"Day at the Beach" Mosaic Mirror and Cabinet

Gina Hubler of Miami, Fla., was introduced to mosaics when she hired a friend to mosaic her bathroom. She ended up taking over the project and hasn't stopped since. Her love for nature, color and glass inspire her latest project, a "Day at the Beach" mosaic mirror and cabinet.

Materials:

3/4" plywood
1" x 2" wood strip
acrylic paints:
- light blue
- cobalt blue
- iridescent white
water-based polyurethane
6" round mirror
2 small wood boxes
wood glue
screws
shells
sand
stained glass
mirror mastic adhesive
Thinset tile mortar
table saw
glasscutter
glass nippers

1. Draw a pattern for the base shape on 3/4-inch plywood and cut out. Cut a 1" x 2" strip of wood for mounting the cabinet to the wall, in a bevel rip, at an angle and attach it to the back of the base. Add a stabilizer piece of wood to the back that will rest against the wall (figure A). Note: Wood pieces may be cut at the lumberyard to desired specifications.

2. Paint the back of the wood base (figure B). Let dry.

3. On the front paint the background color of the sky by mixing, light blue, cobalt blue and iridescent white acrylic paints and applying in a stria fashion using a paintbrush (figure C).

4. Apply three to four coats of polyurethane to the drawers and the bottom of the wood base and drawers. Lightly sand in between coats.

5. Join the two boxes together end to end with wood glue.

6. Spread Thinset tile mortar around the edge of the wood base and place pebbles all around (figure D).

7. Draw the palm tree and ocean onto the background. Paint the palm tree and ocean. Adhere the mirror using mastic adhesive (figure E).

8. Cut glass into mosaic pieces using glasscutters and nippers. Apply mosaics to the palm tree and ocean (figure F).

9. Adhere the boxes onto the plywood base, first with wood glue and then with flat head screws (figure G).

10. Glue shells onto each box for handles (figure H).

11. Spread a thin layer of Thinset tile mortar on the bottom and glue on the sand and shells (figure I).

Display your day at the beach mosaic mirror and cabinet.

E-mail: gina@designimp.com

Website: www.mosaictools.com