Tutorial

I thought I would post the "how to's" for those of you wishing to try your own tiles at home.  After stamping the image on my marble tiles using Staz-On ink (important!), I coloured them in using both my Stampin' Up chalks and water-colour pencil crayons.  I'm not sure that others use the pencil crayons, but I know for sure that other demonstrators are using the chalks.  I will let you know if through some disaster my water-colour pencils ruin a coaster.  I am hoping that the finishing spray I use is enough to keep them sealed.

I add the chalk pigment to the tile with a Q-tip, dabbing and pressing the colour where I want it to show.  I try to use a number of different colours and shades in each image to give it dimension.  When this pear is done it will likely have 4 shades of green and 3 of yellow in it.

 When I have the colours just the way I want them it will be time to put them in the oven.  I put my tiles in for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees C.  The theory here is that the ink and pigments will bake on to the tile.  I'm not sure about the science behind the idea, but if any of you has the answer, let me know.  Either way, baking seems to do no harm to the tiles.  Once they are cooled I spray the tiles with a Krylon finishing spray.  It is important to keep a distance of about a foot when spraying.  Spraying too closely may dilute your image and blur the Staz-On.  I like to do 3 - 5 light coats of spray using the matte finish.  A friend who used the shiney spray found it left her tiles a bit sticky.  

The final step is to adhere cork or felt do-dads to the bottom in the corners.  This will prevent your coasters from scratching your table tops.  I have heard of some spraying liquid engine sealant on their tiles prior to using the finishing spray.  This is supposed to make your tiles safe to use with hot drinks, as apparently very high heat can damage the finished coating.  I have not ever used this technique, as I don't imagine anything I drink is THAT hot.  Let me know if you have had experience with this though.  I am curious to know if I am omitting a critical step.

What do you thing of this handsome young buck?