Mod Podge/Dyed Coasters

What you'll need:

• Stone tiles (glazed ceramic tiles will not work) I get mine from Home Depot...they come in a pack of 9 for around $5
• Mod Podge
• Any color Rit Dye (Kelly Green featured here)
• Buckets for dyeing
• Printer paper/access to printer
• Cookie sheet
• Glue gun
• Furniture dots
• Scissors
• Gloves/tarp (optional)

1. Print black and white images on printer paper large enough to cover your stone tiles.
2. Make sure your tiles are clean (rinse and dry) and apply a layer of mod podge on the tiles.  Allow to dry.
3. Liberally apply mod podge on the printed side of your paper.  Lay the paper (printed side/mod podge side down) on your tile and press down.
4. Bake in oven at 170 degrees for 20 minutes.
5. Allow to cool.
6. Using water and a sponge (or fingers) gently rub off paper from tiles.  The ink from the paper will be left behind on the mod podge stuck on the tile.  Rinse and continue to rub paper off until completely removed.
   
7. Once dry, prepare dye bath.  For the coasters above I used Rit's Kelly Green (1/4 cup Kelly Green with 2 cups warm-hot water).
8. Submerge tiles in dye bath (completely or partially depending on look you are going for). Leave in until desired color is reached and rinse.
   
9. After dyeing allow tiles to completely dry.
10. (Optional: Apply another layer of mod podge over tiles-not necessary but for added protection-allow to dry)
11. Cut furniture protector dots and hot glue them into the corners of the tile.
    
    
    
12. Enjoy with your favorite beverage!

Here are some more pictures of coasters I have made-they are great, inexpensive, easy gifts for friends and family!

Mod Podge Dyed Frame

What You'll Need:

• Wood frame (You can get these super cheap at Walmart and craft stores like Michaels)
• Mod Podge
• Sponge brush
• Printer paper/access to black and white printer
• Rit Dye (Lemon Yellow and Sunshine Orange used here)

1. Print a black and white pattern on printer paper large enough to completely cover frame.
   
2. Apply mod podge to front of wood frame and let dry.
   
   
   
3. Apply a liberal layer of mod podge to pattern side of paper.
4. While it's still wet, press the paper pattern side down on the top of the frame.
   
5. Allow to dry. This may take several hours.
6. Once dry, wet fingers and gently rub off paper.  The ink will be left behind on the mod podge on the frame.  Wet frame and rub off rest of paper.
   
7. Prepare dye bath. I chose to use Rit's Lemon Yellow and Sunshine Orange to create my own custom color (Approx. 1/4 cup Lemon Yellow and 1 tbs Sunshine Orange with 2 cup water).
8. Dip frame into dye bath (I dipped the bottom 1/4 of my frame). Leave in until desired color is reached.
   
9. Allow to dry.

Dyed Wood Table from Goodwill

Furniture can be expensive...especially if you're needing to furnish an entire apartment like like recently had to.  But there are options.
I went to my local Goodwill and purchased this solid oak table for just $15!

With a little sanding and a few bottles of RIT the table was completely transformed.

What you'll need:

• Wood table
• Handheld sander
• RIT dye (I used 1 bottle of Teal and 2 bottles of Black for this project)
• Paint brush or sponge brush
• Polyurethane to coat (optional)
• Gloves, plastic tarp (optional)

1. First, you'll need a smooth, untreated surface to dye-so get out your sander and get to work! (remember to always sand with the grain of the wood)
   
2. Once you have a sanded surface, prepare your dye.  I diluted my dye in buckets before applying (About 1-2 cups of water for 1 bottle RIT dye).
3. If possible disassemble your table.  Luckily, my table came apart fairly easily so I was able to work on the legs and table top separately (which, I dyed different colors).  If your table does not come apart that's OK...it might just be a little extra work.
4. Using a sponge brush apply dye to table surface.  Apply in thin layers with the grain of the wood.  Let the dye soak into the wood before applying additional coats.
   
5. How many coats you apply will depend on the color you desire and the type of wood your table is made of.  My table is made of oak...which is one of the harder, less porous woods so it took a few more coats than the average wood table. I think I ended up applying about 5 coats each on the legs and table top.
6. Allow to completely dry (overnight).
7. Using dye as a stain works great because unlike a stain which sits at the surface of the wood, dye actually penetrates the wood.  For this reason a finishing coat is not necessary.  However, since this is a dining room table that will see a lot more wear than the average furniture, I decided to coat it with polyurethane (I ended up using a can and a half of the semi-gloss spray kind).
8. Allow to completely dry (overnight) and reassemble.

There you go-an affordable, completely one-of-a-kind table!

 

Wicker Chest

I got this beautiful wicker chest from Goodwill for $20! It was perfect...well, almost...it was just missing a little COLOR!

What you'll need:

• Wicker chest
• Color Perfect by Rit Dye (I used Amethyst Purple)
• Tarp or plastic garbage bags
• Gloves (optional)
• Polyurethane or other sealing agent (optional but not necessary) 

1. Place chest on tarp or garbage bag to protect flooring
2. Using Rit's Color Perfect and the spray nozzle (note: Color Perfect comes already diluted) spray the outside of the chest

 
3. Allow some time to dry (this gives the wicker some time to absorb the dye...it does not need to be completely dry to continue)
4. Now spray the inside of the chest and allow it to dry
5. Apply additional coats until desired color is reached (I applied 2 coats)
6. Optional: Coat with Polyurethane or other sealing agent

Chests make great coffee tables or decorative storage.  Be on the look out for one and get creative!