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I’m going to be honest with you, I am a chronic phone scroller before bed.
You know the drill. Lights off, husband asleep, and there I am at midnight deep in thoughts, thinking about anything and everything. Things from years ago that no longer matter, or tomorrow’s to-do list that will still be there tomorrow. My brain just wouldn’t stop, so naturally I’d get up, go lay on the couch, and start scrolling which felt like the solution when it was actually part of the problem. And before bed? I’d scroll then too.
So I started a new routine. I discovered bedazzling coasters, rhinestone by numbers, “diamond painting.” And I know how that sounds. But just hear me out.
How It Started
My friend actually introduced me to it! Hers were magnets, but it planted the idea. I did what anyone would do and Googled it. Then I came across a diamond art coaster kit on Amazon while doing exactly what I said I was trying to stop doing. It was under $10, had over 200 five-star reviews, and came with eight coaster designs already mapped out for me. I figured worst case, I waste an evening. Best case, I find something to do with my hands that isn’t my phone.
Best case won. The kit I’ve been using is the CAMOYAI 8-Piece Diamond Art Coasters Kit retro cocktail designs, which honestly could not be more on-brand for me. Each coaster comes with its own color-coded canvas and you fill it in by placing tiny resin diamonds onto the pattern one by one using a little wax-tip pen. It sounds fiddly, and it is a little but that’s exactly the point. I also grabbed a rhinestone picker tool separately because I like it better than the one included, though it’s not necessary to get started.
Why It Actually Works for Winding Down
Here’s the thing I didn’t expect: it requires just enough focus to turn your brain off from everything else.
You’re not thinking about your to-do list. You’re not doomscrolling. You’re just placing tiny diamonds, following a pattern, watching it all come together piece by piece. It’s repetitive in the best way almost meditative. (That said, get up and stretch every so often. I sit like a shrimp and that is not good for your neck or your back. Consider yourself warned.) I’ve swapped my before-bed scroll for this every night and the difference has been noticeable.
Less racing thoughts, less blue light, more quiet. It’s become the thing I actually look forward to at the end of the day.
And the Best Part? You End Up With Actual Coasters
The kit comes with a little metal holder so you can display all eight coasters together on your coffee table, bar cart, or wherever you like to set your drinks. They look intentional. They look like something you’d find in a boutique. And you made them yourself at 10pm in your pajamas for $9.99. I’m also experimenting with sealing mine with resin to give them an extra-glossy, waterproof finish if that works out the way I’m hoping, I’ll do a full follow-up post walking through the process. The potential for a really gorgeous handmade gift is absolutely there.
I’m not saying this solves all problems. But if you’re someone who struggles to wind down at night, or you’ve been looking for a creative outlet that doesn’t require talent, a lot of money, or a dedicated craft room — I’d say give it a go. (I’m a millennial, and if you are too… I know you know.)
You don’t need to be crafty. You just need a flat surface, decent lighting, and a little patience. The kit comes with everything: the coaster canvases, the diamonds sorted by color, the applicator pen, and the wax. You open the box and you’re basically ready to go. It’s one of those things that feels productive without feeling like work. And for those of us whose brains don’t come with an off switch, that matters more than I can say.
If you try it, come back and tell me which design you started with. And if you end up going down the resin-sealing rabbit hole with me, even better — we can figure it out together.
Oh, and don’t forget: good music and your beverage station are non-negotiable. The girls who get it, get it. 🎶🍹
What’s your go-to wind-down activity? Drop it in the comments — I’m always looking for the next thing to try.
– Ashley Roha