Make Glass Coasters in a Snap

Coasters aren’t usually very expensive, but you can make a set of glass and copper coasters that not only look extremely expensive, but are also one-of-a-kind. The coasters are very easy to make and can be created with a variety of inexpensive craft supplies.

Finding the glass you’ll use is the most difficult part of making the glass and copper coasters. Purchase old picture frames where the glass is still intact, purchase small glass panes at a hardware or home improvement store, or purchase small glass pieces at a craft store. You can even ask at a glass store if they have small pieces they’ve cut away from larger pieces. They’ll usually sell these pieces very cheap. The glass should be clear, and beveled edges are nice, but not mandatory.

Pressed flowers look beautiful when positioned between panes of glass. The flowers can be real or silk. Add some greenery and maybe a small silk butterfly or two for a beautiful garden scene. After arranging the objects on top of the first glass piece, place the second pane on top. It’ll be much easier to work with the panes of glass if you set them on top of something that will raise it up off the table.

Copper tape can be found at craft stores or home improvement stores, by the roll. It works just like tape but gives a copper-look finish to craft projects. Use the tape to hold the two pieces of glass together. Tape one side and miter the ends. Do the same to the other three sides. Small wooden, rubber, or plastic disks will keep the glass coaster from scratching any surface on which it is placed. Simply glue the disks onto the back of the coasters and set where you please.

There are many different scenes that you can make for your coasters. Try painting the first piece of glass with blue water color then place fish stickers all over. Now position the top glass and add copper tape. The water scene is cheap and easy to do. Even cheaper and easier is to choose a piece of scrapbook paper, which comes in all sorts of themes nowadays, and cut the paper pieces to the size of the coasters.

Other items you can use between the glass panes include sand, magazine pictures, thin cloth, poetry, pieces of sheet music, wrapping paper, wallpaper, foil cut-outs and doilies. The design is your own and each one you make will be unique and different.

The glass pane arrangement doesn’t necessarily have to be made into coasters. Make a larger design and place it on a plate holder, make a huge design and adhere it to your headboard or footboard, or make a design that will hang on your bathroom wall. The glass coaster project makes a great gift and is simple enough for kids to create.