Enjoy Wine On DIY Marbled Clay Drink Coasters

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August is Washington Wine Month!  Did you know that Washington ranks second in the US behind California in wine production with more than 900 wineries and 350 vineyards? One of the best things about living in the Seattle area is the proximity to many of them.  In fact, I went to college in Walla Walla, a four hour drive from Seattle, which has experienced an explosion in its wine industry.

There is nothing better than a quiet evening, enjoying a glass or two of wine on our back porch, overlooking our greenbelt, wondering what critter is going to make its way through and freak out the dog.  Especially if it is a bottle of Charles Smith Wine, created in said Walla Walla.  Currently the only person to have won Winemaker of the Year by both Food & Wine and Wine Enthusiast, you know this former rock band manager knows his varietals.

I decided to give his Eve Chardonnay and Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon a try.  I love the Eve Chardonnay label; it is all about Washington, also known as the apple state.  It is a dry white wine with flavors of pear, tangerine and guava. Eve Chardonnay has consistently rated top scores by leading wine publications. The Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied, aromatic, dry red wine and Charles’ way of hitting back at all of the “faux” chateaus in the market and has four years of 89+ scores.

Since I like to drink, making fun coasters inspired by the wine labels seemed to be in order.  These marbled coasters are made from oven bake clay and are super easy to make!

There are many tutorials out there and to me, this is the best one that I modified.  The marbling process is much more manageable if done making one coaster at a time versus trying to make a large sheet of clay, so the directions below will make one coaster.

What You’ll Need

2 oz packages of white, black and your choice of color oven bake clay
4″ round cookie cutter
rolling pin or large glass jar
wax paper
adhesive felt
clear sealant

1. Roll each color of clay that you want to use into a snake about 6″ long. This is where you can play around with color and style. If you want a dominant color, make a larger roll of that color (white), medium rolls (rose gold and black) and small rolls (another black). You can have more dominant color using more large rolls, more color variants with medium rolls, etc.  The goal is to make sure you have enough clay to roll out a large circle, so keep an eye on the ratio of rolls.  I can’t tell you how much I used in each roll, so just use the photos as a guide.

2. Twist the rolls together to form one big, twisted roll.  Be sure you are carefully twisting the roll to help striate the colors through the roll.

3.  Fold the twisted roll in half, then roll into a snake about twice the original length to combine the colors.

4. Roll the snake into a ball and carefully smoosh together.

5. Use a rolling pin or glass jar to roll out your marbled ball to a 1/4″ thick.  The colors will blend together and create a marbled pattern as you roll over it.

6.  Decide where you like the pattern best (check both sides of your clay, it will be unique!) and use your cookie cutter to cut out a circle.  If you don’t have a cookie cutter, measure a glass top and use it to trace and cut out with a craft or clay knife.

7.  After you have made all of your coasters, place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and bake according to your clay’s directions (mine was 30 minutes at 230°F) then remove from oven and allow the clay to cool.

8. Cut adhesive felt into 4 small circles and adhere to the bottom of the coasters to protect your tabletop from scratching.

9. Seal the coaster tops with a layer of clear sealant to protect it from drink condensation.

You can’t go wrong with pretty and practical! Now, go pick yourself up a bottle of wine and enjoy these coasters or gift a set to that special drinker in your life! #WAWineMonth calls on you to explore and support local award-winning brands that put Washington winemaking on the map. To learn more, visit www.WaWineMonth.com