It’s a simple, straightforward project: cut paper squares, arrange, glue, and seal. I however, found a way to make it more complicated. Note: while this is an easy project, it is a bit time-consuming so you better have a fresh jar of patience. I came across this mosaic project over at Remodelaholic and felt like it was fated to coordinate with my retro kitchen countertops: Instead of using an MDF board as suggested in the tutorial, I decided to use a something I already had, a watercolor canvas: Watercolor canvas ended up being a tricky venture and I never finished the piece (it was to be bamboo), so I painted over it with some white acrylic craft paint… and painted, and painted and painted… and probably painted a couple more coats of white over the previous painting. Then I decided it should be silver, so I added more coats of paint. Oy. You’d think that was the tedious part, right? Nope. Cutting all those squares and then gluing them felt like it took forever. I believe I bought 16-12″ x 12″ scrapbook papers to use. I used all solids, but I bet the mosaic would look sweet with a bit of patterned paper thrown in there. I chose shades of teal, aqua, seafoam, red and olive to coordinate with my kitchen (which also ties into the turquoise/red of the living room). Once that was done I was giddy to start sealing the mosaic with Mod Podge. I don’t know if it’s the fact I’m playing with glue that makes me joyous and happy, as if I’m a kid again? I’m just really digging this stuff. Tip: the Glossy Mod Podge seems to look best with textured cardstock/paper. I’ve tried regular old paper and the brushstrokes are pretty visible. Maybe I could take more time when brushing it on, but I prefer the less-work route. To decrease the stickiness of the Mod Podge coats, I then sprayed the piece with a clear acrylic sealer. Check it out in my kitchen so far, along with a custom DIY rug: You can find directions for making this rug here at High-Heeled Foot In the Door. I scored this fabric on clearance at Joann’s for $3/yard. It’s actually outdoor canvas, which makes a great fabric because of it’s weight and durability. For added durability, I also sprayed it with Scotchguard.

The kitchen is still in the process of being redecorated. I’m considering if I need something else on that end wall, but mostly I just plan on organizing the countertops better and maybe a lil somethin-somethin to decorate the frig and tie in more color. Stay tuned…