Create a colorful summer tray with a vibrant mosaic of butterflies and glass tiles.
How To Make A Butterfly Mosaic Tray
Materials
Unfinished wood tray, 13 inches x 9 inches
32 Mosaic Mercantile vitreous glass ¾-inch tiles, Tangerine
32 Mosaic Mercantile vitreous glass ¾-inch tiles, Pumpkin
38 Mosaic Mercantile vitreous glass ¾-inch tiles, Canary Yellow
3 yellow and orange craft butterflies, 4½-inch wide
8 ounce Envirotex-Lite Pour-on Finish kit
White primer spray paint
Orange spray paint
Amazing Goop all-purpose contact adhesive
20 gauge black wire, 12 inches
Wire snips
Round-nosed pliers
Wax paper
2 heavy books
2 straight-sided paper cups, 10 ounce
Gloves
2 chopsticks
Large dust-free box, big enough to fit over the tray
Timer
Steps
1. Prime the tray and then spray-paint it orange on all sides. Inspect the inside edges of the tray and seal any gaps with the Amazing Goop.
2. Arrange the tiles in the tray making a band of canary yellow at the top, pumpkin across the middle, and tangerine along the bottom. Create a wave effect so your tiles don’t look like a flag.
3. Arrange the butterflies so they are flying in the same direction. Remove the two tiles directly beneath each butterfly so the body will fit down into the tray.
4. Use the goop to glue down all of the tiles applying the glue to the bottom, rougher side of each tile. Glue the butterflies down with their wings as flat as possible.
5. Snip the antennas off each butterfly. To create new curly antennas, cut a 4-inch length of wire, bend it in half, then curl the ends with the round-nosed pliers. Glue one to the front of each butterfly. Cover the tiles and butterflies with wax paper and lay books on top to keep the butterflies flat while the glue cures. Wait about 10 minutes.
6. Put on your gloves! Following the directions on the Envirotex Lite box, pour the entire contents of the resin and the hardener into a paper cup. Whip thoroughly for one minute with a chopstick. Don’t worry about bubbles. Pour the mixture into a second cup and whip for one minute with a fresh chopstick. Immediately pour the resin into the tray to create an even layer of resin over the tiles and butterflies. Exhale (but don’t inhale) over the tray to release the bubbles.
7. Carefully, place the tray on a level surface, then cover with a dust-free box and let cure undisturbed for 48 hours. It’s worth the wait!
Smooth Move: If the resin doesn’t completely cover your butterflies, just wait 8 hours, wipe the surface clean with rubbing alcohol, and pour on another coat for a perfectly smooth finish.
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