Serve With Style Mosaic Tray

A handcrafted tile tray looks like a million bucks (and it's easier than you think)!

A colorful tray is just the thing for serving those Lime Sparklers at your next summer soiree. To make your own, start with a circle of wood (available at home improvement stores) and a funky flower pattern. Mosaic with glass tiles in poppy red, tangerine, and lime. Then resin the surface for a glossy finish. Tray chic!

YOU WILL NEED:
particleboard disc (11 3/4" diameter, 5/8" thick)
wood veneer edging tape (13/16" wide, 39" long)
12 finishing nails (1 1/2" long)
2 screen door pulls with hardware (4 7/8" long)
1 can apple red spray paint
Elmer’s Craft Bond Tacky Glue
vitreous glass mini mosaic tiles (3/8" size):
100 poppy red tiles
200 tangerine tiles
300 lime tiles
Envirotex Lite Pour-On Finish (8 oz. kit)
chalk
screwdriver
hammer
scissors

WHAT TO DO:

Step 1
Prepare the particleboard disc by taping the wood veneer tape around the edge of the disc. Secure with finishing nails. (Make sure the wood veneer tape is flush with bottom of the disc to create a 1/8-inch lip on top.) Spray paint the wood-edged disc red on all sides.

Step 2
Attach the handles to the sides of the disc.


Step 3
Copy the pattern onto the tray with chalk. Glue each tile to the tray surface following the pattern. Let the glue dry thoroughly. (Clean any remaining chalk lines with a damp cotton swab.)

Step 4
Mix the Pour-On Finish according to the directions on the box and pour the resin over the tiled surface. Tip the tray slightly to evenly distribute the resin to the edge of the wood veneer tape. Let dry for at least 48 hours.

Bubble Buster
Don’t be afraid of stirring bubbles into the resin. Five minutes after you pour it, the bubbles will rise to the surface. To release them, gently exhale over the surface and those bubbles will pop!

Transfer Tip
To transfer the pattern onto the tray, follow these steps.
1. Enlarge the pattern so the diameter is 11 3/4 inches across. Cut out the enlarged pattern into a circle.
2. Trace the outline with a piece of colored chalk.
3. Flip the pattern over and set inside the tray. Rub the back of the pattern to transfer the chalk onto the wooden disc.

Objects Of Our Affection
Now that you are a mosaic master, why not try these tile alternatives?
broken china
marbles
stained glass
keys
coins
seashells
river rocks
sea glass