Create Mosaic Magic in Your Garden

Garden jewels

Broken pottery, glass and porcelain become beautiful flower containers, stepping-stones and other garden accessories with a little craft work and imagination. We bring our readers a simple DIY project, we found in Midwest Living, to add more color to your garden and interiors. Enjoy and get inspired by the pinterest board full of mosaic pots by Dawn Abraham. You can check out another tutorial by Martha Stewart here which gives you a step by step guide to patterned mosaic pots. Make a mosaic house number plaque from broken dishes which will sit pretty at the entrance of your house or garden by following the tutorial by Creative Jewish Mom. So go ahead make these beautiful mosaic creations now to enjoy outdoors in the spring.

Gather supplies

 For a flowerpot, one of the most popular outdoor mosaic projects, you'll need:--Terra-cotta pots

--Decorative materials such as a patterned china plate, ceramic tiles and glass pebbles

--A towel or cloth

--Hammer

--Nippers

--Protective goggles

--Plastic knife

--Small box of thin-set mortar

--Sanded grout

--Soft rags and sponges

--Disposable gloves

--Tile float (optional)

--Grout sealer (optional)

Break your mosaic pieces

To break plates, tile or pottery into mosaic-size pieces, wrap the materials in a towel or cloth. Wearing goggles to protect your eyes, pound with a hammer. Stop occasionally to check the size of the smashed pieces -- you don't want them too small. Pieces 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter are easiest to work with.

For more control over the result—and to preserve any important decorations on your tile or china—use nippers to cut and shape pieces.

Start your design

Sketch your design on the pot, indicating where you want certain sections of color or specific patterns. Wearing gloves and using the plastic knife, spread a 1/4-inch layer of thin-set mortar over the first section of your design. (For larger projects, use a notched mortar trowel to spread the mortar.) Do one area at a time; the mortar will begin to harden in 15 minutes. Press mosaic pieces into the wet mortar, spacing them about 1/4 inch apart. Repeat with remaining sections of your design. Let the mortar dry overnight.

Grout and finish your piece

Mix grout according to package directions to a mudlike consistency. Slather grout into the crevices between mosaic pieces using a tile float or your gloved fingertips. Let set 10 to 15 minutes. Remove excess grout by wiping the mosaic with a clean, damp sponge. Polish off the remaining fimy residue with a soft cloth. Let dry, then apply a grout sealer, if desired, to prevent staining.

Source: Midwest Living