the T-rex toy!

{Me} Well, John, Why don't you play with one of the other dinosaurs?

{John} No! I don't like those!

**This is the part where I'm racking my brain about dinosaurs. Specifically honing in on Jurassic Park**

{Me} Look, here is a raptor! These are my favorite dinosaurs. Do you know why?

**Insert children's intrigue**

{Me} Because they are smart! The Tyrannosaurus Rex may be big and mean...

{Johnny interjects} AND he has big teeth!

{Me}... yep, they sure do. By the Velociraptor is smart. They have big brains! They have friends and work together. Did you ever see a group of T-rexes together?

{John} {Or the other one, I don't remember} No. Just the momma and the baby

{Me} So the Raptors are cool because they are smart and they have friends and work together

{John} Yeah! I like Falafel Rappers! They have big claws!

{Me} ... uh-huh (Crisis averted!)

Let's you and I review.

They potentially just learned the following things:

1. The name "velociraptor"

2. That they are social and co-operative creatures

3. T-Rex is a solitary creature, not social or co-operative

4. Moral lessons such as being big and strong isn't the most important thing

5. Being smart is cool

6. Working and playing together benefits everyone

But really all they heard was:

1. Falafel Rappers are cool. Big claws!

All-in-all: They just got schooled on dinos and didn't even know it. Did you notice that Velociraptor because Falafel Rapper? I think that is an improvement that the scientific community needs to recognize. Later, as I was essentially quizzing them on dinos, the brontosaurus became a broccolisaurus. I literally laughed out loud. I couldn't help myself. It was so cute.

Side note: I totally just got schooled, too, because I had no idea that "velociraptor" was one word. 

***

I was also impressed with a 3-year-old boy who apparently has an environmentally-conscious family because this went down:

We monitor the kids as they go potty and wash their hands because so many of them either sit and play in the water all day, or they try to get sly and just run water over them and not actually clean them with soap. In this case, a little girl was playing in the water. 

She was actually putting her hand around the faucet so that water was spraying all over the counter. 

I told her something along the lines of, "We don't play in the water when we wash our hands. See how much water was wasted on the counter?" 

...at which point the little boys behind her says, "Yeah, if you waste the water, the earth will die!" 

Again, I couldn't help but giggle and just say "That's right." What killed me was the way he said it so dramatically and bug-eyed. 

***

Oh and I unintentionally taught the 3-year-olds to say "Look at my sweet moves" when they dance. Kids really do repeat everything you say.

I hope to have an update about the rest of the week soon including another concert (crazy, right?) and antique store finds.

So stay tuned!
Haley