DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

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You all know that I love alcohol ink and applying it to mediums other than just paper. I have used it to make marble galaxy coasters, galaxy plates, and even used it to color Easter eggs. But today I am sharing how easy it is to use on leather to get an almost water colored marble look. Here’s how to make DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters!

Some of my best ideas tend to be a result of throwing two mediums together to see if they work. Like these coasters for example. I have a bunch of leather coaster rounds laying around for an upcoming project, and yesterday morning was wondering if alcohol ink could be used on leather. So after a bit of experimenting, I discovered that yes it can and it produces the most amazing coasters ever! These DIY alcohol ink marbled leather coasters may just be my newest obsession and I am sure you will be tempted to try them yourself after you see how easy they are.

DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

Are you smitten yet?!

Materials for DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters:

Alcohol based inks 
Leather rounds (You can also cut these yourself from veg tanned leather pieces from the craft store)
-Rubbing alcohol
DecoColor Gold Paint Pen
-Protected work surface (I used a piece of scrap coated paper from the back of sticky backed wall paper, but a tarp, plastic wrap, or even wax paper works)

DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

Begin by coating one of your coasters with a layer of rubbing alcohol. You want to make sure that it is pooled up on the surface of the leather. You can see in the photo below the darker leather round is the one covered in rubbing alcohol. This preps the surface so that the inks flow smoothly over the leather and don’t absorb right away.

DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

Working quickly and with one color at a time. Add a drop or two of ink to the alcohol covered leather. Then quickly but gently blow on the ink to spread it around the leather.

DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

Once you have a pattern you like, tip the leather and let the excess ink run off onto your surface. Then add more rubbing alcohol and repeat with a second and third color if desired. Once you have finished with the ink and the coaster is the way you want, set it aside to let dry for an hour or two. As it dries the leather will lighten and the ink will become brighter looking.

DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

DIY Alcohol Ink Marbled Leather Coasters

Once dry, you can use a gold leaf pen to add a little gold detail around the edge of the coasters. Then the DIY alcohol ink marbled leather coasters are ready to gift or use. Since the inks aren’t water soluable and the leather is porous, there is no need to seal the coasters. So throw them out on your coffee table or tie a bow around them and gift them because they are ready to be admired!

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  1. Amy | Delineate Your Dwelling

    April 5th, 2018 at 5:04 pm

    Loving these! I need to try Alcohol Inks pronto.

  2. Chelly

    April 6th, 2018 at 2:46 pm

    Kara, I’m so in love with these! They turned out to beutiful! Can’t wait to try making these too! 💖

  3. Ashley | FreeWillsStudio

    April 9th, 2018 at 3:07 am

    These are so beautiful! I haven’t worked with alcohol ink before but I’m hoping to try this project soon. Thanks for the great inspiration!

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    April 13th, 2018 at 7:15 am

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  5. Laura

    May 9th, 2018 at 11:17 pm

    Love these coasters and the glasses. Where did you get the glasses?

  6. kailochic@hotmail.com

    May 10th, 2018 at 9:36 am

    They are ones that I designed and had sampled for me. Unfortunately they were a bit to pricey to actually produce for sale. So all I have are the sample ones. Maybe one day I will actually get to have them made to sell.

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  8. pauline cymet

    May 9th, 2021 at 9:28 pm

    thank you for posting. I am not making coasters, but wanted to put alcohol ink on leather and wondered if it was possible. NOW thanks to you,, I am ecstatic and will try to project. I was scared to waste leather as I live on a tight budget & can’t experiment so easily. My next ? is this. On those mouse pads for sublimation which take sub inks, I called the company and said, could I use alcohol inks on them? NO ONE knew, or had a clue. Do you know as I want to make one for my niece, but again don’t want to buy blank sublimation pads which are not inexpensive to find out that alcohol ink wont work. Bear in mind that the tops of mousepads appear to be some kind of poly fabric, so jury out on alcohol ink. Would love to hear your opinion. THANK YOu FOR TAKING the time to respond to me, and for posting your pretty coasters. I made some on tiles years ago, but they sort of faded & looked bad a few months later. I might have done something wrong. HELP needed here–I am 78 almost 79 years old and no peers to ask about any art work, so need an ear. THANKS

  9. kailochic@hotmail.com

    May 22nd, 2021 at 9:46 am

    I have actually never tried that, so I am not sure. I think you would have to do a little experimenting to see if it would work.

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