Quality glass tile can be difficult to obtain as brick and mortar stores which carry a wide selection, are very tough to find even in large cities.
I have tried more than a few tile sources and always return to the tried and true online store of Mosaics By Maria.When I was learning to create mosaic tile projects it was my teacher/mentor who referred me to Mosaics By Maria and it was a wise recommendation indeed.
Variety Of Mosaic Tiles
Mosaic tilers and stained glass artists know how much labor is involved with crafting pieces requiring small intricate glass cuts. Pieces take hours to make and the less time nipping glass the better!
Mosaics By Maria offers rectangles, squares, mini rectangles, skinnies in a variety of sizes between 1 inch and 1/4 inch; cut with accuracy for a clean and straight edge. For those of us who tend to wander when attempting to cut a straight line these tiles are perfect for backgrounds as is or can be easily nipped to adjust the size.
Off Cut Mosaic Tiles
Off cut tiles are the remnants or scraps from the cutting of tiles from large glass sheet. Mosaics By Maria always has a large selection of off cuts sold in bulk. The off cuts are all shapes and sizes which are a must have if you tile regularly. I love the off cuts in white and black as these are colors always needed when tiling and the off cuts are a nice saving for your time, tile budget and preventing tiler elbow!
Glass Tile Sheets Offer Convenience
Smaller glass sheets are also available and the main attraction is the smaller size! Glass sheets from commercial suppliers are usually large and difficult to manage for the hobby tiler. The glass sheets must be cut down multiple times before the glass can be sized to a smaller home mosaic pieces. Mosaics By Maria offers 6 inch square glass sheets which are easy to store and easy to use.
I like to use the sheets for projects such as Chauncey The Lion.
Chauncey is made with abstract cuts from a glass sheet to form the lion.
Giraffe Mom made with pre-cut tiles in squares and rectangles nipped to size.
Turning Your Dog Into A Mosaic Tile
Yes, I turned my dog into a mosaic tile as a Christmas gift for Grandma Dog. It may seem a bit overwhelming for a novice tiler to transform a pet into a mosaic tile, but I promise a DIY er can do it. If you are interested in turning your dog or cat (fish, gerbil, rabbit!)into a mosaic tile, I provide a tutorial here.
This project was a combination of using pre cut square tiles and a glass sheet cut abstractly for the background.
Recommendation
I highly recommend Mosaics By Maria for quality mosaic tiles. Check out her new website to order tiles online. My orders have always been shipped quickly, the orders have been accurate and I love the selection of pre-cut tiles to meet all your mosaic tiling needs. Always a pleasure to support a company or service which delivers as promised.My Favorite Tile Nipper
I'm frequently asked what tile nipper I would recommend. I have definitely tried quite a few and always go back to one of the most affordable nippers which performs well consistently. I have found the Roberts/q.e.p. Glass Tile Nipper far outperforms the much more expensive tile nippers.
Wow, are those designs ever pretty! They must look lovely displayed, and also, that's a very original gift idea; creating a mosaic of someone's pet, or their child. Love this.
ReplyDeleteYes, the ideas are endless to create personalized tiles as gifts!
DeleteI have a friend who has done mosaics for years. Will have to ask if they ever heard of Mosaics by Maria. Your animal mosaics shown here are marvelous. Love the lion and really enjoyed learning about your favorite craft, Tracey.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely pass along Maria's as a tile resource :)
DeleteI am awestruck with the lovely mosaic tiles! Thank you for sharing this wonderful gift idea!
ReplyDeleteThe tiles can definitely be personalized for homemade gifts ... matching a tile idea with the gift recipient is always fun.
DeleteOh My Gosh.... I'll have to come back and read more carefully later. These are beautiful. I've tried small tile projects and failed miserably. I wish I had this talent. Your pieces are beautiful. I can't wait to sit down and look at the tutorial.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you can tile ... perhaps a small one for your new home ... :)
DeleteFabulous mosaics Tracey! I am truly impressed!!! I have made a different type of mosaic using a kit, but I have never drawn my own pattern, cut my own tiles, and assembled tile pieces before. Really, really cool. You make me want to jump right in and start making glass tile mosaics. Simply Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWow these are beautiful, I know there is a lot of work involved. My other half does stained glass and it is similar in the cutting and placing the pieces where they belong. Great job and lovely to look at for years and years to come.
ReplyDeleteYou have some lovely designs. I admire people like you who can create beautiful decorative art. I don't seem to have those genes.
ReplyDelete