Mosaic Project: Halloween 2003 Votive - Mosaic Mercantile Online

Halloween 2003 Votive Project

Halloween Votive

Scary Jack o' Lantern Votive by Josh
hand-modeling by Andrea

What you will need from us:

2 - Glass votive cups - candles included
34 - Black tile
6 - Nightscape tile
6 - Pumpkin tile
6 - Tangerine tile
2 - Canary tile
2 - Lemon tile
1 - 1-pound bag of Sanded Charcoal Grout
1 - 4 oz. bottle of Adhesive
1 - Applicator Set

Purchase all of the Mosaic Mercantile items listed above which are necessary to complete two votives:
Only $11.99

Other things you will need: (not included with above items)

	INSTRUCTIONS:
	1	Begin by making a quick preparatory drawing, or cartoon. Sketch a jack o' lantern on a small white piece of paper (small enough to fit inside your votive cup - approximately 2" by 4"). Curve the paper and insert it into the votive cup.
	2	Carefully nip your black and orange tiles into small, irregular pieces. Try to make them small enough to fit into the design of your jack o' lantern. If you've never nipped before, place the tile between the nipper blades and gently squeeze the blades together. It's a good idea to cup your hand over the tile while you are squeezing, as this will help keep little pieces of broken glass from flying away.
	3	Using your craft stick, dab a little glue onto each tessera. Place them onto your votive with the smooth side up, textured side down. Aim for a 1/8" or less grout line between tiles. I find it easier to start in the center and work out - i.e. place the black eye, nose and mouth pieces first. Then fill out the pumpkin body with your orange pieces. After that, fill in the background with your black tile. I used Metallic Nightscape for the eyes, nose and mouth. The Metallics are more transparent than the Colored tile, so the candle light shines through for a nice effect.
	4	Allow adhesive to dry for at least 12 hours - we recommend overnight.
	5	Using the plastic Grout Spreader Tool, scoop out grout and spread it over the tiles and into the crevices between the tiles. Work the grout into the crevices until it becomes smooth and level with the tile surface. The best way to do this is by spreading the grout in one direction and then spreading it in the perpendicular direction. When you have finished applying grout, wait about 15 minutes for it to harden slightly.
	6	Gently wipe off grout with a damp Grout Sponge, removing excess grout from all surfaces. Wash out the sponge periodically while cleaning the tiles, as it really soaks up the grout.
	7	Allow to dry overnight. Gently loosen any remaining excess grout from tile with a wooden craft stick. Gently polish tiles with a paper towel or cloth. For extra shiny tiles, polish with a small amount of vegetable or olive oil.
	8	Congratulations - you now have a lovely jack o' lantern votive candle for Halloween! Stick a candle in it, sit back and admire your work.
		For a little extra touch, use the yellow tile to make a pair of glowing cats eyes for the back of the votive.