Chutes and Ladders Coasters

I can remember the exact moment my board game collection started. It was the summer after my senior year of high school. I'd stopped by one of the best thrift stores (ever?)- Red White and Blue- and there it was: The Dinosaur's Journey to High Self Esteem. Created by child psychologists, a game where everybody wins. Not enough for you? This is the tagline: "Ever wonder why everybody likes dinosaurs? Maybe it's because they like themselves!"

Now I would never (ever) cut up The Dinosaur's Journey to High Self Esteem, but I will buy anything cheap that looks like it'll give me good earring fodder...and I have a standing rule to pick up any versions of pawn-based Clue I don't already own.

After the earrings have been made the boards are always left, taking up space, but generally too interesting to throw out. I've been making Perler Bead coasters for a while now, and the idea struck me not too long ago that game boards could work equally well assuming I found a way to make them waterproof.

The ultimate goal is to make a Clue set, with a coaster for each room, but before I go destroying something so awesome, I found an old Chutes and Ladders game that's perfect to test my methods. It's cute enough I'd actually use the coasters, but holds no real sentimental value if I eff up. It also comes with built in squares so I don't need a template...and I can use it to make a template for future coasters.

Materials:
- Game Board
- Mod Podge
- Acrylic Sealer Spray

Tools:
- Exacto Knife/Box Cutter
- Scissors
- Foam Brush
- Spool, toilet paper roll, or something similar

The process is fairly simple- I found my favorite scenes and cut out 2x2 squares over a phone book with an exacto knife.

 
The phone book did not survive. Since I did things fairly free-hand, some of the edges were a little rough- those I cleaned up with scissors. Now for Mod Podge!

I bought Outdoor Mod Podge (which I figured would be the most water-proof), and applied a number of thin coats. Since I wanted to protect the edges especially I first applied coats to the edges and top, letting the coaster dry on top of a pill bottle so it didn't stick to anything. After those dried a bit I flipped it over onto some parchment paper and applied a number of coats to the bottom. The only down side to this method is I could only really do one at a time.

And, as Mod Podge is never not tacky (as in sticky, not classless) for me, I finished it off with a coat of clear Acrylic sealer. I spent a nice hour or so outside my apartment complex with a garbage bag down in case my landlord caught me. First I applied three coats to the back, then set them right side up on toilet paper tubes to do the tops and pay special attention to the edges. I actually attempted a few that I'd Mod Podge-d and others that I hadn't, and I definitely like the results of two-step water proofing better.

Next I'll test these out, possibly at my favorite local bar. I'm debating adding a layer of cork or felt to the bottom so they don't sit in water. We'll see if I find something cheap on my next trip to the craft store.

And since the pictures kind of stopped there (I do have an outside pic with the toilet paper tubes but it was taken with my phone so it looks awful), here are my two favorites:

Eat and you'll get taller...you know, not obese or anything.

And the dual nature of cats.

I'm going to wait until I've perfected my methods before I do anything to these though.