Mosaic Pumpkin - A New Hobby

 While scrolling through Instagram, I got a random reel of someone creating an amazing piece of art - a mosaic.  I went to her page and was even more impressed.  The artist I found is @sharrafrank on Instagram - check out her studio and her work below - so amazing.  (Sharra - if you're reading this - can we become best friends?!) 

Her page led me to start researching mosaics and learning new terminology and watching YouTube videos.  I think this is the way my personality type likes to learn (shoutout INTJs) - discovering a new topic and then doing in-depth research and then putting my research into practice.  

I bought the tools needed.  Wheeled Nippers and tweezers.   https://amzn.to/3X3xyRX

I bought Apoxie Clay https://amzn.to/3wZcpxHI(to stick the tile down) and sanded grout  https://amzn.to/3Rv3tYb.

I found a couple of Halloween wood forms at Michaels  - also known as "substrates".  I bought some beads.

I shopped at Goodwill and an antique store for vintage plates and jewelry.  

Then I sat at the table one day and started cutting up plates.  It wasn't easy.  But it was really cool to start piecing it together.  

I stained the substrate (the pumpkin shape) and mixed the clay and added it to the bottom and then put the pieces back in.  Mosaic pieces are called tesserae.

I joined a "Facebook community" for beginners and learned there are different colors of grout and there's an app called Groutr that helps you visualize what different grouts will look like.  So I tested different colors and settled on Brown Velvet (last one).  Which do you like best?

Then I grouted and cleaned it up.  Then I added hardware to the back.  

I am extremely proud of this mosaic piece.  I decided to list it in my Etsy shop as this is a really expensive hobby!

Leave a comment below - let me know if you have ever done a mosaic piece before.  Or if you learned anything new from reading my blog!