If you’ve been considering taking up mosaic-making for a while, the time for excuses is over. Black Friday is ideal for turning your idea into reality.

If you’ve been considering taking up mosaic-making for a while, the time for excuses is over. Black Friday is ideal for turning your idea into reality.

1. Take Advantage of the Sales

As well as tesserae and a base, you need a number of materials and tools to make a mosaic art. These include grout, cutters (one type for tile, another for glass), nippers, wax paper (alternatively, you can cover your work surface in old newspaper), and a craft stick. There are also a few things you may already have or you may need to purchase, such as a hammer, a bucket, a squirt bottle, work gloves, and safety glasses.

On Black Friday, you probably purchase most (if not all) of these things at a discounted price. Once you’ve stocked up, you’ll have no reason not to make a mosaic art — and then another and another. With all the basics on hand, creating a mosaic art will seem far less out of reach. Each time, you’ll just need some more tesserae and a new base. Occasionally, you’ll need more grout.

Another option is to purchase a mosaic art kit. This is a great idea if you’re struggling to come up with a design or you want your first project to be stunning. You can find starter packs on sale on Black Friday.

2. Stay Busy Over the Holidays

You look forward to the holidays months in advance. When they finally arrive, a sense of disappointment often sets in as you realize you have nothing to fill your free time. Relaxing without having a particular activity to enjoy gets old quickly.

Making a mosaic art is an excellent way to stay busy and keep your mind active. Best of all, you’ll have something to show for efforts at the end.

Image from Kim Emerson mosaics

You could, of course, start your mosaic art slightly later in the year, but, when you think about it, Black Friday is the perfect day. By this point, Thanksgiving is over, but you still have the rest of your holiday weekend. Then, as work and other commitments slow down over the remainder of November and into December, you’ll already have a project started that you’re enjoying. You’ll be able to dip into it whenever you want something to do, such as between paying visits to family and friends.

3. Making Mosaics Is a Great Group Activity

If you have friends and family visiting you from out of town over Thanksgiving weekend, you’ll need to think of things to do together. The last thing you want is your guests to get bored. Working together on a mosaic is an original idea that everyone will be sure to remember for years to come. Plus, you’ll have the mosaic art to remind you of the happy event. You may even decide to do another one next year, starting a holiday tradition.

Of course, if you prefer to work alone, that’s also an option. This is still a great bonding activity. You can tell your guests about your plan ahead of time to ensure they come prepared or you can all go out on Black Friday to purchase the materials each person needs to make an individual mosaic art. In the case the group is particularly artistic and many people already have their own craft passions, ask everyone to bring along projects they are already working on.

Image from: Kim Emerson mosaics

Form a Mosaic-Making Group

There’s no need to limit your mosaic making to a single weekend. If your friends live nearby, start a regular group and practice together. Use Black Friday as the starting day or just as an opportunity for everyone to buy the tools and materials they need for their projects.

There are many possibilities for a regular mosaic group. If none of you have any experience, you can all learn the art form. There are plenty of resources and videos online to help you discover everything there is to know about mosaic art-making techniques. If someone does have experience, even better.

Either way, consider working up to a complex project to show off your skills, such as an outdoor wall in your community. Each person will be able to add their own flair, resulting in a piece of art that expresses the personality of the group.

Image from Kim Emerson mosaics

5. Kids Also Enjoy Mosaics

Kids become restless when they have time off school, even when it’s just a few days. Art projects are ideal for keeping the kids entertained and away from screens. A mosaic art is a great option because it can be as simple or as complex as you want — plus, kids enjoy making mosaics.

Take your kids shopping on Black Friday to find interesting tesserae — there’s no need to stick to traditional tiles and glass. Then, you can start crafting the mosaics as soon as get home. By piquing your kids’ interest in mosaics now, they’ll want to continue later over the holidays.

Image from: Kim Emerson mosaics

6. Prepare for a Mosaic Workshop

If you are serious about learning how to make mosaics as an art, it is worthwhile signing up for a mosaic workshop, perhaps in the new year. It is always better to have at least some experience, even when you’ll be attending a beginner or all-levels workshop. You’ll be able to dive in faster and spend less time covering the basics.

In some workshops, you are expected to bring a project and you receive support. Starting ahead of time will help you find out what areas are most challenging, allowing you to make the most of the mosaic expert. Begin on Black Friday to give yourself plenty of time to prepare for your workshop, even completing a few designs beforehand.

7. Fulfill a New Year’s Resolution

Maybe your New Year’s resolution is to be more productive. Perhaps it’s to take up a new hobby, explore your creative side, or redecorate your home. Mosaics can fulfill all of these resolutions.

The problem is New Year’s resolutions tend to be hard to keep. One reason for this is that most people attempt something overly ambitious starting on January 1. Right after the celebrations, the last thing you’re in the mood to do is commit to a big new idea. As a consequence, resolutions often get thrown out or, worse still, are never even started.

One fix is to start a bit early — say, Black Friday! If you don’t like the idea of starting early (perhaps it feels like cheating), at the very least buy all your mosaic equipment on Black Friday. Not only will you save money, you’ll find that having everything ready to go in January is very motivating.

8. Mosaics Make Great Gifts

Homemade presents are always the best, as they show that the giver is willing to put in extra effort to create the perfect gift for the recipient. While you are doing your holiday shopping over Black Friday, think about someone special who would love to receive a piece of art from you. Then, use the time leading up to Christmas to make a beautiful mosaic.

As Black Friday falls on November 23, the earliest possible date, you’ll have plenty of time to finish your project. In fact, you may even be able to make a few mosaics.

Stop thinking about getting into mosaic-making and do it! This Black Friday, stock up on everything you need and dive into the project over the weekend.