Do you remember this table? I got it for $20.00 from Saint Vincent D'Paul's thrift store. I wanted a table for our patio. After doing mosaic on the other little table and the mail box, when I saw this table my mind starting working... Why Not Do Mosaic? So I started putting dishes out on the table and starting planning a design. One of the focals I planned to use. The first design I came up with is below. Something seemed to be missing though. I started over. I decided the top of the table needed a border around the edge. I wanted the border to go with all the focals so I choice an off white embossed china set for the border. Since the table was going to be used outside, I knew I needed to use silicone as my adhesive. What was I going to do, however, about the china being different thicknesses. I had not worried about this on the mailbox since it didn't really matter if it was level or not. A dining table definitely needed to be level. Enter I applied Thin-Set Mortar to the thinner pieces of china to make them the same or about the same thickness of the border. The border was about the thickest pieces I was using on the table. After I had applied the mortar, I added a layer of the silicone and then placed the piece on the table. Once I did this a few times, I sort of got a feel for how much mortar to use on each piece of china. How did I make sure I was on track? Enter the leveler... I used two lengths, a short one and a longer one. My pieces were not always perfect. Sometimes the bubble was directly centered and sometimes it was as you see above... a little off. If it was this close, I let it be. If it was further off, I would remove the piece of china and start over...either adding or taking away mortar, whichever was needed to get that little bubble in the correct place! This is what the table looked like when I had finished with the pattern for the top and it was all glued in place. It was at this point, I decided I wanted to paint the silver rim and the base of the table white. I used newspaper to place over the mosaic and I used painters tape around the border..well, technically, my husband used the tape. I had him do the taping off for me and the spray painting. We used Heirloom White. I had not used canned spray paint in a long time. I am now used to using chalk paint, with a brush, or using our large paint sprayer. I was surprised at how expensive the cans of paint were... $3.89 a can I think. Of course we had to prime before we used the paint. The primer costs just as much. We were also painting four vintage fold up chairs to go with the table so we spent some bucks on the paint. I had purchased the chairs on one of my Round Top, TX adventures. So, next up is the reveal... Bear with me as I have lots of pictures of the reveal... I had quite the blister cutting all the china ... finally got smart and put on a glove :) and I found I could only grout the way I wanted to grout by using my fingers... poor hands... I think I am going to buy a small plastic scrapper and see if I can work with it for grouting. I have a feeling though, I will be getting my fingers into the action! The table, painted and grouted. A closer up view of the table with a peek at one of the chairs. A close up of the rim of the chair. I put mosaic on both sides...front and back. A close up of the side border around the table. A close up of one of the focals. This seemed to be every one's favorite dish. I ended up using two dinner plates, and two salad plates of each of four different patterns. There are a total of eight dinner plates around the table. Remember in my last post about Kim's storage unit I said I was the recipient of some treasures? This center of the table focal is one of those treasures. I think it just looks gorgeous and goes with all the other designs perfectly! Thank you, Miss Kim! One last picture of the entire set. I plan to make cushions for the chairs. Sorry if I sound gushy but I just love the way it turned out! Linking up with the following parties! Wed. www.savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com www.somedaycrafts.blogspot.com www.diybydesign.blogspot.com www.southernlovely.com Thurs. www.houseofhepworths.com www.delightfulorder.blogspot.com Fri. www.frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com www.fivedaysfiveways.com www.missmustardseed.com www.serenitynowblog.com www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com www.trulylovelyblog.net www.redouxinteriors.com Sat. www.funkyjunkinteriors.net Sun. www.bystephanielynn.com www.niftythriftythings.com www.my1929charmer.com Mon. www.skiptomylou.org www.pollywantacrafter.com www.linesacrossmyface.com www.betweennapsontheporch.net www.becolorful.typepad.com www.keepingitsimple.com www.craftomaniac.blogspot.com www.homemakeronadime.com www.diyshowoff.com www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com www.dihshp.blogspot.com www.homesavvyatoz.com Tues. www.abowlfulloflemons.blogspot.com www.coastalcharm.blogspot.com www.thethriftyhome.com www.notjustahowife.net www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com www.craftytexasgirls.com