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Leaf-Imprinted Coasters

Materials:

  • Self-hardening pottery clay
  • Wax paper
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Rolling pin
  • Cardboard
  • Scissors
  • Nature objects (such as leaves, pine needles, pinecones, and branches)
  • Butter knife
  • Matte or gloss acrylic liquid varnish or polyurethane varnish
  • Paint brush
  • Acrylic craft paint
  • Household sponges
 

photo of coasters

Recommended for children in grade 3 and up.
Materials are available at your local discount store and craft store.


Directions

Step 1: Create a template by cutting a 4-inch square out of cardboard. 
measuring 4" marking 4" with a pencil cutting cardboard cardboard square

Step 2: Cover the work area with a piece of wax paper and use a rolling pin to flatten a 2 1/2-inch ball of clay to 1/4-inch thickness for each coaster. Arrange a pattern of leaves or pine needles atop the clay.
rolling clay out arranging leaf on clay arranging pinecones on clay arranging materials on clay


Step 3: Gently press them into the clay with the rolling pin, leaving distinct, but fairly shallow depressions. Make pinecone images by gently pressing the cones into the clay by hand. Remove the plant material.
rolling leaves into clay rolling leaf into clay pressing pinecone into clay lifting leaf out of clay


Step 4: Place the cardboard template on top of the clay. Use a butter knife to cut around the cardboard, then lift away the excess clay. Place the coasters on a clean piece of wax paper and set aside to dry according to the package directions; this can take a day or so.
placing cardboard square on clay cutting off edges of coaster removing excess pieces putting coaster in clean area to dry


Step5: Once the coasters have dried completely, cover with a thin layer of varnish. Let dry for 45 minutes. Accent the designs using a damp sponge to apply a light layer of paint to the raised area of the coaster and dab a little more into the depressions to highlight them. Highlighting the depressions can also be done by painting them a different color and then applying paint to the raised area of the coaster with a sponge. Let the paint dry thoroughly before adding a last coat of varnish.
applying varnish dabbing paint on coaster pressing paint into leaf indentation coaster after paint application

coaster 1 coaster 2 coaster 3

(This activity was adapted from an activity at http://family.go.com/crafts/buildmodel/craft/leafcoast/)

 

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