How to Make Mosaic plant Pots

Mosaic is a craft achievable by complete beginners. Essentially, it is painting by-numbers but with pieces of glass or ceramic, known as tesserae, instead of paint. The skill lies in combining colors together in a pleasing way, and in producing a representative pictorial image. To start with, draw simple stylized shapes freehand or mark out geometric patterns on a plywood base, then fill in the designs with colored tesserae.

Mosaic Plant Pots:
You will need:
Terracotta flower pots
PVA white glue and brush
mixing container
acrylic paint
paintbrush
chalk or wax crayon
plain and patterned ceramic tiles
tile nipper
rubber gloves
flexible knife
tile adhesive
powdered waterproof tile grout
cement dye
nailbrush
lint-free, soft cloth

Fragments of plain and patterned broken tile have been incorporated into the design of these mosaic plant pots. Collect your materials by looking in junk shops for old china in contrasting and complementary patterns.

Steps to make mosaic plant pots:
1. If the pots are not frost-resistant and they are intended for outdoor use, treat inside out by sealing with a coat of diluted PVA glue. Allow to dry. Paint the inside of all the pots with acrylic paint in your chosen color. Leave to dry. Using chalk or wax crayon, roughly sketch out the design for the pieces.
2. Snip small pieces of ceramic tile to fit within your chosen design. Using a flexible knife, spread the adhesive on to small areas of the design at a time. Press the tile pieces in place, working on the outlines first, and then filling in the background.
3. Mix powdered grout with water and a little cement dye. Spread the grout over the pot, filling all the cracks between the tile pieces. Allow the surface to dry thoroughly.
4. Brush off any excess with a nail brush. Allow to dry thoroughly for at least 48 hours and then polish with a dry, soft cloth.