Browsing the aisles of Kmart has always been one of my favorite pastimes. There’s just something irresistible about all the things to see and buy. Each visit seems to reveal a new must-have for our home, even though I know deep down it’s often just a bit of self-delusion.
One day, while searching for fun ideas for my friend’s bachelorette party, I stumbled upon some beautiful wooden coasters. An idea began to take shape: what if we engraved each person’s name on these coasters? It would make for a thoughtful party favor and help designate everyone’s seat.
Since then, these personalized coasters have become a special gift for the important people in our lives.
Process:
- Having seen the coasters in person and loving how they looked, we purchased a lot of them so that we would be able to use them as the basis for our project.
- Each occasion/gift we have used these for we have come up with bespoke designs for them. Whether a bridal silhouette with the guest names for a bridal shower, some meaningful puns with matching designs for family friends and midwife, or the family crest for our parents. Each one is thoughtfully and carefully designed with love.
- The most important thing was to layout the coasters correctly so the designs were centered. We achieved this by first cutting out placement circles in a piece of cardstock the size of the coasters so we could place them in the circle knowing where they were relative to the laser. From there we could etch them in batches.
- As the etching process leaves a small amount of charring, some attention with a microfibre cloth and Isopropyl Alcohol leaves them clean and ready for use.
From family and friends to even our midwives, we’ve crafted thoughtful designs to personalize each coaster. It’s our way of showing just how much they mean to us and how deeply we appreciate them. After all, everyone uses coasters, and their practical nature makes them universally useful. But it’s the custom design and etching that truly make each one extra special.
Things to Improve On
- Using store bought coasters, with a mix of sap and heart wood acacia, means that the laser etched differently (less effectively) on some parts of the design than others. Would be better to make our own coasters out of a single material.