Patricia Lamp of Rockford, Ill., sent an interesting piece of jewelry to the Shoebox that she made from a kitchen countertop sample tile (see note at end). With a tile, some embossing ink and powder, a rubber stamp and a bit of imagination, she made a handsome pendant that was worthy of the jewelry box she sent it in (
figure A). Patricia used three applications of the ultra thick embossing powder then pressed her stamp into the melted powder.
Of course we had to try it and discovered that the tiles are slightly different depending on what brand you get. One brand has the name of the manufacturer printed across the top of the tile. We covered this by first applying colored embossing powder around the outer edge. It not only covered the printing but gave an interesting effect. The image was stamped using gold ink (figure B).
Another tile was embossed using clear ink and powder on a patterned tile so that the pattern of the tile itself showed through. This proved to be one of those projects where a variety of different effects are possible depending on what materials you use.
As for the tiles themselves, we did not feel it a good idea to recommend that folks go to the store and avail themselves of a number of sample tiles if they have no plans to redo a counter top. We therefore asked whether there was any way to obtain the tiles legitimately under these circumstances and discovered that it is apparently up to the individual storeowner or manager. Some tile companies periodically replace old patterns with new ones, and if you ask the person at the store to save the old ones for you they are often more than happy to do it. In cases where the tile companies take the old tiles with them, this is not as easily done; so, as with the wallpaper sample books, the best bet is simply to ask.
Note: The tiles to which we refer are those samples approximately 2" x 3" that are hung on pegs in the hardware store's kitchen area (figure C). They are not ceramic tiles but those made of some laminated materials. Formica is a brand name for the material that has become almost generic. Wilson is another company that makes it.
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