Scrabble Coasters

Love words? Love handmade? Looking for unique DIY wedding ideas? You will be smitten with these DIY Scrabble Coasters!
Not only are they a cinch to make, they are inexpensive and tres chic!
If you are having a small wedding, why not use these as name cards that double as favors? They would also make fabulous bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts.

For each coaster you will need:

• 25 Scrabble tiles(resale shops and yard sales are good places to find used Scrabble games.. you can also find them online)
• cork board
• carpenter’s glue
• Xacto knife
• varnish (I used marine varnish)
• paint brush
• Special Effects Aging Glaze or wood stain

DIY Scrabble Coasters Tutorial
Pick out your tiles.

Pick out letters for desired name.

Paint name letters with aging glaze or stain and let dry.

Place tiles on cork board and trace around them with a pencil. (If you are in a hurry, skip this step and simply add carpenter’s glue to cork board.)

Remove tiles and add carpenter’s glue to cork board inside the traced square.
Add Scrabble tiles to the cork board, beginning in the corner. Pay attention to the letters – you might inadvertently create some swear words.

Using an Xacto knife, cut around the tiles. Try to get as close to the edge as possible.

Varnish.

Let dry. (You can give it another coat if you want.)

Use as name cards at your wedding, or give as bridesmaid or groomsmen gifts!

Feather Ornaments

They're super cute and really easy. Oh, and they only require a few inexpensive materials to make!

What you need:

- Clear, empty ornaments

- feathers (I used large inexpensive white ones and accented them with smaller more expensive teal feathers).

- a long stick (I used a wooden skewer)

- White ribbon

Directions:

Step 1: Open ornaments by removing top metal piece.

Step 2: Add first accent feather (teal feather). Bunch up white larger feather so that it is bent in several places. Push feather into ornament carefully as not to disturb accent feather. add another accent feather, clearing away a small place for it against the glass using stick or skewer. Add another white feather. Continue until there are evenly spaced accent feathers against glass and the inner white feathers are dense enough to keep accent feathers in place.

Step 3: Top with another accent feather and snap metal piece back into place.

Step 4: Cut Ribbon (I cut mine about 10-12 inches long and trimmed once bow was tied and I was happy with length). Tie knot in ribbon so that there is an equal length of ribbon on both sides. Make sure the knot is low enough to give room to hang ornament. Tie bow onto metal piece of ornament topper.

Step 5: Give it as a gift, hang it on your tree, or use it to decorate however you choose!

Vase Centerpieces

Step 1: Fill with Peppermint Candies

For a display that has both form and function, fill clear vases with Christmas candy then encourage hungry guests to dig in! For a spectacular striped look, we used a variety of pepper mints including sticks, circles and rectangles.

Step 2: Fill with Ornaments

Bright, shiny ornaments are always eye-catching on a table. We separated round glass ornaments by color, and then put each color in a different vase. You could also fill the containers with the same color of ornaments or use ornaments with different shapes, such as stars.

Step 3: Fill with Acorns

An impressive centerpiece is as easy as the nearest pine tree! Collect small, medium and large pinecones. You could even purchase white-tipped pinecones from a craft store.

Mosaic Christmas Trees

Step 1: Wash Tiles

Wash mirror tiles in warm water and dishwashing detergent; dry thoroughly.

Step 2: Add Tiles to Bottom of Tree

Place a strip of double-sided tape around the bottom of one tree. Adhere 1/2-in. x 1/2-in. mirror tiles onto the tape in any pattern you desire. Place another strip of tape around the tree close to the top of the tiles you just attached. Adhere tiles onto the tape. Repeat until all but about 1/2 in. at the top of the tree is covered with tiles.

TIP

The number of tiles needed depends on the size of the trees used. To cover one 9-in., one 12-in. and one 15-in. tree, we used about 800 silver 1/2-in. tiles, 200 blue 1/2-in. tiles and 33 silver 1- x 1/4-in. tiles.

Step 3: Add Tiles to Top of Tree

Add tape. Adhere 1-in. x 1/4-in. tiles vertically around the top of the tree. Glue a silver ball ornament on top. Repeat the process with the other two Styrofoam trees.

Taste of Home[+]

Decorate Clear Glass Ornaments

Step 1: Fill with Ribbons and Tinsel

Remove the cap of the ornament; set aside. Roll ribbon pieces, a stamped plastic circle or foam stickers around a pencil; slip inside the ornament. Add artificial snow if desired; replace cap. You can also fill ornaments with artificial greens, pieces of glitter garland or any other Christmas decorations.

Step 2: Decorate with Glitter and Paint

Remove the cap of the ornament; set aside. Pour craft varnish inside the ornament, rotating it until the-entire in side is coated. Pour the excess varnish back into the container; stand the ornament upside down in a small disposable cup until no more varnish comes out.
Pour one or more colors of fine glitter or acrylic paint inside the ornament. Cover the opening with your finger; shake (for glitter) or rotate (for paint) until the inside is completely covered. Shake out excess glitter. Stand ornament upside down until dry. Replace cap. If desired, decorate outside of ornaments with sequins or stickers.

Step 3: Wrap with Tissue Paper

Tear tissue paper into small pieces. With a sponge brush, apply glue to a small area on the ornament; place a piece of the tissue paper over it. Continue adding the glue and tissue paper, overlapping pieces slightly, until the entire ornament is covered. Let dry.

Paper Star and Christmas tree