Summertime, and the Crafting Is Easy

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By Kelly Wilkinson

Special to The Washington Post
Thursday, July 9, 2009

Long, slow afternoons and summertime road trips can yield surprising materials for modern DIY projects. Turn moody vacation snaps or beat-up maps into mementos far more personal than anything you can find in a souvenir shop. Or use blooms of the moment to inspire homemade presents for summer's endless stream of birthday parties, weddings and backyard barbecues.

Here are five simple projects that don't require any special expertise, fancy equipment or mad crafty skills to pull off. And they all leave room for you to instill your own sense of style.

Map Coasters

You can personalize these with any kind of decorative paper. But I think replicas of old maps give them an elegant wanderlust vibe.

You'll Need

- Coasters (Sandstone coasters work particularly well because of their satisfying heft.)

- File folder or cardboard for template

- Pencil

- Scissors

- Map or other decorative paper

- Mod Podge glue

- Foam brush

How To

1. Turn a coaster upside down on the file folder or cardboard and trace. Cut out the template.

2. Trace the template onto decorative paper and cut out a shape.

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