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Upcycling things are so much fun! One day, we were dining at Olive Garden and took notice of their disposable paper coasters. I thought about the millions they must dispose of and wondered if they recycle them. 

At that moment, I decided to upcycle them into something far cuter. The best part is it didn’t cost me a penny to make and they are super cute and very functional. 

Upcycle Free Olive Garden Coasters – You Need To See Them!

While dining at Olive Garden, the paper coasters caught my eye and had a lightbulb moment. I thought, what a shame to throw them in the garbage and wondered if they even recycle them. After doing some research and could not find a thing about it on the internet. We can only hope they do! 

That’s when I said to myself, “hey, you can decoupage them and turn them into cute coasters to match your patio dinnerware set!” Every time we went out to eat, I started collecting them. That’s exactly what I did, and I’m loving the way they turned out. The best part is they are durable and reusable.

I’ve got some other creative DIY ideas coming up soon using their coasters so stay tuned and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter! And be sure to check out my Wheat Harvest Bundle Wayfair Hack DIY Home Decor too!  I know you will love it!

You can choose any design you want – all you need is a printer to print them, some decoupage, and a water-proof sealer! If you don’t want to print them, you can always get some premade decorative paper too. 

This is  how I made them

What you need:

• Decorative prints – you can use any printed paper you like
• Decoupage paste – you can use Mod Podge. I used Fusion Decoupage & Transfer Gel – you can create beautiful decoupage or transfer images onto virtually any surface!
  Decoupage onto Glass, metal, or wood – you name it!
• Paper coasters – next time you visit your local Olive Garden or any restaurant that uses them, start collecting them. You only need about 6 coasters to make a set!
•  Waterproof seal – I used Dixie Bells Gator Hide but, you can use something like Mod Podge Dishwasher Safe Waterbased Sealer, Glue, and Finish – as long as it’s a waterproof sealer, it should be fine. 
• And of course, a good pair of scissors. 

This is how the coasters looked before the upcycle transformation. 

Start by simply tracing an outline of the coasters on the back of the printed decorative paper. 

Next, spread a thin layer of the decoupage gel over the coaster. Be careful not to use too much. You want a thin layer. You can always add more to any paper that is lifting. Make sure to smooth the paper out for any lines or bubbles. 

Then carefully place the printed cut out over the coaster. I printed both sides of my coasters with the decorative paper. You should have enough paper to add the paper on both sides of the coaster. 

Leave the Olive Garden coaster to dry completely. Once it dries, you can add the waterproof sealer. 

Be sure to paint on a light layer of the sealer. You can always add more when it dries if you think it needs it. 

Once the sealer is dry, you are fun, beautifully decorated upcycled coasters! Aren’t they fun and full of pops of color? 

You can also reuse them over and over. If you get tired of the pattern just upcycle them again with new patterns.

And, if a beverage leaks on it, you can easily pat it dry! 

Below, you can see a few of the patterns I chose and how crisp and clear they printed. 

This is such an easy DIY upcycle. I feel good about upcycling these coasters. It’s the little things that matter when it comes to doing our part!

Let me know if you have any questions by leaving a comment below! I hope you get to make these upcycled Olive Garden Coasters soon too! 

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