| This is a fun project that children would enjoy. | | | | to avoid air bubbles. |
| Everyone can make their own place mat or you | | | | After you have everything in place, flip it over |
| can make a set of custom mats. This project is | | | | and carefully remove any air bubbles ( a spatula |
| fairly easy. | | | | or credit card work great). If you have any |
| First decide what you want the background of | | | | bubbles that you can't get rid of, take the tip of a |
| your place mat to be. If you want these to have | | | | sharp needle and lightly puncture the bubble. Drag |
| some stability, poster board cut to size, will work | | | | your spatula across the bubble, allowing the air to |
| really well. These can be made so many different | | | | escape. Once you have the back of the mat |
| ways, it's really up to you. If you chose to use | | | | smooth, flip it over. Carefully lay the other piece |
| poster board, you can draw or stencil on it. You | | | | of sticky paper on to the mat, working one side |
| could also glue silk flowers or pictures to the | | | | at a time, making sure everything lines up. |
| poster board. | | | | Remove any bubbles, as you did for the back. |
| Once you have the poster board the way you | | | | Trim off any edges, leaving at least 1/2 an inch |
| want it to look, you can either apply clear shelf | | | | on all sides. |
| paper or have it laminated at your local copy | | | | Another way of making these without poster |
| store. If you want to avoid having these | | | | board, is to lay a piece of the shelf paper sticky |
| laminated, you can purchase a role of clear plastic | | | | side up on your work surface and just place the |
| shelf liner. Cut 2 pieces of liner per mat to fit your | | | | items you like directly to it. Place another piece of |
| project, leaving about 1 inch on all sides. Start by | | | | the sticky paper directly on top ( sticky sides |
| laying the back piece sticky side up on your work | | | | facing each other). Remove air bubbles and trim |
| surface. Make sure you have your project lined | | | | the edges. Now you have a personalized place |
| up properly, allowing 1 inch on all sides. Slowly lay | | | | mat. |
| the poster board on to the sticky sheet, starting | | | | *NOTE: I would avoid putting any plate that may |
| with one side, slowly working to the next, trying | | | | be too warm on these place-mats. |