The Process

MOSAIC FLOWER POTS

The process of creating tile mosaic flower pots is a very time consuming art form and requires a lot of patience as there are many steps to follow.  I thought I’d let you in on the process (without giving too many of my secrets away). [smile].

First I take a normal terra cotta pot.  Then I buy tile and break it on a board with a hammer.  Breaking the tile is very therapeutic.  I usually break the tile into three different types of pieces—large, medium, and then very small.  This is a lot more difficult than it sounds…the smaller the piece, the longer it takes to break.  I like this process of breaking the tile vs. using a tile cutter because one never knows what shape will transpire--each piece is truly unique & one of a kind.  It's like putting together a puzzle--each piece is different but necessary for the object to be complete & whole.

With tile adhesive I apply the tile to the terra cotta pot—arranging it in different patterns.  Designing how the pot will be made is the fun part for me.  The possibilities are endless and my imagination runs wild.  I not only use tile, but I use decorative marble pieces, sometimes metal quote or picture pieces, buttons, washers, coins...pretty much anything my imagination comes up with.  These additions really personalize the pot and make it unique.  Then the the various materials must dry to the tile adhesive.  I allow 1-2 weeks for this process so the tile is very sturdy for the grouting process.

I then mix grout with water and spread it over the outside of the entire pot.  It’s important to get the right consistency with the grout because it won’t work if it’s too thick or too thin.  This part of the process takes quite a bit of time as I am constantly wiping the grout from off the tile pieces to make sure the tile is clean.  I then let the pot sit for about an hour to allow the grout to settle in a bit, and afterwards I wipe the remaining grout off of the tile pieces.  This is also where I make sure all the tile edges are grouted in a way that a person wouldn’t injure themselves while picking up the pot.  This can take quite a bit of time & is the most difficult part of the process.

Then I make sure the edges of the pot look nice and even—leaving room to paint the very edge of the pot so the terra cotta color does not show through.  I also work on the bottom of the pot, cleaning the marbles halves that help raise the pot up from the ground.  I put marble half pieces on the bottom of the pot as to prevent the tile or grout from scratching any surface.  If the pot is going to be inside on a glass surface, round felt pieces can be applied to the marble halves to prevent scratching.  I am very meticulous with the grouting process as there are often places to fix & perfect after the grout has completely dried. At this stage, sometimes the marble & metal pieces need extra attention which require special sculpting tools.

It takes 1 week for the grout to dry in order for it to be sealed. I use a special grout sealer and paint it over the entire outside portion of the pot.  This step is repeated several different times to ensure the pot is sealed.

After the pot is sealed, it’s time to do the acrylic painting work.  Several coats of paint are applied on the inside of the pot.  The most difficult part of this stage is painting the fine detail work around the edge of the pot.  This also takes several different coats & a steady hand to cover the terra cotta color without painting the edge of the grouted portion of the pot.

When the inside of the pot is dry, it’s safe to spray an acrylic sealer to keep the paint from harming the plants that will eventually go in the flower pot.  This also gives it a nice shine which makes the pot look complete.

The nice thing about these flower pots are that they do not necessarily need to be used just for planting flowers or various plants.  They can be used to hold other items (lotions, perfumes, soaps, etc.).  You can be just as creative in what you place in the pot as what creativity was used in making it.  The flower pots are aesthetic, meaning they are to be both beautiful and functional at the same time.