I know Autumn started more than a month ago but I can’t avoid posting this DIY. I’m been meaning to do this and putting it off for so long. I love having a hot cup of tea by my side but that also mean cup stains on the table. For the sake of my tables, I wanted to do cute Autumnal coasters to use around this time. I know it’s already November and in 21 days I need to change it for the Christmas decor, but Winter officially starts on the 21st of December so I still have time.

I love doing DIYs and this one is a good example of how much work they take. I spend an entire day just taking the photos don’t get me started on tests, pdf versions and drawing. It feels like it took a whole week – not true though. Even though, I had the best time but be ready to take time on this. I like to keep my DIYs easy but this one requires lots and lots of patience and teeny tiny details. If you are a perfectionist like me you are going to do this one.

Supplies:

Cork sheet 3mm thick
Templates – circular (about 10cm of diameter) and shaped (all PDFs are in A4 size)
Scissors
X-ato knife
Brushes (round and foam)
Acrylic paint
Acrylic Varnish
Permanent Marker

Note: Before starting to cut anything let the cork set flat on a table or even the floor. Don’t cut it if it’s curved because it will stay in that shape forever.

Circular Coasters

Step 1. Print and cut out every circle from the template. With the help of a marker trace the shape onto the cork. It doesn’t matter if you mess up a bit you are going to paint on top anyway.

Step 2. Once you have all the shapes draw start cutting them out with the x-ato knife. Try to keep the blade sharp or else you won’t get a clean cut and the cork will start to fall apart.

Step 3. Now cut out the small shapes inside. Place them in the centre – or what looks to you the centre – and outline it with the marker.

Step 4. Start by painting the coaster contouring the shape. Use a size 2 or 3 brush to help in the little corners and turns then paint the rest with a foam brush. I prefer to use the foam since it doesn’t leave the strokes marks and leaves a thin layer of paint. Also, paint the sides. Let it dry and paint the back with the same colour.

Base – Buff titanium or Ivory from Pébéo Studio acrylics (colour 65).

Note: Avoid using to much paint since the paint doesn’t have as much elasticity as the cork and it will crack. Also while painting try to do it with the cork flat on the table don’t pick it up or it might curl up a bit.

Step 5. Paint all the shapes with their base colour. First, you need to cut the cap of the acorn and the stem of the pumpkin since they are in different colours. Let it dry and then paint the pieces you left out.

Leaf – Carmine from Royal Talens Amsterdam acrylics (colour 318)
Pumpkin – Orange (no brand) and the stem in a dark green I mix up
Acorn – Light brown and the cupule in a dark brown. Both colours were made from scratch

Step 6. Before highlighting and shading, on the pumpkin coaster you need to draw all the ribs so you can paint the shades alongside with the bent. For this, cut the template by the lines while drawing in them with the marker. What really helps in this part is to have images as guidelines.

For the acorn: Mix both of the colour used as the base into different shades. One lighter on the bottom and the darker just around the pointy bit – is called the remains of style but that name is too strange for me.

For the leaf: Mix a teeny tiny bit of white with the red and apply it from the base towards the tips. On top use a small amount of the brown used for the acorn cupule following the veins – I now you haven’t drawn them yet, just imagine.

For the pumpkin: Mix the orange with the red for the shade. Paint the base and around the stem by simply tapping. Then mix the acorn base colour with the orange and tap it on the top where the pumpkin bent. Add a bit of white on top.

Step 7. After everything dried, with a 2mm caligraphy pen draw the outline of every shape and also the ribs of the pumpkin, the veins of the leaf and the texture on the acorn cupule.

Step 8. Let the ink dry for at least half an hour to make sure when applying the varnish it won’t bleed. The last thing you want is to ruin all the work you had so far. Apply on both sides.

Shaped Coasters

The process is exactly the same as the circular coasters. I did the leaf and the pumpkin off camera but for any question read above how I did the smaller versions.

Step 1. Cut the templates of the sheet. With a marker contour the shape onto the cork and cut it out.

Step 2. Paint all the shapes in their base colour. Remember to first cut out the cupule of the acorn and the stem of the pumpkin. You want to paint those in dark brown and dark green, respectively.

Step 3. Cut out the pumpkin ribs of the template and draw them with a marker. Actually, if you prefer you can use a pencil instead. Paint the shades and highlights.

For the acorn: Mix both of the colour used as the base into different shades. One lighter on the bottom and the darker just around the pointy bit.

For the leaf: Mix a teeny tiny bit of white with the red and apply it from the base towards the tips. On top use a small amount of the brown used for the acorn cupule following the veins.

For the pumpkin: Mix the orange with the red for the shade. Paint the base and around the stem by simply tapping. Then mix the acorn base colour with the orange and tap it on the top where the pumpkin bent. Add a bit of white on top.

Step 4. Draw the little details like the texture of the acorn cupule and the leaf veins with a 2 mm pen.

Step 5. Paint the back and the sides in black with the foam brush. Be careful to don’t smudge the other side. Although if it happens, grab a tissue paper or fabric, wet it and rub it carefully until the paint disappears. It’s important to do it as soon as possible to avoid the paint to dry.

Step 6. Finish it off with a calligraphy brush pen and contour around the edges and the rest of the lines. If you want you can do little dots on the acorn cupule to create a shadow effect.

Step 7. Let the ink dry at least for 30 minutes before applying the varnish on both sides.

I’m so pleased with how they turned out in the end. Probably going to do a couple more this weekend since I want them everywhere in my house. Don’t forget to share with me if you do this DIY and have fun!