• Use leftover tiles for craft projects.art tile closeup on a red brick wall image by poGosha from Fotolia.com
  
  Tiles are useful for more than just walls and floors. They also work well as the base for several creative craft ideas. Use leftover tiles from a home tiling project to make the crafts. You can also purchase individual tiles at the home improvement store if you have a specific craft project you want to do.
  
  

Wall Hanging

• Tile wall hangings are popular at many home furnishing stores. They also come with a hefty price tag. Make your own using leftover tile. Paint a design on the tile for a custom look that matches your home. If you feel comfortable with your artistic talents, freehand a design. You can draw a picture lightly with a pencil onto the tile to use as a guide. Another option is to use stencils for the artwork on the tile wall hanging. For an easy display option, place a plate holder on a shelf and rest the tile on it. That way, you won't have to worry about attaching a hanger that will hold the weight of the tile on the wall.
  
  

Coasters

• Coasters are another crafty use for tiles. A 4-inch square tile is ideal. Paint a design onto the tile coasters much the way you would for the wall hanging craft. Add felt to the back of the tile coasters so they won't scratch your tabletops. Cut a square of felt the same size as the tile and glue it to the bottom. Another option is to purchase self-adhesive felt squares from a home improvement store. Attach one felt circle to each corner of the tile to raise it up off the tabletop.
  
  

Mosaic Flower Pot

• Mosaic designs work well with tile. Break up old pieces of tile in various colors and patterns to create the mosaic pieces. One safe method of breaking the tiles is to place them inside a towel. Use a hammer to break them. The pieces will stay inside the towel rather than scattering and potentially causing injury. Use tile adhesive to attach the pieces of tile to the outside of a terra cotta flower pot. When the tile adhesive is dry, use tile grout to fill in the spaces. Spread it over the spaces. Wipe away any grout that gets on the tile pieces. You can also use the mosaic technique on other items such as a tabletop.
  
  

Ornament

• Use small tiles to create homemade Christmas ornaments. Decoupage glue allows you to attach photos and other images to the tiles. Make a photocopy of a child's picture for a custom ornament that doubles as a good gift. Spread decoupage medium on the tile. Press the picture onto the glue. Brush more decoupage glue over the top. Add stickers, decorative paper frames or painting around the edge to finish the ornament's decoration. Hot-glue a ribbon to the back side of the ornament so you can hang it on the Christmas tree.