Mixed-Media Mosaics: Techniques and Projects Using Polymer Clay Tiles, Beads & Other Embellishments

Imagine beautiful mosaic pieces with tiles that you easily create yourself!

Mixed-Media Mosaics offers a fresh, new approach to a traditional art form. By making your own tiles from polymer clay, you control the size, shape, color and even the texture, resulting in beautiful finished pieces that include tabletops, boxes, jewelry and shrines.

In addition to learning traditional tiling techniques such as working with grout and cutting glass tile, you'll also explore creative options for personalizing tiles:

• Discover the magic of mica powders and the regal look they can give to mosaics
• Learn quick and easy ways of adding paint to handcrafted and commercial tile
• See how easy it is to create molds and cast your own relief tiles
• Find ways to add personal meaning to your work with the addition of text tiles
• Experiment with the addition of beads, jewelry and other embellishments by embedding them right into the tile!

Whether you'd like to complete a mosaic tabletop for your patio, a jewelry box as a special gift, or simply experiment with jewelry, you'll find the inspiration you seek inMixed-Media Mosaics. Start creating your custom mosaic pieces today.

Laurie Mika's work employs her unique handmade tiles with mosaics, beads and jewelry to create "contemporary icons" (a blend of Byzantine art, Illuminated Manuscripts and Mexican folk art). Laurie was published in the premier issue ofExpressions magazine and has had work published in Somerset Studio,Somerset Wedding 2, Haute Handbags and Somerset Gallery 5, as well as the books400 Polymer Clay Designs (Lark, 2004), New Techniques for Wearable Art (Quarry, 2004) and JoAnn Locktov'sMosaic Art and Style: Designs for Living Environments (Quarry, 2005). Mika has also appeared on HGTV'sCrafters Coast to Coast and the DIY network's Craft Lab, and has taught workshops at Artfest in Port Townsend, Washington, Art Unraveled in Phoenix, Arizona, and Art and Soul in Dallas. She will also be teaching at Art and Soul in Portland in 2006 and at Hacienda Mosaico in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, in 2007.