Welcome to CC's New Design Team Banner Blog Hop!

Hi! Thanks for stopping by! We’ve all been looking forward to sharing our projects with you. You should have arrived at my blog (Miwa) from Nina’s blog. If not, please start over from Amber's blog and hop your way along, leaving comments (several of us are offering blog candy!)! At the end of this post, I’ll tell you how you can win some blog candy and send you on your way to the next destination. Don’t forget to return to Cropchocolate.com’s blog and leave a comment in order to be entered in a drawing for the blog hop prize! Amber will select and announce that winner on the morning of July 31.  

And now… on to our regularly scheduled program!

As you know, banners have been one of the next “big things” in crafting and there are so many ways that you can use them. I’ve recently become inspired by Mod Podge again, so when the blog hop challenge was issued, I decided to make a different kind of banner – a moveable banner that was practical and decorative. Voila! Custom-made banner coasters!

Here’s what you’ll need:

CC-items: Echo Park “Note to Self” patterned paper and cardstock; your trusty Slice machine, two MM Slice Design Cards “Paws and Claws” and “Salutations”; Doodlebug Frills

Non-CC items: Mod Podge (Plaid), acrylic sealant, Daltile tiles  (one for each letter you’ll need, or a total of 7 tiles for “welcome”), sponge brushes

Optional: MM Slice brayer, sand paper, heavy duty bumper pads

You can find these 4" tiles at any home improvement store. I got lucky and found a box of 25 tiles at the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore for $5! What a score! 

Step #1 – Cutting the papers

First, let's get all of our paper cutting done. Using your handy dandy Slice machine, cut the banners using the MM “Salutations” Slice design card. To back the pennant, I hand-cut a shadow banner (using red cardstock). Background papers were cut to completely cover the tiles (4” squares) and 4” strips of Doodlebug Frills were also cut (for the “string” holding the banner together). Last but not least, I used the MM “Paws and Claws” Slice design card for the letters spelling "WELCOME".

Now you’re ready to Mod Podge! You’ll want to protect your workspace with newspaper for easy clean-up.

Step #2 – Adhering the background papers

Mod Podge is extremely easy to work with, so don’t be intimidated! Basically, it’s the “before” and “after” glue… layer upon layer… and although it goes on white, it dries clear (so don't panic!). There are several different formulations on the market, but I like to work with the “glossy” variety.

Wash/wipe off your tiles to make sure the surface is clean. Using a sponge brush, apply a layer of Mod Podge on the tile and then cover with a background piece of paper. If you are concerned about air bubbles underneath, you can smooth things down with a brayer. After things have dried (30 minutes to an hour, depending on the room temperature), brush on another 2-3 coats of Mod Podge on top of the paper. You can either trim excess paper off with a craft knife/scissors or sand it down.

Step #3 – Adhering the banner

Once your background paper is securely glued to the tile, it’s time to start adding the banner pieces. Brush a layer of Mod Podge on the background paper, and then add the red shadow pieces – don’t forget to add more Mod Podge! When the shadow pieces are dry, add the patterned banner, followed by more Mod Podge. Finally, add the letter and the frill strip (you can do these at the same time), brushing on a few more additional coats of Mod Podge.

Step #4 – Final Mod Podging and sealing

You’re almost done! If you plan to use the coaster, then you should finish things off with a few coats of acrylic sealer to render things waterproof and more protected. I took mine outside, elevated it on a yogurt container, and sprayed 3 quick coats (15 minutes drying time between each one). You should let it dry for another 48 hours before using the coaster. If you’re concerned about scratching the surface of whatever the coaster will be on (your tabletop), then you should add felt pads or plastic heavy duty bumpers to the bottom.


Step #5 – Final finished banner

I’m never satisfied with the lighting conditions in my house, so here  is the same banner inside and outside the house (this just to demonstrate that the colors of this collection really are bright and snappy).

Inside the house:

Outside the house (it's a glass tabletop so those are the concrete lines of the patio below):

You can stack your banner coasters, or arrange them on your table –  however your mood strikes you! I personally like mine in a sweeping pattern (as seen above), but you can also put them in a straight line as well. Enjoy!

And now, here’s your chance to win some blog candy! I recently purchased from baker’s twine (it’ is thicker than that from the Twinery) and wanted to share some with a lucky winner (to be chosen at random). You’ll receive 10 yards each of 6 different colors (pink, red, turquoise, gray, yellow, and purple). How can anyone have too much twine, right?

In order to be eligible, please become a follower of my blog and post a comment on this particular post. You have until 8 am (Pacific Time) on July 30th to leave a comment (please also make sure that you leave an email address so I'll know how to contact you). I’ll select and announce my winner the morning of July 31^st.

Thanks again for visiting! Please hop along now to Brittany's blog. Happy crafting!