Craft with Resene, from the Australian Women's Weekly
Impress your guests and protect surfaces with these unique wooden coasters.
What you'll need: Botanical images (see instructions), Lazertran Inkjet waterslide decal paper, scissors, wood slices either pre-made (available from various homeware stores) or cut from pine or teatree – sanded thoroughly, printer or photocopier, masking tape, Resene testpot paints. I used: Resene Whimsical, Resene Wax Flower, Resene Raindance, Resene White. Paintbrush, shallow tray, Resene Qristal Clear solventborne varnish.
Start by collecting your chosen imagery. Black and white sketches are ideal as they stand out well on the wood and Resene paint. Photocopy from old books or use the internet for free imagery. We chose vintage botanical images that were scaled and printed to fit each wood slice. It’s a good idea to scale and print out your images on normal paper before moving on to the waterslide decal paper to check that they are the right size. Print or copy your images onto the smooth, white eggshell side of the decal paper, following the package instructions.
Cut out the florals as closely to the image itself as possible.
Set cut-outs aside and move on to painting the wood slices. Use masking tape to section off the area you want to paint – this will also give you a nice clean edge (see pic below). Apply two coats of Resene testpot paint, allowing the first coat to dry before applying the second. When the second coat is completely dry, remove the masking tape.
Fill a shallow tray with a little water (approximately 4cm deep). Submerge each image for about a minute. It will curl up at first but don’t worry, as it will slowly unravel as it starts to release the backing. You can use your fingers to gently unfold and hold the image down. Once it has been properly soaked, the backing will easily come away from the printed image. Carefully place the image onto a wooden coaster, positioning it centrally over the painted and unpainted wood. The great thing about these decals is you have plenty of time to adjust your image before it dries.
Leave to dry completely. You’ll notice that as it dries your decal will start to turn white and the edges will become apparent. Don’t worry, as this changes in the next step.
Coat the entire coaster with Resene Qristal Clear solventborne varnish. This magically makes the white turn clear and the cut edges disappear! The black image also becomes more intense and the varnish seals your design for longevity.
Leave finished coasters to dry for at least 48 hours before using them.
Marsha Smith, Craft Editor. April 2019
Projects from the Australian Women's Weekly
View more project ideas from The Australian Women's Weekly magazine in the Resene weekend craft projects section.
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