This post is brought to you by Shahab Shokouhi, a glass design expert at www.dullesglassandmirror.com, a site that manufacturers of glass table tops, glass shelves, and all other glass and mirror products. Follow Dulles Glass and Mirror on Pinterest to see how they’re changing the way glass products are manufactured, customized and delivered.

Kitchens and bathrooms the world over are getting eco-friendly updates with countertops made out of recycled glass bits and pieces. But rest assured that even if you don’t have a countertop’s worth of materials, there are still tons of creative ways to breathe new life into your cracked or broken beautiful glass bottles, vases and mirrors.

One way to upcycle your glass fragments is to design your own custom glass mosaic such as Beach Mosaic Art wall decor! So here’s a bit more on how to create treasure out of those shards you might have otherwise trashed.

Many Mosaics

The first step to designing your mosaic artwork is to compile your glass fragments and pieces. Examine your stockpile: depending on the sizes and shapes of your glass pieces, as well as your color assortment, one design option may stand out from the rest.

For semi-uniform or consistent pieces, you might choose a repeating pattern or linear design like stripes or checks.
For an assortment of sizes and shapes in the same color family, you could go with something more abstract, like the design for the Floral Mosaic Shelf above.
If you are interested in a more precise and detailed project, consider creating a mosaic “picture” with glass as your medium. Using exactly the same philosophy as cross-stitch, this mosaic is created by plotting out your picture on graph paper and substituting your glass bits for the thread.

Glass Guidelines

To make mosaic projects like a Mosaic Butterfly Stepping Stone, you’ll need:

• Craft Adhesive (like E-6000 or similar product)
• Grey Sanded Grout (grey provides a better effect than white)
• Gloves
• Craft tweezers for precise placement

When you’re ready to begin, follow these guidelines:

• Lay out your design without glue first to make sure you like the way it looks.
• If you are not using translucent or otherwise see-through pieces, you can even draw out your design on the surface of whatever you are covering with a felt-tipped marker.
• Leave space between the glass pieces as this will be filled in with grout once you have secured them all in place. This also means that you do not need to worry about them fitting together exactly.
• When you are pleased with your layout, pick up the pieces of glass one at a time, using the craft tweezers or wearing the gloves if your glass does not have smooth edges, and apply a drop of adhesive glue to the back of each piece and press it firmly into place.
• Once you are finished attaching all of the glass, allow the mosaic to dry overnight.
• Wearing the gloves, apply a generous amount of grout and rub it into the gaps, ensuring all spaces are filled completely.
• Wipe off excess with a damp towel and allow the mosaic to dry for at least 24 hours.

Now that you’ve seen how easy it is to create your own mosaic, what projects will you make?