# New Hobby: Mosaics



## PiP (Jan 28, 2017)

As part of a gardening project I want to 'tart' up some old flower pots to add colour and interesting focal points to shady areas of my garden.  After a visit to a garden centre, where the lady owner tiled anything  and everything, I thought I'd try my hand at mosaics.

To get a feel for handling and cutting the glass tiles AND, not covering everything in glue, I've started with four basic coasters. Considering I have twelve fingers and four thumbs I am 'reasonably' pleased with the result so far.

Stage 1.

Glue the border tiles to the wooden coaster.




Okay, I know the border tiles aren't straight. I was posting to WF and by the time I realised the glue had set!

Stage 2

Once the border tiles are set, I cut some tiles in random shapes to fill in the centre.



Stage 3

Which is applying the grout -tomorrow!

This is a good hobby if you want to be creative while you write.

Has anyone else tried mosaics? I need some advice, please.


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## escorial (Jan 28, 2017)

looks great...


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## H.Brown (Feb 5, 2017)

I tried my hand at mosaics when I was ten but it was a get set mosaic set, you made tiles out of plaster of paris with coloured chalk and grouted them with plain white plaster. I made a mirror, small chest and chalice. It was great fun however I've not tried my hand at adult mosaics with tiles.
Yours look brill Pip maybe whenI have spare pennies I too will give it a go. Please keep sharing your makes though.


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## PiP (Feb 5, 2017)

Thanks, HB. I've never attempted mosaics before and i can't believe how much I've learnt just from four small coasters which I am still plucking up courage to grout!

Today I went to a carboot sale searching through the toot for old china/terracotta plant pots, mats, a coffee table to mosaic. Old plates and anything I could break up to create tiles more cheaply than buying packs.... what did I come home with? Why, more succulents to add to my extensive collection! The car boot sales are a great source of base products if you are looking to upcycle... not so much so in Portugal but the UK is brill.

I always go to a carboot searching for bargains looking like one of the great unwashed. If you go dressed up and look like you can pay more I've noticed the prices go up LOL Our local bins are better source for wombles like me because when people have their pools retiled the builders dump the old tiles by the side of the bins.


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## Ariel (Feb 5, 2017)

You became very British in that post, PiP.  I'm an Anglophile and couldn't decipher some of that--what's a womble?

New hobbies are always great. I really like those coasters.


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## The Fantastical (Feb 6, 2017)

The - Not covering everything in glue - is the hardest part to get right.  lol


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## PiP (Feb 6, 2017)

Ariel said:


> You became very British in that post, PiP.  I'm an Anglophile and couldn't decipher some of that--what's a womble?
> .



Toot: is other people's junk.
Great unwashed: hippies, trailer/caravan travellers.

Wombles: Listen to the words 

[video=youtube;XWQMMPFtoG4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWQMMPFtoG4[/video]

Wombling: the second definition. Not the first. I had not realised until now the word had been hijacked for something so ... 

FT, you are certainly right about the glue!


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## The Fantastical (Feb 6, 2017)

WOMBLES!!! I loved the wombles while I was grown up... *sings badly* Wombles wombling free, making use of the everyday thing people leave behind.


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## H.Brown (Feb 6, 2017)

PiP said:


> Thanks, HB. I've never attempted mosaics before and i can't believe how much I've learnt just from four small coasters which I am still plucking up courage to grout!
> 
> Today I went to a carboot sale searching through the toot for old china/terracotta plant pots, mats, a coffee table to mosaic. Old plates and anything I could break up to create tiles more cheaply than buying packs.... what did I come home with? Why, more succulents to add to my extensive collection! The car boot sales are a great source of base products if you are looking to upcycle... not so much so in Portugal but the UK is brill.
> 
> I always go to a carboot searching for bargains looking like one of the great unwashed. If you go dressed up and look like you can pay more I've noticed the prices go up LOL Our local bins are better source for wombles like me because when people have their pools retiled the builders dump the old tiles by the side of the bins.



First off Pip the Wombles are amazing.

Secondly I used to love going carboots on a sunday as a child maybe I'll have to give them ago now. I would jump right in with the grouting as it does enhance the mosaic and you have done the hardest part in creating your mosaics, you just have to remember to wash it off the tiles before it dries, I think.

Good luck with your grouting.


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## PiP (Feb 6, 2017)

H.Brown said:


> Good luck with your grouting.



Watch this space!


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## H.Brown (Feb 6, 2017)

Trust me I will


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## bigdreamer (Feb 26, 2017)

Oh wow, I really like your Mosaic pieces! You did a really great job, it definitely looks like it's coming together perfectly. I really like your tile piece design in the center. Very creative way to make coasters, and I love the colors you chose. I've never thought about adding this sort of hobby to my crafting list, but it looks like fun. I think in the future I might like to give it a try. I love finding new mediums to work in. ^_^


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## PiP (May 11, 2017)

This is the finished project


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## escorial (May 11, 2017)

The pattern look religious but the dark colours give them a late evening mood...


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## PiP (May 11, 2017)

thanks, Esc. Truth is, they are black so you can't detect the red wine stains


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## Ariel (May 11, 2017)

Those are gorgeous.


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## PiP (May 11, 2017)

Ariel, I have a feeling you'd be good at mosaics. You can use broken china/tiles and all sorts to cover pots etc. It need not be an expensive hobby if you are frugal and creative AND willing to recycle/upcycle. I've been scavenging (wombling) around the bins for months collecting things. Hubby's in meltdown.


