WOW!!! THAT is sooo PERFECT! Good Job!!! How long do you think it took you? Have you sealed the grout? Again, amazing!!!

Thank you! I started the table Labor Day weekend and finished it last weekend. I worked on it nights and weekends when possible. I haven't sealed yet. I did some touch up grout work tonight and plan to seal this weekend.

That is some kind of beautiful work. Love the color combo.

neat as a pin! what a good job!

Wow what an amazing job! The only problem I see is that it's not an Oregon Duck. LOL (just kidding)

Mind if I ask some questions?

What kind of tiles did you use? What did you use as your tile adhesive? And did you use a direct method? If so, how did you get such perfection out of the mascot?

I'm really, really impressed!

Thank you Slow, Wacky and Loribee.

Loribee, here are the answers to your questions (and more): I used an existing tabletop that was quite sturdy. It was some type of material that was coated with a type of textured laminate on top and smooth laminate on the bottom. I sanded the top just a little. I used a spray insulating foam to fill in the umbrella hole and smoothed that with thinset.

If you click on the picture, it will take you to my Flickr account and you can see my progress.

I copied the center design and transferred it to the table using carbon paper. The tiles are all stained glass and I used thinset to adhere the tiles directly to the table. In the larger areas I tried smearing the thinset on the table and setting the tiles, but would always put too much thinset down and it squirted up the sides of the tile. I eventually ended up just buttering each tile.

If I were to make this design again, I would do things a little different. Instead of individual tiles, I would cut pieces for the face painting, mouth, eye and upper feather designs (like the black triangle face paint). Also, I would consider having the larger feather fused. There are so many tiny, tiny pieces in that feather around the lettering and I had trouble with them not adhering well.

One thing I was really disappointed with was the gold triangles on the border. I had to use transparent glass (it's all that was available for the gold) and the thinset cracked and can be seen underneath those tiles. Probably not really noticeable to anyone but me, but I chose a thinset specifically designed for glass tile so I thought it would dry smooth.

Now, I'm just trying to figure out my next project!

Nice Work! and what a lot of work, too. Have you decided yet what your next project will be? I have decided on a bird bath; never done one and have been wanting to.

Thanks so much for the info! I'm just starting out with this craft, and with most of my projects intended for outdoors I've really been glomming on to all the experience I can get. I love how your table turned out. You do beautiful work!

And Silva, I'd love to see pics of your bird bath as you progress. That's one of the projects on my long wish list!

What type of bird bath? A concrete one or terra cotta saucer?

I've made several of the terra cotta saucers that sit on top of two pots glued together at the bottoms (hope this make sense). They are so easy to do and very versatile. The ones I did were stained glass and the birds love it ~ I guess because it's so shallow and easy to bath in.

Be sure to let us see what you're working on!

WOW! That really came out good. You did a beautiful job. Well done.

just gotta say ... Go Noles!

Beautiful table.

ML

Thanks fldirt and maddielee.

Unfortunately, after my son saw a pic, he wanted to know when I'm gonna make him a Gator table ~ ooohh, I don't know ~ that would hurt an awful lot! (He's a good kid, but he took a wrong turn somewhere!)

Yeah, but I'm thinking of something along the lines of the Red Sox jersey they tried to bury in the cement of the new Yankee Stadium. Soooo....if you were to make him a Gator table....well....he might never know what's planted under the thinset. Muahahahaha!

VERY COOL table...
having ur tea on it?

Haha loribee, I could paint a seminole on the table them put a glass gator on top - he would never know! Except, I would show him pics!!

calin, thanks you for your comment! Yep, I sit there with a glass of sweet tea (on a coaster, of course!!)