I just Dropped my Favorite piece of Fiesta®

Take the broken pieces and decide on a suitable structure for your mosaic. Countertops, backsplashes, trivets, tabletops, centerpieces even bird houses can be made beautiful by adding a mosaic to them. Use your imagination and maybe a little Pinterest. By placing a towel over the pieces and giving them a smack with a hammer you begin to break down the larger ones to the size you want as well as using some tile snippers to get the perfect shape for your pieces in order to space them 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart. Hey! if you've gone this far, please be careful! these shards are incredibly sharp! Now, the jigsaw puzzle can begin to take shape.

Using tile adhesive (mastic, thinset, or even costruction adhesive) and a notched trowel spread a little adhesive, the trowel will create ridges and help the plate pieces adhere to your substrate (what ever your applying the mosaic to). Remember to work in small areas so your adhesive doesn't set before you can place the "tiles" into it. Give each one you place a little side to side wiggle as you press them into the adhesive. Take your time and read the instructions for your adhesives! Choose your pieces wisely. We love the "Fiesta" logo on this piece!

Yes, that is an ice cream cone made entirely from Vintage Fiesta®. This one hangs over my desk like a cherry on top!

After you have set all your pieces and the adhesive has dried for its specified duration, it will be time to Grout. You can choose from many colors as well as type. You can use un-sanded grout if you have placed your pieces together with tiny spaces(less than 1/8 inch) but usually the sanded type will work best. Using a rubber trowel can benefit spreading the grout across the tiles but a spackle knife or plastic trowel could also suffice. Mix the grout to the recommended consistency, pre-mixed is also available. Push the grout into the cracks between your pieces by dragging the trowel at a 45 degree angle across the surface smashing the grout into all the cracks. Scrape up all the excess and with a damp sponge clean off the plate pieces(tiles). Be careful not to drag out the grout between the pieces as you sponge. The directions on the grout will help you to finish the grout cleaning process. Then let the cute little bugger dry for the recommended amount of time!

This porcine objet d'art adorns the top shelf above our selection of Fiesta® 3 Piece Bistro Place Settings