A great advantage to this craft is how easy it is to learn and then adapt to your own taste and style. You can put almost any found item - old keys, shells, pieces of broken china, even buttons - in your mosaic.

Prepare the Surface
The surface should be oil free and clean. If you are using a ready made surface like a piece of wood, sand it lightly with sandpaper or steel wool.

Plan Your Design
Trace the shape of your surface onto a piece of paper and draw out your design. Once you are satisfied, use transfer paper to copy the design onto your surface.

Prepare Your Mosaic Pieces
If your surface has round or oddly shaped edges or of your design calls for small pieces, you may have to break your items to fit. Place your pieces between several layers of newspaper or in a brown paper bag and strike at a slight angle with a rubber mallet or hammer. It is recommended that you were safety goggles and rubber gloves during this process.

Glue Tiles to the Surface
Spread tile adhesive to a small area of your surface and apply your tiles. If your pieces are large, apply extra glue to the tile. Only apply the glue to small surface sections at a time so that the glue will not dry out before you place your tiles.

Grout the Surface
Following the instructions on the package, add water to the grout mix. The grout should have an oatmeal-like consistency. Spread the grout over the design and let it set for about five minutes. Use a clean wet sponge to wipe the grout off your tiles. Rinse the sponge regularly during the process. Once you have wiped the grout off the entire surface clean your sponge and repeat the process. You may have to do this several times to get all the grout off your tiles. Once the tiles are showing through the grout, allow the surface to dry. If you are using a wood surface, this would be the time to seal the visible edges with diluted white glue to prevent warping.

Polish Your Mosaic
Once dry, you may still see a grout haze on your tiles. Polish this off with a soft, dry cloth. Apply an interior or exterior sealer over the grout to keep it dry and protected.