Mini Pallet Coasters

Okay, these things are ridiculously cute. Super easy to make and did I mention ahh-dorable? I mean who doesn't want little pallets as a coaster? The answer no one. Everyone will love these.

First things, first. Materials you will need to make the Pallet Coasters:

• popsicle sticks (14 per coaster)
• hot glue gun
• wood stain/paint (optional) 
• upper body strength to cut the popsicle sticks

Now, this is a multi hour/day process. Mainly because of the wood staining and painting. If you choose not to stain the coasters, it is a simple, hour process to make a set. Mine, however, are the semi-lengthly staining included process. I think the stained wood makes them look more realistic and less like, well, popsicle sticks. 

So, here you go. 

Pallet Coasters

First, you need to cut the popsicle sticks. Basically, the gist is to cut off the rounded part so they are square. This is a difficult and painful task. My thumbs still hurt from using the scissors to force the sticks into pallet shapes. I'm pretty sure they will be bruised. But totally worth it. 

After the painful cutting process.

After all your popsicle sticks are now pallet shaped, you need warm up your hot glue gun. **Warning: Hot glue guns are actually quite hot. You think someone in my age range would know this, but no. Even though I knew this, there is now skin missing from my fingers because I absentmindedly touched the hot glue. I guess I am not the sharpest set of scissors in the craft box. If you think I would learn after burning myself once, you would be wrong. I did not learn. 

Next, you must make the frame of the pallet. Take two popsicle sticks and place them flat on the table. Then glue the sides to the bottom sticks, like below on the left. This will be the base to your pallet.  

The top comes next. Glue each popsicle stick in a row down the base, like above on the right. 

After your top section is complete, I added a third stick as a brace on the bottom. I figured that if I used the coasters for something heavy or if I drunkenly slammed a drink down, it wouldn't break. Thinking ahead, genius, I know. 

After they are all put together, they will look like this.

Mini pallets, seriously adorable. 

Painting/staining comes next. I made a turquoise set for my friend Anders, a stained set for my friend Matt (I am debating whether or not he gets his, he was rude to me today,) and another stained set for myself. Anders' are obviously painted. The others are stained.

Painted Version: 

I used basic acrylic craft paint, one coat worked just fine. I let them dry for around 25 minutes.

Patio/Beach house ready!

And tada! Lovely painted pallet coasters, perfect for containing the condensation from your fruity drink at your beach house.

Stained Version: 

I only have a few things to say regarding staining. One, wood stain smells. Two, it doesn't stain your hands, but the smell remains until you have washed them a good fifty times. Ew, I know.

I used Minwax Wood Finish in an Early American 230A. Sounds like a professional choice right? I mainly chose this because it is what my dad had lying around his garage. I recommend using the spray version. It went on cleaner and way easier. Unfortunately, I ran out of the spray after doing the back of the coasters, so I moved to the paint on stain. Thus, the hands smelling of wood stain.

When you're staining, you need minimal amount of stain for each pallet. With stain, more is definitely less. The more you put on, the longer it takes to dry. 

The coasters turned out so great. I think they will be perfect on a deck or at a beach house (as my friend Sarah said.) I love mine. I am hoping that Anders and Matt love theirs too. Maybe I'll make more, if the feeling ever comes back into my thumbs. 

Go get your drink on and enjoy your new adorable pallet coasters. 

*Special thanks goes to my friend Sarah, mainly because she moved popsicle sticks from one paper towel to another as they dried and ate my pizza as I put them together. But I love her anyways. 

**No popsicles were harmed in the making of this blog, only thumbs. Seriously, my thumb still hurts. This is not okay.