Glass is one of the most functional, versatile, and indispensable materials, and, because glass coasters are made of them, they have the natural endowment to help you entertain your guests and transform any tabletop from simple to classy, from laid-back to modern, depending upon the design and colors of glass coasters that you choose. But one of the less stunning consequences of every material object is often the decline of their owners' interest towards their beauty and functionality in favor of more recent finds in the market that offer the same or better purpose.

So if you find that your glass coasters have reached this turning-point, or if you are bound to bring them to a new level, read on as we give you creative craft ideas on how to re-design your glass coasters, or create your own personal style and work of art using them.

Personalize Your Glass Coasters

Do you think your usual glass coasters, especially non-photo coasters, will remain that way forever? Well, thinking about giving your bar its own identity, having different themes in your restaurant or in your own home for every occasion, or sharing with your friends, family, and guests the photo or picture that you like the most. To personalize your glass coasters, cut out a picture of your choice (you might want a re-printed copy of them to be able to preserve the original) that's slightly less than the size of your glass coaster, glue it over your glass coaster, and once glue is dry, cut a piece of contact paper large enough to cover the glass coaster and provide for about 10cm allowance to secure the contact paper underneath, then smooth it down completely, pressing out any bubble, and ensuring that the contact paper adheres closely with your glass coaster.

You can also glue cork or felt paper underneath the glass coaster to cover the contact paper and give your glass coaster a flat underside. Be sure to remove any dirt from the glass coaster before pasting, spread the glue behind the picture evenly, and that the picture is glued flat, or your lamination will come out lumpy.

Transform your Glass Coasters into Glass Garden Paths

A glass garden path will create an inviting patio or garden in your own place, but may require a lot of glass coasters, but of course, you can secure some extras to complete the project from auctions, garage sale, friends’ second-hand goods, old wine bottles or aquarium, or from broken glass objects that you have at home, like broken glass utensils. As a glass garden path, you can lay your glass coasters as an alternative to tiles, or break them into shards and create a mosaic out of their broken pieces.

Glass Coasters as Baby Mementos

Being a mom and being there when your baby grows is such a fulfilling experience. This glass coaster craft is a chance to keep a memento of your newborn baby's feet and hands, or toddler’s artwork. Find a baby-safe washable paint at the craft store, pour the paint in a flat container, and gently press baby’s foot or hands into the liquid then apply the foot or hand directly into the coaster. You can also have your toddler experiment with painting on your glass coasters. Worried about the mess? You can use towels and wet wipes to clean your baby’s foot or hands quickly. And when the paint dries, you can customize your glass coasters further with scrapbook supplies, plus your baby’s name and the date when you created this amazing glass coaster baby memento.

Glass Coaster as Recycled Glass Wind Chime

Wind chime can beautifully snatch music from the air. You can simply also use recycled metal tubes for your wind chime, or purchase new ones from a craft store. First, cut strings into 4” to 6" in lengths, tie them to the holes of the chime’s metal tubes, and then drill holes in your glass coaster, thread the strings with the metal tubes through your drilled holes and tie them in place. Finally, fasten three pieces of string to the top of your glass coaster which will be used to hang them.

You can also position the glass coaster in a vertical manner by drilling holes on the opposite ends of the glass coaster – one side intended for the strings with the chime's metal tubes, and the other one to hold the wind chime in place. As glass can incidentally reflect light, hanging your glass coaster on the window in this manner can double this glass coaster craft as a sun catcher.

Transform your Glass Coasters into Fused Glass Coasters

Glass artisans can beautifully transform your old glass coasters into new glass coasters with this craft that’s called glass fusing technique. This glass coaster craft involves stacking or layering your glass coasters, ideally with different colors and designs to create patterns or simple images., and then heating them together in a kiln over high temperature until the separate pieces begin to bond together. Your fused glass coasters are then allowed to cool slowly over a specified time, soaking at specified temperature ranges to prevent uneven cooling and breakage and produce a strong finished new glass coaster product.

Glass Coasters as Glass Dessert Stand

A delicious dessert always deserves a beautiful presentation. The glass coasters in this craft will serve as base for your dessert plate. Glue your glass coasters side-by-side (square-shaped glass coasters would seem very much easier to work with than the circular and heart-shaped ones) to form a square, rectangular, or your desired shape of glass dessert stand base, and allow it to dry overnight. Find a glass sheet that will serve as your dessert plate. You can also choose not to glue the glass sheet on the top rim of your base for easy storing later. Now, your glass dessert stand is ready to display your bite-size brownies, fudge, or cup cakes and enliven your next special occasion.

Sure there are endless creative ways to re-create or re-design your glass coasters. Think about accessorizing, decorating, or complementing another piece of art in your place, and you'll find that your glass coasters are truly one of your best discoveries.