DIY Wino Coasters

We’re gearing up for the Fourth of July and last weekend certainly has me prepared.  On Friday I had a work outing at Monmouth Race track down the shore.  It was HOT HOT HOT but the beer was free and I didn’t have to work so there were no complaints from me.  Conveniently, I was meeting college friends down in Atlantic City so I was already half way down the Parkway and ready to have an eventful outing with some of the best drinkers I know.

We stayed at Atlantic Club which, as it turns out, is exactly where we stayed last time, just with a new name.  It was an awesome college reunion, complete with Harrah’s Pool partying, a freak storm that left us stranded at Harrah’s because taxis weren’t running due to flooded roads, and then a 2:30 a.m. drunk breakfast via the hotel’s backup power.  It was an awesome weekend.  Unfortunately, the next day I got freakishly sunburned while going further down the coast to Sea Isle City with Tom’s family.  I’m a little achy, but I digress…

Let’s get down to some good old DIY projects featuring the items that are easiest for me to collect – wine bottles!  I was convinced my coasters had to be homemade because they seemed like an easy sentiment to create.  So, I decided to make my wine holders coasters out of some favorite wine labels.  I admit, I had to get some help from Dad on this one, otherwise I would have had four coasters featuring Two Buck Chuck labels! 🙂

Here’s how it’s done!

You will need:

• Wine labels (the larger the better to cover the tile)
• Plain white tiles (mine were 16 cents at Home Depot!)
• Modge Podge (I used Puzzle Modge Podge because it was half the price for the same thing!)
• Cork roll (or plain cork sheets – whatever is cheapest)
• Glue gun (or any strong glue)
  

  For $4, you can create homemade coasters that represent your favorite wines! ($1 for 4 tiles, $3 for cork – we’ll assume you have glue and scissors laying around!)

First, peel off wine labels and stick them onto wax paper until you’re ready to use them.  To remove wine labels from the bottle, first try filling the empty bottle with warm water from the faucet.  Let sit for several minutes and try to peel off the corner.  If it still does not come easily, boil the bottle in a pot of water.  Use a flat object to gently peel the label off.  Let dry on waxed paper.

Once you have your labels, apply Modge Podge onto the tile.  Place label in the center and add more Modge Podge to the top.  Note: It looks white but it WILL dry clear!

Once dried, apply another coat of Modge Podge.

Finally, cut cork pieces slightly smaller than the tiles.  Hot glue the cork onto the tile.  Press firmly for a few second to make sure the cork is secure and flat on the bottom. (If you’re feeling ambitious you can try cutting wine works to make “feet” for the coasters.  I couldn’t get them to cut evenly but it would add a nice thematic touch!)

And voila!