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A mosaic mirror adds a whimsical touch to your home, whether used in the bathroom or creating a centerpiece that goes over the mantel above the fireplace in the living room. The only thing that limits the design (and size) of your mosaic mirror is your imagination.
Generally you will need the following items when you decide to partake in this project. These include the following:
- a frame with removable glass mirror. Or you can have a piece of medium density fiberboard cut to fit with a mirror of your choice.
- any items that can be used in your mosaic design, such as ceramic plates, jewelry or tiles.
- A wheeled tile nipper
- Tile adhesive
- White, sanded grout (not premixed). You can also opt to use tinted grout, which are available at crafts and art supply stores.
- A bucket
- Spatula
- Glove
- Sponge
- Soft dry cloth
Method
- Start by drawing your basic design onto the frame with a pencil. You should get an outline to your design so that you can plan out the layout of your tiles and get an idea of how much tiles you will need.
- Once you’ve drawn out the layout, cut the items that you are using to build your mosaic design with. Use the wheeled nipper to score and cut ceramic place and tiles into the shape and size that you require.
- Do a dry layout with the cut pieces over the design you’ve sketched on the frame. Then once you’ve had all the pieces laid out, secure them in place with the tile adhesive.
- Allow the pieces to dry over 24 hours.
- Once the pieces have dried over the frame and are secured you can start mixing some grout with water. Mix it until you attain a mixture with the consistency of pancake batter.
- Layout some old newspaper or drop cloth on the work area, and place the frame over it (to reduce messy grout getting all over the place).
- Spread the grout across the frame with a spatula, pushing the grout into hard-to-reach areas with your finger (use a glove!)
- Use a damp sponge to remove any excess grout. Then polish it with a soft dry cloth to wipe off any remaining grout on the surface on the tile. You should do this carefully as leftover grouts on the tile surface will be unsightly and hard to clean after it has dried.
Warning: Make sure that you use the right weighted hardware to hang the finished mosaic mirror as it can be quite heavy to hang!
You can basically extend this method to decorate just about any surface you want. These may include table top (add a layer of glass on top of the mosaic itself to protect it), picture/photo frame, book cover and more; using a variety of items to create the mosaic other than ceramic, such as bottle caps, or even expired credit cards!
More reading:
How to Make a Mosaic Mirror:
http://www.diyideas.com/quickprojects/Accents/makeamosaicmirror_ss1.htm
How to make a mosaic mirror from absolute scratch:
http://mosaik.wordpress.com/2006/06/11/how-to-make-a-mosaic-mirror-from-absolute-scratch/
Live Studio: Mosaic Mirror: http://www.ebsqart.com/artMagazine/za_587.htm
Mosaic Mirror from Recycled Credit Cards (free tutorial):
http://www.finecraftguild.com/mosaic-mirror-from-recycled-credit-cards/
