During COVID, like everyone else, I suddenly had a lot more time at home.
And apparently I decided I needed coasters.
Not store-bought coasters, of course. That would have been much too easy.
I started with simple 4 x 4 travertine tiles and began experimenting. I already had rubber stamps and ink pads, chalk paint, acrylic paints, Mod Podge and all sorts of other supplies that tend to accumulate when you like making things.
So I started playing.
Some tiles I painted completely. Others I left mostly natural because I liked the texture and imperfections of the travertine. I used rubber stamps to add designs, played with different colors and occasionally added touches of gold or silver.
Once I started, there were so many possibilities.
A different stamp completely changed the look. A little metallic paint made one feel more elegant. Chalk paint gave another a softer finish. Some were colorful and fun, while others were much simpler.
Eventually I started using UV resin as a finish. Applied with a silicone brush and cured, it gave the surface a smooth, protective coating and made the colors and designs stand out even more.
Of course, I didn’t need this many coasters.
But that really wasn’t the point.
They became an easy handmade gift. I could make a set to match someone’s home, choose colors I knew they would like, or use a design that reminded me of them. Four little pieces of stone suddenly became a very personal gift.
They were also simply fun to make.
There was no complicated plan and no need to spend days finishing a project. I could sit down for an afternoon with a few tiles, pull out my paints and stamps and see what happened.
Some combinations worked better than others. Some I would probably never make again. And every once in a while I made one that I liked so much I didn’t particularly want to give it away.
That’s part of the fun of experimenting.
Looking through these photographs now takes me back to those strange COVID days when so many of us were looking for things to do at home. For me, making things has always been a good way to fill an afternoon.
And if, at the end of it, I have something useful, something pretty, and perhaps a handmade gift for someone I love, even better.
