It might seem a gloomy day when a beloved teacup tumbles to the floor and breaks into tiny pieces. But there is a silver lining: You can turn the broken bits into a beautiful mosaic.
Making a mosaic isn’t difficult, but it does take some time. Think of your project as you would a jigsaw puzzle, a pattern to play around with whenever you have a spare moment.
The finished mosaic needn’t be an untouchable work of art. Cover an everyday tabletop with a pattern you can admire each morning over coffee. Embellish the borders of ho-hum picture frames or mirrors, or add cheerful bits of color to plain flowerpots.
And remember, you don’t necessarily need broken china to make a mosaic: You can use seashells, pretty stones or even paper cutouts.
If you intend to make a china mosaic, you’ll need more than a single teacup. Flea markets are good places to look for extra china; vendors often have boxes of broken plates and cups on hand. Search for pieces that are of equal or similar thickness so you can create a more useable, smooth surface, especially for tabletops.
There’s no need to smash plates. Tile nippers, available in hardware stores, make easy work of breaking china into uniform pieces. Once you’ve decided what to decorate, it’s time to dream up your design.
Tabletop mosaic
Start by choosing a wooden table and the broken china pieces you’ll use to adorn it. Then pick up the following supplies at the hardware store: a pencil and ruler; tile nippers; heavy-duty craft glue (read the label to be sure it will adhere to wood and porcelain); unsanded grout; a wooden garden marker or small wooden stick; transparent silicone sealant; and towels. For your safety, you’ll also want to purchase rubber gloves, goggles and a particle mask with a ventilator.
1. Make sure the tabletop is clean before you begin. Place it in a spot that has even ventilation so the grout will dry uniformly overnight, otherwise it may crack.
2. Draw a design with a pencil, using a ruler to ensure straight lines.
3. To break a piece of china, fit nippers over it and squeeze the handles firmly until a piece snaps off (wear goggles while working with nippers). Repeat until you have large pieces; then cut the pieces into smaller ones.
4. Lay out the design on the tabletop. When you’re ready to commit to it, start gluing down pieces in sections. Repeat until the tabletop is covered. Let dry overnight.
5. Mix the grout according to the package instructions (wear the particle mask while working with grout). Use a wooden stick to spread it evenly over the mosaic.
6. Wearing gloves, run your fingertips along grout, pressing it into the crevices between the tiles.
7. Wipe off any excess grout with a damp towel, being careful not to wipe away the grout in the crevices. Switch to a dry towel for any residual grout. Let the table dry overnight.
8. Take the table outdoors, and spray it with sealant. Wipe off the excess. Let the table dry for one day in a well-ventilated spot before using it.
Paper mosaic frame
Customize a frame with a pretty mosaic of paper squares. Pick a monochromatic scheme so the picture won’t be overpowered. Start with a wood frame in a pale, neutral color. (You can also try this technique on a wooden box top.)
You’ll also need lightweight art paper in several shades of one color, scissors, matte medium (usually added to paints as an extender) to serve as the glue and the sealer, and a high-quality paintbrush.
1. Cut the paper into strips, then cut the strips into squares. The squares should be just smaller than the width of the frame, or half that size if you want two rows.
2. Lay out squares on the frame to find an arrangement you like and to make sure they fit; transfer squares to a work surface in the same arrangement.
3. Use the paintbrush to apply matte medium to a small area on the frame, place one square down and paint over it with more matte medium immediately.
4. Continue, adding one square at a time; do not let excess matte medium accumulate. Let the frame dry completely before using.
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