DIY Network

Garden Sphere Mosaic Visit DIY's Craft Lab to learn how to create a unique garden mosaic. From "Craft Lab" episode DCLB-154

Guest Laurel True joins host Jennifer Perkins and demonstrates how to take a ball from a toy store and cover it with mesh and a concrete-like paper mâché coating. She then draws a design on the hard surface. She shows how to score mirror glass and trim the glass with nippers. Next, she shows how to apply glass and tile to the concrete form and lastly applies grout and glitter.

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Guest Laurel True creates this dazzling one-of-a-kind Garden Sphere Mosaic for your garden!

Garden Sphere Mosaic

Project designed by Laurel True.

Materials:

15" rubber ball
Parex fiberglass mesh cut into 4" squares
Parex acrylic concrete
1-1/2" margin trowel
safety goggles
plastic tarp
work gloves
latex gloves
colored chalk
shop rag
black china marker/grease pencil
acrylic paint (any kind)
shop rag
paint brush
scissors
2" plastic putty knife for mixing and back buttering
assorted bright colored exterior tiles
tack hammer
dichroic glass
wheeled mosaic nippers
1/4" mirror
glass cutter
8" running pliers
thin-set tile adhesive 8# bag
sanded tile grout (pale mauve #10)
grout glitter/metal flake
magenta and orange, 1 oz. each color
cellulose sponge
tile sponge, cut in half
paper towels
mixing bowls
rinse bucket for grouting

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F
	Figure G
	Figure H
	Figure I
	Figure J

FYI: Dichroic glass (figure A) is fusing glass by getting it so hot it melts together. It has a transmitted color and a completely reflective color (di=two, chroic=colors; dichroic=two colors). When light passes through dichroic glass will transmit one color while light that bounces off reflects another color.

1. Using a regular paint brush, coat the rubber ball with regular latex paint to give it texture (figure B). You want your working surface to be strong enough.

2. Let it dry.

3. Mix Parex acrylic concrete with water to the consistency of thick cake batter.

4. Spread a thin layer of concrete onto the ball with a margin trowel, as if you were frosting a cake (figure C).

   Tip: The acrylic concrete will add a sturdy exterior to the rubber ball.

5. Cut fiberglass mesh into approximately 4" x 4" pieces with scissors.

6. Place the fiberglass squares into the ball, flatten and embed into the concrete with a trowel and then smooth (figure D). Overlap the pieces by about an inch.

7. Cover the entire ball in this fashion and let dry. Do two more layers for a total of three layers and let completely dry.

8. Use chalk to freehand a design onto the ball.

9. Go over the design lines with a china marker (figure E).

10. Wearing safety goggles, cut 1/4" mirror into 1/2" strips with a glass cutter. Snap off with running pliers (figure F).

    Tip: After cutting the mirror there will be splinters that you have created. These can cut you, so make sure you remove them from the work area as you are working.

11. Wearing work gloves and goggles, break tiles on the BACK (non-glazed) side into small pieces (figure G), separate by color into bowls.

12. Mix thin-set adhesive with water to the consistency of commercial peanut butter, let it stand five minutes and then re-stir and use.

13. "Back butter" pieces of the mirror with thin-set and stick onto the design line on the ball to form a mirrored line (figure H).

14. Using a plastic putty knife, back butter each tile piece.

    Tip: Use the tile piece to take the thin-set off the putty knife, you will keep your fingers cleaner!

15. Place the tiles according to what colors you like onto the concrete sphere (figure I). Blend and mix the colors as you like, using small bowls of tile pieces like a painter's pallet.

    Tip: Leave a 1/8" to 1/4" space between the tiles. This is called a "grout joint" and will later be filled with grout.

16. Cover the entire piece with tile, aligning the edges of the tiles like puzzle pieces.

17. Let the thin-set dry overnight.

18. Mix sanded tile grout to consistency of commercial peanut butter. Let stand five minutes and re-stir vigorously (this is important). This is called "slaking."

    Tip: Always wear latex gloves when grouting!

19. Wet cellulose sponge in rinse bucket, wring out completely and use to apply grout to ball.

20. Wipe grout onto ball, forcing into the grout joints and moving your sponge in different directions to make sure there are not empty joints.

21. Wipe clean with a sponge and let set for five to ten minutes.

22. Wet the tile sponge and wring out completely and wipe down the tile again.

23. Sprinkle on metal flake/grout glitter and rub into wet grout joints with gloved hand (figure J).

24. Let grout "skin over" and form a light film.

25. When the grout is sandy to the touch and no longer wet, buff with paper towel or a clean, soft rag.

RESOURCES :

Garden Mosaic Products
Mosaic Studio Supply
Website: www.mosaicstudiosupply.com

Mosaic Art and Style: Designs for Living Environments
by JoAnn Locktov
ISBN: 1592533566
Apple Press

GUESTS :

Laurel True
Institute of Mosaic Art
3001 Chapman St.
Oakland, CA 94601
Phone: 510-437-9899
E-mail: info@instituteofmosaicart.com
Website: www.instituteofmosaicart.com