Wood Slice Pumpkin Coasters

Add some extra spice to your table with rustic Wood Slice Pumpkin Coasters!

Autumn is on its way, and I couldn't wait any longer to start making some rustic fall decor! I love making coasters, and these Wood Slice Pumpkin Coasters couldn't be easier. They are a great project to make for jumping into the season, and would be a lot of fun to make with friends. Not only are they perfect for fall decor, but they are useful in keeping water rings off of your table!

To make your own set of Wood Slice Pumpkin Coasters, you will need these supplies:

• Wood Slice Coasters
• Orange Unicorn SPiT
• Brown Unicorn SPiT Metallic
• Paint Brush
• Small Stick or Branch
• Jute Twine
• Glue Gun

Use a paint brush to apply water to the surfaces of the wood slice coasters. I do this for a few reasons. Unicorn SPiT dries quickly, so adding water to your surface before applying the stain will give you more working time. I also find that painting water on first allows the wood to absorb the gel stain better, giving you a more vibrant finish!

Add 2-3 drops of orange Unicorn SPiT to the coaster and use your wet brush to paint the stain evenly over the surface of the coaster. Repeat this process for the remaining coasters. The color will be very bright at first, but will lighten up a little a it dries and soaks into the wood.

Let the coasters dry for about 15 minutes. If you want the color to be more vibrant after letting them dry, paint another coat of Unicorn SPiT on the coasters. The wood will still be damp, so you don't need to use any more water.

For a little bit of comparison, the coaster on the right has one coat of stain and the picture from the previous step has two coats. To tone the orange down from traffic cone to a more rustic shade, I painted a thin coat of brown Unicorn SPiT Metallic on top. You don't need very much - one drop was enough for my coasters!

Besides darkening the color, another bonus to using metallic Unicorn SPiT is that there are tiny specs of shimmery metallic finish left behind! It's very subtle, but I always love adding a little extra sparkle!!

Find a small twig or branch in your yard or neighborhood and cut or break it into 1/2"-3/4" pieces. Use a glue gun to attach it to the edge/"top" of the coasters. This gives your "pumpkin" a natural-looking stem that coordinates with the bark on the wood slices.

For an extra touch of color, tie a small length of jute twine around the stem to replicate the look of pumpkin vines. As long as they are kept short, the just won't interfere with the use of the coasters.

Because Unicorn SPiT stain is water-based, I'd recommend that you seal the coasters before using them with drinks. Spray the coasters well with a few coats of sealant, or even cover the tops with a layer of resin. Once dried (or cured), the coasters are ready for use! These Wood Slice Pumpkin Coasters are so simple to make, and would make a great autumnal gift.

Looking for more Unicorn SPiT pumpkin inspiration? Laura from Me & My Inklings made a large wood slice pumpkin, and Beth from Creatively Beth made the most adorable Mini Wood Slice Pumpkins!! 

As always, I would love to see your creations! Share yours on Instagram, Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest! #AFMCrafts

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