We all have a million magazines in our homes that we don’t want to just toss into the recycle bin. All of those lovely colors and fonts going to waste! But these very useful and beautiful coasters can use up all of those pages, as well as show off the colors from the ads and photography long after we’ve finished reading about the spring fashion of 2008.

I first saw coasters like this in Anthropologie about two years ago, but could never find them on the website to purchase. So I decided to make my own, and I’m so glad I did. Aside from making your hands stiff after a time, the process of making them is very simple, and can be varied to make other useful household items, such as vases.

The materials list for this craft is very short. Craft glue, Mod Podge, and pages torn from a magazine.

To make the coils of the coaster it takes some clever folding. Start by folding the page into thirds with the torn edge encased in the middle.

Next fold that strip in half. Open it back up and fold the two outside edges into the middle crease. Then close it up into a strip about a quarter inch wide, or less. You can choose to fold that in half again if you wish.

Collect a whole bunch of those strips. I used all cool colors for this craft.

Starting with one strip, curl it up tightly and apply a thin bead of craft glue on the inside of the coil. Wrap it all up tightly and hold it snug for a moment to let the glue get tacky. If you are making a square shaped coaster you want to bend the corners in at this step.

While you are preparing the second strip hold the first coil together with a rubber band or hair tie. Then remove it when you begin attaching the second coil, butting them up end to end. Make sure that you are lining them all up in the same direction, with the center folded side on top. Keep on adding new strips until your coaster is the desired size.

Once you’ve made your coaster as big as you like and have let it sit for a while for the glue to set up, you will notice there are is an unfinished edge to the outside coil. To cover that edge I cut a single strip of paper the same width as the coils and glued it to the outside of the coaster to make a smooth finish around the edges.

After the coaster is dry apply a generous layer of Mod Podge to the top and sides. This will give it a little bit of water resistance, though it will not make it water tight.

After the Mod Podge dries you will have a glossy, durable finish to your coasters. Make a stack of them all at once. Give some away as house warming gifts. But keep in mind, it is made of paper, don’t wash them in your sink or all of your hard work will wash down the drain!