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Tips for creating your piece of art:

• I recommend laying out all your tiles and really checking them out. Some have an iridescent shine on one side while the other side may just be flat. Try placing different colors together and see how you like them before you get to gluing them down.

•  Don’t get too glue happy! A thin layer of glue is all you need. Of course, we want to make sure the tiles adhere to the backing but too much glue can actually be a problem. If glue takes up that room in-between tiles that means that there will be less room for the grout. The grout, not the glue, is what really holds our finished piece together.

• Mix up the tile shapes and sizes! I’ve found that my best pieces tend to be the ones that offer a bold range of shapes and sizes- triangular pieces mixed with rectangles and squares, all in a variety of sizes. Too much of the same thing leaves little for the eye to explore.   

• You really do have to wait. Sorry. I hate waiting but I have learned my lesson many times over… If you jump the gun and try to grout before your glue dries your mosaic tiles will pop off and that my friends is no fun. Wait at least a day before you grout.

• Only mix half of your grout at a time!  Biggest piece of useful advice for this project! Apart from tiles popping off as you’re grouting (noooo!) one of the worst things that can happen during this crafty endeavor is realizing that you’ve added too much water to your grout. A simple way to make sure this doesn’t happen is to only mix up half of the grout provided that way when you do add a little too much water- it’ll happen, I still do it!-and end up with a soupy mess you can easily add the other half of the grout you saved. You’re looking for a toothpaste like consistency.  

• Gently does it. Press the grout in gently. I have provided you with a few q-tips but honestly fingers or a small silicone spatula work much better. Make sure you press grout in-between every crack. Wait for the grout to set up a bit (5-10 minutes) then come in with a old rag and gently wipe the face of your tiles clean, wait another 5-10 minutes and wipe clean again. Repeat until the grout has set and you’re happy with the visibility of your tiles.

• So much waiting! But believe me, it’s worth it. You do have to wait 24hrs before applying your grout sealer. To do this dip your paint brush into the sealant and brush a thick layer onto the surface of your piece. Make sure you wipe your tiles clean after allowing the sealer to sink into the grout. If the sealer dries on the surface of the tiles it makes them look milky. Why seal it at all? Well, even though this piece will be inside and not sitting out in the rain it is possible that moisture may gather on your piece and cause your grout to flake and crack.

• You did it! Nice job. Sit back and admire your work. And don’t forget to share! I love seeing what people make 😊