Backyard Mosaic Welcome Sign

Materials:

4" x 24" balsa wood
3/8" Venetian glass tiles
pre-cut stained glass frog
pre-cut stained glass dragonfly
Chartpak wood stain markers
mosaic glue
1/4" flat paintbrush
pencil
color pencils
clear spray sealer
graphite paper
bull clip
paper
scissors
colored pencils
screw eyes
raffia

1. Stain the entire front side of the wood with the lighter wood stain pen.

2. Use the darker wood stain pen to add a rustic edge around the sides of the wood and blend where the two stains meet with the blender pen (figure A).

3. Cut a paper template the same size as the piece of the balsa wood. Using a ruler, leave about 3 inches on either end to add the frog and dragonfly. Sketch the word WELCOME in the center, spacing your letters evenly using pencil guidelines on top and bottom.

4. Use a bull clip to attach the paper onto the top of the wood. Slip the graphite paper underneath and trace on the letters for the word WELCOME (figure B).

5. Use the paintbrush to paint on a generous coat of the mosaic glue and begin placing the Venetian glass tiles, butting them up against each other, remembering this is a groutless technique (figure C).

6. Peel the one side of the clear sticky paper off of the precut glass design and the pieces will stay in place on the other side of the clear seal. Using your paintbrush, coat with the mosaic glue and place the frog on one end (figure D).

7. Allow glue to dry for about 30 minutes, and then peel off the top plastic coating.

8. Repeat the above steps with the dragonfly on the opposite of the sign.

9. Add some embellishment to the end glass designs with color pencils.

10. Measure 1 inch in from either end and screw in the eye screws.

11. Measure a 24-inch length of raffia and tie in each hole. Cut four or five pieces of raffia for each end and tie in the hole of the eye for a bit more embellishment.

Tips:

1. You may find an old weathered piece of wood to do this project. You may also want to use this sign in the garden or on your front porch or front door.

2. The wood stain pens dry almost instantly, which is a great time saver.