Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Cardboard Mosaic Table with Gel Press

This project took a couple of days to make and it was worth it!  The longer a project takes to make, the more likely it is that I'll have it in my home for years to come.  Recently, on a fantasy furniture shopping expedition, I saw a 1960s mosaic table made with beautiful blue and green tiles.  It was $3000 dollars and as much as I LOVED it, I'd rather spend that kind of money on a  hair transplant and some new shoes.  Still, I couldn't get it out of my head.  Cut to me using my Gel Press to create cardboard tiles that had a very similar feel.  A thrift store table and some Glaze Coat and I had a 60s inspired mosaic table sitting in my living room!  I love it much more than the one I saw, too! Remember to find ways to create something if it's out of your budget and of course, always 
MAKE YOUR MARK!
Styled and ready for company!
 Bare and beautiful!

Watch how to make it here!
STUFF I USED
Thrift store table
Famowood Glaze Coat (2 part epoxy resin)
Cardbaord & Masking tape
Sticker Paper (I used 11 sheets to cover this table)
 HERE'S HOW
1. - 3.  Trace the table top on a large sheet of paper and then fold in half and half again 3 times to create "pie slice" folds
4.  Mark out 1/4 of the pattern with a marker
5. & 6. Center and mark the stencil in the middle of the pattern and 1/2 of the stencil around the edges
*This will help with your tile placement later
7.  Paint the entire table in Americana Decor Gold and let dry while you work on the tiles
8. Fill squirt bottles with Americana Decor in Adirondack, Gold, Morning Glory and Lily Pad
9.  Squirt small amounts of Adirondack, Morning Glory and Lily Pad on your Gel Press and use a brayer to lightly spread the colors
10. - 12.  Place the sticker paper on top, bray the back so "print" the paint and then carefully remove the sticker paper to reveal beautiful mottled pages
13. - 16.  Place the Tribal stencil on the Gel Press, bray Adirondack and Gold over it, remove the stencil and then Gel Press the stencil on top of the mottled pages
17. - 20.  Stick the pages to cardboard and cut out and 1/2 circles (from your pattern) using a craft knife
21. & 22.  Use the pattern to center a full circle tile in the middle of the table and the 1/2 circles evenly around the edges and then glue in place with E-6000 Glue
23. & 24.  Cut the rest of the cardboard into "broken" tiles and fill the rest of the table with pieces about 1/8" apart
25. & 26.  Create a barrier/lip around the table with two rows of 2" wide masking tape
*Make sure it sticks all the way around
27. & 28.  Mix the resin according to directions (I used 2 quarts) and then pour evenly on the tiles
29. & 30.  Smooth out the resin with a foam brush and then pop the bubbles with a small torch or long arm lighter
*Cover and cure overnight
31.  Once the resin is cured, remove the tape and sand rough edges with a sander or sandpaper
32.  Coat the sanded edges with a thin layer of resin and let cure again overnight

So proud and worth the effort!

2 comments:

  1. Wow! I think this is my favorite project you have done...beautiful!

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  2. i love this look and wan tto try it. what kind of caedbord did you use? is it corragatede? and how well has it held up??

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