Mother-in-law present

My mother-in-law is the best at stuffing all of our stockings at Christmas. (She's the best at a lot of other things too!) And I can only show you this because I'm about 97% positive she does not read this because their internet up there in the Northwoods is slower than molasses.
Okay. So she is really great at picking out the perfect things for the 6 "kids". Their three kids plus spouses. Perfect things, like US magazine subscriptions, kitchen utensils that you can't believe you've lived without for this long, lotions made from tree sap from a tree in their woods (okay, not that, but she could totally do that). Snowflake earrings that match your holiday outfit perfectly. I love opening that stocking!
So, every year she stuffs our stockings and we "try" and stuff hers. I have trouble with that. I decided awhile ago that I wanted to make something for her. And this is what I came up with:

Coasters.

When all the family is together there just aren't enough of these to go around. I love them. And now I must make some for myself.

There is a long 'Days of Our Lives' tale about these coasters, and I intend to tell it, because it's been one of those days.

I started by running some errands with all three boys in the early morning. Opting to skip the Y because Baby G STILL has ear infections and sinus infections. So one of the boys has a meltdown at the first place we go. I'll let you guess which gorgeous, blue-eyed, blond-haired, troublemaker that was. Then we start running short on time and have to hurry to Home Depot and get the necessities for this project. I picked out a box of 9 travertine tiles for $5.49. Not bad, I thought. Then I went over to the drawer pulls to grab some pulls for "my sister's end tables turned my nightstands". They had a package of the ones I wanted, only 10 though, and I needed 12, so I had to get two more. When I got home to put them on, one of the two separate ones was a different color! Rats.

While P was at school and the other two were napping, I started on the coasters. The box said 9. Nine. One square foot. I checked it three times. It was sealed. No reason to expect any different. Right? Wrong. There were only 7! Rats again! So, I only have 6 coasters instead of 8. Bummer.

I was going to do animal silhouettes, but that didn't work. Then I decided to use my Cricut and do a stencil. That didn't work. So, I just decided to use the other part of the stencil and mod podge them on. Worked like a charm.

I know what you're going to ask. Why in the world did you use white cardstock and then paint it and then mod podge? Why didn't you just use black cardstock, or even better vinyl? Because. See, nothing is simple with me. Nothing is easy. It just isn't. Have I told you about this story?

 

Blue paint. Carpet. Not pretty. Then I covered it with a fabulous rug I got for 75% off at Pottery Barn Kids and then this happened. Dog. Chocolate. Vomit. Not pretty. And so the rug is ruined as well.

So, I printed them on white, painted them and mod podged. Then I sprayed them with some lacquer. That's right lacquer. Then stuck little feet on the back. They are perfect! I sure hope she likes them!

And if she doesn't, then I've got myself some fabulous coasters!

Linking to The Shabby Nest Frugal Friday, Frugalicious Friday at Finding Fabulous which this week is being hosted by Kathy at Creative Home Expressions, SNS at Funky Junk, Met Monday, Cottage Instincts, DIY Day, and Today's Creative Blog, because I just can't do enough self-promotion! And those ladies are fantastically creative. And I'm not even in the same hemisphere.