This seashell mosaic coaster craft will help keep busy hands occupied on a warm summer day. You can use the same principles and size this project up and make a garden stepping stone too. Use up some of those found shells you brought home from your summer beach vacation. It’s a great way to create a permanent reminder of the great memories you created on your trip!
Seashell Mosaic: Use Patterns to Create a Fun Design
Because the seashells Playdatebox focuses so much on patterns and logarhythmic design, this seemed like the perfect way to showcase what you have learned as you’ve observed seashells looking for mathematical patterns. You can test out different designs by pressing them into play dough or sticking them to a sheet of sticky contact paper if you like. A 4-inch coaster is small enough to be manageable and your first mosaic is going to be a lot of fun!
Supplies You’ll Need:
- 4″ Wood Circle Cutout
- White Elmer’s Glue, thinned with water
- Assorted mosaic tiles (get these at any hobby or craft store)
- A sponge brush
- White Tile Grout
- A Cloth or Paper Towel for Polishing
Step 1: Place several dots of glue on the back and edges of your wood disk. Dip your finger in water and smooth this glue all over the back and edges of the coaster to help make it more waterproof.
Step 2: Practice laying out your design on your coaster to make sure everything fits nicely and looks the way you want it to.
Step 3: Remove your design, but keep everything in order, just the way you had it laid out.
Step 4: Put several more dots of glue on the front side of your coaster, dampen your finger and smooth the glue out all over the front surface. Now you’re ready to make your design permanent.
Step 5: Place your mosaic tiles back on your wood coaster moving them around slightly to make certain your design is the way you like it before the glue sets up. Wait at least one hour or until the glue is hard and clear.
Step 6: With your finger, rub a glob of tile grout into the crevices between the mosaic tiles. Fill in all of the gaps, and then smooth the grout as much as you can. Wait for 15 minutes.
Step 7: With a foam brush that has been dampened with water and then squeezed dry, bush gently across your tiles to smooth out the grout. Don’t use too much water or the surface will crack. If this happens, just smooth on a little more grout. The tiles will still have some grout covering them. This is OK. You will clean it in the last step. Once your grout is smooth, put it in a safe place, undisturbed, and wait for a full hour.
Step 8: With a soft cloth, wipe the mosaic tiles clean and polish off the edges of your coaster to make them smooth. Your mosaic coaster is finished, but wait 48 hours before using it to allow the grout to cure completely.
Once your coaster is dry, you can drill a hole through one edge to string a ribbon for a Christmas ornament, or if the surface is nice and flat, you can use it as intended and use it to protect the furniture from your favorite beach-themed beverage. a Pina Colada would be just about perfect!