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## Ariel (May 11, 2017)

Thanks but I'm busy with the macramé right now.  It's so relaxing.


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## PiP (May 11, 2017)

I don't think I've tried macramé . Is it like crochet?


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## Ariel (May 11, 2017)

You use rope or yarn and knots.  It's not as close as crotchet or knitting but it works well for making décor.


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## Anthony Clark (Jul 21, 2017)

I have a hobby of drawing portraits


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## PiP (Sep 22, 2017)

My latest work in progress is a gecko. Rather than draw the outline on a tile or clear glass I decided to use a wooden template cut to shape. I then cut the stained glass, arranged in patterns and glued.




 I've yet to stick on the eyes (that's why they are not straight) and add some more tiles to its head. Then I grout! I hope to finish it next week.


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## H.Brown (Sep 22, 2017)

PiP said:


> My latest work in progress is a gecko. Rather than draw the outline on a tile or clear glass I decided to use a wooden template cut to shape. I then cut the stained glass, arranged in patterns and glued.
> 
> View attachment 19637
> 
> I've yet to stick on the eyes (that's why they are not straight) and add some more tiles to its head. Then I grout! I hope to finish it next week.



Always love seeing you wips Pip this looks great.


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## PiP (Sep 22, 2017)

Thanks, Hannah. It looks a bit of a mess at the moment - luckily the grouting covers a multitude of sins. I also need to decide which color grout to use.


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## H.Brown (Sep 22, 2017)

I really like the colours in the bottom material. Maybe a pale blue grout to make the tiles pop.


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## PiP (Sep 29, 2017)

I've now grouted Gary... I decided to use yellow grout to enhance the colour of the glass tiles. I just need to finish his head and I'm done


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## H.Brown (Sep 29, 2017)

Gary looks amazing in yellow Pip really makes the tiles pop.


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## PiP (Sep 29, 2017)

Yes, I was quite taken with the yellow. The teacher was trying to persuade me to use brown... nah .... I am pleased I went with by gut instinct.


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## PiP (Oct 5, 2017)

Gary is now complete. Because my granddaughter is fascinated by geckos and lizards I am giving her Garry for Christmas.


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## PiP (Oct 5, 2017)

My next project is the Tree of Life. I will cut the coloured glass sheets into shapes and stick onto glass. I am going to adapt this picture



>


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## Darren White (Oct 6, 2017)

PiP said:


> Gary is now complete. Because my granddaughter is fascinated by geckos and lizards I am giving her Garry for Christmas.
> 
> View attachment 19720



Gary is absolutely awesome now! Love it.


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## RHPeat (Oct 8, 2017)

Carole 

Some mosaics I wanted to share with you. Created by my developmentally disabled Clients/students. Click on the images to make them bigger. I had them do this as class projects. They all worked on them. The wall hanging below went into a public building in down town Sacramento, California 


1. These 2 lilies are about 4 foot tall, wall hanging. 

It is leaning against some 3 foot lockers. It's made of broken plates from the dump. You can cut the pieces with wire cutters or professional tlle clippers used by tile setters. For smaller pieces wire cutters work the best. 


2. This is a small end table top, 4 pigeons and flower


These two table tops were made from scrap tiles we got form some tile setters. Fractured them with a hammer to make the pieces irregular and then nipped them down into a common size to use on the table tops. The thickness of the tiles gave a level surface to the table tops. 

3. Another small end table top of a bird, a swift.

The floor tiles in the background are about a foot square.


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## H.Brown (Oct 8, 2017)

Those are great RH.


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## RHPeat (Oct 8, 2017)

I designed them and they put them together. It was great fun working with these guys. They all enjoyed the work and seeing it finished. We went to the building after the wall piece was put up and they were all very proud. Their eyes truly lit up to see their work in a public place. 

a poet friend
RH Peat


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## PiP (Oct 8, 2017)

These are wonderful, Ron! The lilies are amazing and look so lifelike. The tables tops are also beautiful; they must have taken ages to mosaic. Thank you for sharing


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## RHPeat (Oct 8, 2017)

The big piece took some time probably about 3 months. We had a deadline to meet for the building project. But the smaller ones only about a month. But they had nothing else to do but their art. We had them for 6 hour days with an hour off for lunch. So time wasn't an issue with them at all. It beat sitting in front of a TV set for 8 hours. We did a lot of different crafts. I had a helper and she worked with fabric things including weaving on a loom, knitting and sewing. It was very rewarding work in the sense that we gave them purpose to their lives rather than just setting around. Plus all their art was for sale to the public. So they made money as well. A couple had real followers. 

a poet friend
RH Peat


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## PiP (Oct 8, 2017)

At least they got to sell them! Yes, I can imagine it was rewarding with a group.

I am starting a small round outside coffee table at home using swimming pool mosaic tiles I scavenged from the bins. The table was also wombled so the only cost is glue and grout. And The tree of life I will work on in class.


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## H.Brown (Oct 8, 2017)

RHPeat said:


> I designed them and they put them together. It was great fun working with these guys. They all enjoyed the work and seeing it finished. We went to the building after the wall piece was put up and they were all very proud. Their eyes truly lit up to see their work in a public place.
> 
> a poet friend
> RH Peat



I bet they did such lovely pieces. I miss making mosaics, maybe when I have some spare pennies I will have to try my hand at it again, if I do I will share.


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