Furniture Makeover

• Breathe new life into boring furniture pieces with pique assiette art. Transform an old tabletop or dresser in a single afternoon using the broken vase shards, tile adhesive and grout. Arrange the shards on a work surface in the desired design; use a random pattern or create a mosaic portrait. If you don't have enough shards to cover the surface, use other broken shards or small tile pieces. Break larger vase shards into smaller pieces; lay the large shards between a towel and gently strike with a hammer. Apply mosaic adhesive to the furniture and vase shards, and then place the pieces on the furniture. Fill in the spaces between shards with grout. Try the same technique on small objects such as picture frames, jewelry boxes or new vases.
  
  

Kitchen Backsplash

• The walls behind the kitchen sink and above the stove often get sprayed with water or food splatters, which may stain the wall. Applying a vase shard mosaic to these walls provides a hard surface that's easy to wipe clean. Try a random pattern mixed with other shards and tiles above the sink. Create a pique assiette picture above the stove to serve as a focal point in a themed kitchen. Apply the vase shards to the wall with mosaic adhesive, and then finish the wall with tile grout in the gaps between shards. It helps to arrange the shards on a counter in the desired pattern before adhering them to the wall.
  
  

Patio Mosaic

• Enjoy your old vase outdoors in the form of a patio mosaic -- a design set into the patio floor surface. Use the vase shards, as well as tile pieces and pebbles if needed to cover a larger area. To preserve the tile mosaic, place it in an area that receives little foot traffic. Set the shards directly into a prepared surface of wet concrete mix. Allow the concrete to set for about one hour before finishing with tile grout. Cover with a sheet of plastic for a few days to cure and mist it lightly with water about once per day. If you'd rather not set the shards in the ground, try using them as a backsplash mosaic for a patio waterfall feature.
  
  

Soil Drainage

• Potted plants require adequate soil drainage that allows excess water to drain away from the soil. Without proper drainage, wet soil leads to problems like root rot and promotes bacterial growth within the soil. Gardeners often use broken pieces of clay pots for drainage, but broken vase shards also aid in providing soil drainage. This is a functional way to use broken vase shards from vases with no sentimental value. Simply place the shards in the bottom of an empty pot, breaking them into smaller pieces as necessary. Cover the shards with a layer of small gravel to further increase the drainage potential.