Mosaic Mirror Frame

See the instructions below for how to make a mica-tile mosaic mirror frame like this one. Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure E

Materials:

bass wood strips
craft knife
ruler
adhesive (Perfect Paper brand was used on the show.)
mat board squares
stapler
bass wood sticks (resembling dowels)
mirror cut to fit inside bass wood "frame"
glazing points
saw-tooth hangers
acrylic paint
paintbrushes
powdered pigments
embossing mica tiles
solvent-based ink (must use with mica)
giraffe-print stamp
giraffe tinz (shapes cut from tin)

Steps:

1. Cut two bass wood strips in half with a craft knife, making four 12-inch pieces (figure A).
   
   
2. Use adhesive to glue the pieces together in the shape of a frame.
   
   
3. Glue a square of mat board to each joint where the pieces meet, one at each corner, to reinforce the seam (figure B). Staple the mat board to the wood.
   
   
4. Flip over and attach the bass wood sticks (resembling dowels) to both the inside and outside edges of the frame with adhesive (figure C).
   
   
5. Turn over to the back side and place the mirror in the center of the frame.
   
   
6. Glue more bass wood sticks to the center of the frame on the backside (these hold the mirror in place).
   
   
7. Insert glazing points into the wood to help hold the mirror, and attach a saw-tooth hanger at the top.
   
   
8. Turn over to the front side and paint the interior of the frame black.
   
   
9. Paint the edges with a mixture of powdered pigment and adhesive (bronze was used on show). Let dry.
   
   
10. Use solvent-based ink and stamp a design onto mica tiles. Let dry.
    
    
11. Brush bronze powder pigment/adhesive mixture onto the back of the mica tiles and place the tiles onto the frame (figure D).
    
    
12. Apply the same pigment/adhesive mixture into the lines between the tiles to serve as grout.
    
    
13. Sprinkle with a dry powder pigment for a "sparkly" effect (figure E). Allow to dry.
    
    
14. If desired, glue metal tinz (giraffe shape was used on the show) onto the mirror at the bottom corner.