How many times have you found yourself in that familiar scramble… wanting to get someone special a meaningful gift, but somehow ending up with a Target gift card or a last-minute Amazon find that arrives in two hours? You know them well, you care deeply… and yet, the gift ends up feeling more convenient than intentional.

I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit. One of those times, I ended up deep in the Etsy rabbit hole, scrolling through the custom gift section. There were plenty of little knick-knacks, but not many that felt like they’d actually be used beyond the first week. I mean, how often do you reach for the monogrammed keychain or the wedding-date whiskey glass? Cute? Yes. Functional? Eh.

That’s when it hit me: What if I could take meaningful moments and turn them into something people actually use.. every day?

It started out as a fun little project. I made personalized coasters for friends, family, and coworkers. Whether they were celebrating a birthday, purchasing their first home, or getting married.. These coasters worked for all of those moments. People started asking where they could buy “those coasters” so they could gift them to someone else. When I told them I made them myself, a few joked that I should slap a sticker on the bottom with my info.

One of my favorite moments? I gifted a set to a friend for her wedding. A year later, I was at her house for her baby shower, sitting around the coffee table when her grandmother picked up a coaster and said, “I have to ask Elle where she got these!” I sat there awkwardly debating whether to speak up or let her ask Elle.

Eventually, I took the hint and decided to start something small. And when I thought about the gifts, I’ve received that truly stuck with me, ones that blended meaning with everyday use… they were both pieces of jewelry: a necklace from Tiffany & Co. and earrings made from my mom’s old diamond. That’s the kind of impact I wanted to create.

Coasters & Co. was born from that idea: meaningful moments, made functional.

No, I can’t beat Amazon’s two-hour delivery window. But I can promise that whether you’re gifting these to someone you love or treating yourself, you’ll leave a lasting impression, because the intention behind the gift is what truly matters.