Or, “It’s All Over But the Grouting!”

This is where we left off on March 29, in “The Table Mosaic”. The view is from the back living room window, and I had just started to put the pieces around the little plate in the center.

Gradually, the design grew. And as you can see, I was almost out of Liquid Nails

And while I realize this is hard to believe, I was also running out of tesserae. It had been a while since I had been to the thrift stores in search of the perfect plates to break into pieces. But fortunately, I found a few unbroken bowls and a plate or two that I’d forgotten about “amongst the stuff”.

Just a quick view of the stuff. That’s not counting the part you can’t see, on the bottom shelf of the blue changing table from one of my neighbor’s yard sales.

I also managed to rescue a few pieces from another failed mosaic project that you haven’t heard about yet. Although it’s sad to say, I got them from the “frog on top of a mosaic plastic wastepaper basket” that didn’t make it.

That project probably should go under the “Don’t Try This at Home” category, if I had one. This was before I knew that smooth plastic is not the best substrate for an outdoor mosaic. See “Here is Yard Art” for more details.

I thought it turned out really cute with this ceramic frog I had gotten at a neighbor’s yard sale.

The frog subsequently bit the dust at the hands of the gardeners. I think they accidentally bumped into it and knocked it off its perch. But it was an accident, so what could I say?

Then, as the months and years went by, this is what happened to the mosaic.

I finally threw away the plastic waste basket, but I left the mosaic pieces out there, figuring I would reuse them one day. Which, I am happy to report, I have.

As I mentioned before, I was also running out of Liquid Nails. They didn’t have the small tubes at Carlos’s store, which is by my house. I didn’t want to go all over town looking for it, so I decided to use my other favorite mosaic glue, Weldbond. I guess we’ll all find out whether or not that was a good choice!

Weldbond dries clear, and more quickly than Liquid Nails. Hopefully if it’s not as strong, the grout will keep it in place.

I’m still not positive I’m going to like the extra textured effect. I know texture is one of the most pleasing aspects of mosaic, but maybe not for a table.

You know I like random close ups.

When I took this, I didn’t notice that there was a random piece sitting on top of the design. Can you spot it?

Since I couldn’t decide whether to use the photo that shows more of the blue edge of the table, or the one that shows less, I decided to use both.

Stay tuned for the grouting process!