Plum Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I want to brighten up the chooks area of the garden. I know flowers stand no chance so thought of making mosaic covered items for the garden. Anyone tried it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I once did it with broken pottery & ready made polyfilla as grouting. Quite effective, but use rigger gloves as proctection for hands. I also stuck decorative glass nuggets over a terracotta saucer once then grouted it. It was a little birdbath. I got the idea from a children's book. You can get some gorgeous effects with mosaics. You might be able to buy a kit? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egzandra Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 That sounds like a gorgeous idea! My fingers have started itching to have a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 I want to go round charity shops and jumble sales etc and collect some colourful bits of china. When I went to Guernsey there was a little chapel which was covered in broken china and shells it was beautiful. I suppose I can use some tile cement and grout? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie the Moocher Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Mosaic making is great fun. You can use ready made mosaic tiles (from craft shops, can be expensive) or broken pottery pieces, or broken cheapy tiles. Pieces of broken mirror added in here and there look stunning as they catch the light. One way to work is on a prepared board (with a wooden lip or some kind of edge to work up to). If your tiles are an even thickness, you can work right-way-up onto your surface and grout afterwards. If your tiles are an uneven thickness you can work upside down remembering that the design will be reversed when 'revealed'. Tiles can be 'nipped' to make them fit a design (wear goggles!!!), and designs can be as simple or as complicated as you have time for. Why not try something small to start with to see if you like it? Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milly Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I was once given a half day mosaic course for a birthday present and really enjoyed it. In a morning I had time to make a small square picture (I made an apple tree, as we have lots of them). It was fairly simple but quite effective. When I got it home I fixed it to the top of a small cheap stool from Ikea and made it into a little side table. I also made a mirror frame from broken blue and white pottery which I had found in the garden and in a nearby field. Using a ready-made plain frame. But that was 10 years ago and since then I have done nothing Have a go, if I can do it anyone can! Milly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I love mosaic and spent quite a bit of time making some for our school vegy patch with my students. Its really easy to do and great fun. If i get a chance i will take some photos of ours at school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 That would be great. I was having a look in the garden and thought I might start with the concrete fence posts. There again I can't remove it if I make a hash of it. but it could look good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 I made a mosaic table when we had no money and lived in a bedsit, it was ace (the table not the bedsit ) I bought cheap white tiles and painted them with tester pots (not ideal for outdoors though) smashed them up and glued them (no more nails) to a table that I got in a charity shop, grouted and then clear varnished the lot! The pattern was a sunflower on a blue background, I loved that table Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 Sounds Where is it now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ana's flock Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 Here's one I made for my conservatory years ago... It took me a good 2 months to complete and if you're attempting something like this I recommend you wear gloves... those little pieces are ever so sharp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 WOW! Thats so cool! I love the lions mane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 that is soooo well done cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 16, 2009 Author Share Posted May 16, 2009 Wowee that is something to aspire to. Fabulous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 Sounds Where is it now? Do you know I am not sure? Amazing mosaic Ana, incredible talent you have there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Gulpers! That's Rrrrrrr-eally grrrrrre-eat!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Wow, that's brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 Well not got any broken ceramics yet and doubting I can do it so have picked up a few tiles and am going to use them on the posts and then I may do mosaic on the bricks under the steps. This is the posts beforehand. Excuse the rotten chickens they are as bad as my cats when they see a camera and now so now on look out for blue and white tiles preferably with chickens or cockerals on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 That looks nice. I'd quite like to do a similar thing to that with our clothes post at the bottom of the garden... Have any of you seen Candace Bahouth's work-it's really good, we saw it ion Bath last year in a Kaffe Fasset exhibition and it's brilliant, especially like the shoes! This is her website Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 Ooh shells, I had forgotten shells. 'runs off to hunt out all the flotsam and jetsam from holidays' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...