Have you ever wished you could turn a broken piece of pottery into something even more beautiful than it was before? Inspired by the centuries-old art of Japanese ceramic repair, this faux kintsugi tutorial shows you how to celebrate imperfections rather than hide them.

Kintsugi teaches us that our imperfections are part of our story. Just like broken pottery can be repaired, people can heal too. Hard times may leave battle fatigue, but they can also help us grow stronger, kinder, and wiser.

Creative Craft Hop

Before we get to the tutorial, it’s time for another Creative Craft blog hop co-hosted every other month by yours truly and Donna from Modern on Monticello! If you are visiting from Donna’s blog, welcome! Wasn’t her Christmas in July project adorable? Thanks for hopping over!

At the very bottom of this post, we’ll be directing you to the next stop on this venture. But don’t forget to check out the other stops too because you’ll find plenty more ideas. Be sure to drop back in throughout the week to visit them all!

Japanese Ceramic Repair

When we did our powder room makeover, I  was so happy with the transformation that I didn’t want to change a thing!

Murphey’s law had other plans. One day we heard a crashing sound and looked around to discover that one of our starfish had fallen off the wall and broke into a kajillion pieces. Hubs instinct was to toss them because… well.. they were broken. But I gathered them up, put them into a plastic container and there they sat for years until I could figure out what to do with them.

Kintsugi to the rescue!

Inspiration behind this project

I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but in March, Hubs and I joined a large research study at a Centre for Brain Health and Wellness. It’s the world’s first research-based community centre dedicated entirely to reducing dementia risk and supporting healthy brain aging.

Because we’re both getting older, and because both of our moms passed away from dementia, joining the study felt like a natural step for us; a “no-brainer,” so to speak. Participants take part in evidence-based lifestyle programs that focus on five key areas linked to brain health: diet, social engagement, cognitive function, physical activity, and mental wellbeing.

One of the best parts of the program, for me, is the arts and crafts. It has given me the chance to explore new creative skills and share some of them with you here, including this faux Kintsugi tutorial and Polymer Clay projects.

When our moms both developed dementia, I often wondered how it could have happened. They were active, creative women who loved gardening, knitting, crocheting, and other hands-on hobbies. They also lived healthy lifestyles.

After joining this study, I began to understand something important: staying busy with familiar activities is valuable, but challenging the brain with new activities may be key. Learning a new skill helps the brain create new connections and strengthen existing ones. These pathways help keep the brain active, flexible, and engaged as we age.

So I’d love to ask you: have you tried anything new lately? It’s never too late to pick up a new hobby. And if you have a treasured broken item that you just can’t part with, why not follow our tutorial and give it a beautiful new beginning?

Faux Kintsugi Tutorial

Hubs and I both signed up for the Kintsugi course so you may notice pictures switching back and forth between his project and mine. Since working with glue doesn’t lend itself to photography, whoever wasn’t laden with glue was on picture duty!

I, of course, brought our broken star fish to the course thinking I would be repairing it, but Kim, the instructor, suggested that I learn first and attempt something more precious later. It’s good advice not start with something you love. Visit the thrift store and find something you don’t mind smashing and repairing to get the technique down first!

We had a wide selection of blue and white Japanese-inspired bowls to select from!

Materials

[If you’re looking for some of the things we used, we’ve got you covered (disclosure): The blue links in this post may be affiliate links. We earn a commission from qualifying purchases which we proudly donate to Alzheimer’s research. But don’t worry, you don’t pay a cent more! Thanks for helping to support our fundraiser!]

• Gold Mica Powder
• Wood craft sticks (for stirring)
• Craft picks (for spreading)
• Mica powder scoop
• Paper plates
• Hammer
• Nitrile disposable gloves
• Fine disposable paint brush 
• Japanese Style Ceramic Cereal Bowls
• Timer
• 5-minute epoxy

Watch the Video

The Best Ceramic Repair Glue

Contrary to what you might expect, the best ceramic glue for beginner faux kintsugi isn’t necessarily the most expensive one. Another helpful tip from Kim is to skip the pricey epoxies, like Gorilla Glue. Gorilla Glue apparently takes too long to set in a class setting.  A true 5-minute epoxy helps prevent hand fatigue while you’re trying to keep everything perfectly aligned.  The one she recommends for beginners, shown below, was surprisingly sourced from the dollar store for under $3 (Dollarama here in Canada).

When fixing a keepsake, opt for a more expensive epoxy once you have the technique down. The dollar store brand remains a little flexible and soft once cured; it might not be as durable a fix as a more ridgid product.

Hubs got a kick out of the fancy hammer that came with the kit; even more so when he discovered there was a hidden screwdriver and tips hidden inside! All I can say is…. boys and their toys!

The gold powder we’re using is actually a mix of three that I think Kim sources from Amazon. Mixing them together gives her a pretty tone of gold that you can’t get from just one. She wouldn’t divulge exactly what she uses, but I gather it’s pretty expensive. So I was thankful to have such great instruction so I didn’t waste too much.

You’ll want to have a good variety of wooden sticks to mix and apply the epoxy. I found the toothpick too small and slow, but the pointy one on the end just right! The flat surface is helpful for scooping, positioning, and smoothing the epoxy mixture into place.

Set the timer for 15 minutes, but don’t start it until after the epoxy is mixed.

Break the Bowl

To start, wrap the bowl in a cloth, tucking it in around the edges.

Put on gloves! Then turn the bowl upside down over a paper plate to catch the pieces.

Strike the side with one swift, forceful blow. Open up the cloth.

Separate the large pieces from the small shards. After separating, you can carefully discard the shards.

Mixing the Epoxy

Before mixing the epoxy with the gold powder, take the time to determine which piece you are going to glue first. Have it ready because once the epoxy is mixed, five minutes goes by fast!

Squeeze out a dime sized portion of 5-minute epoxy onto a paper plate. Mix it thoroughly together for 15 seconds with a wooden stick.

Start the 15 minute timer.

Then scoop out the gold powder and add it to the epoxy.

Mix it in thoroughly, making sure you bring the gold powder in from all the sides.

Join Ceramic Pieces

Now spread it on both sides of the pieces you’re starting with.

Bring the two halves together and hold until the timer goes off. If you find it’s not set up, hold until it is.

Try to keep your gloves from touching the epoxy – especially on the back – so you don’t smear the lines. Hubs found that to be challenging.

You can tell whether epoxy is set up if you leave the stick in the mixture and then see if it moves at all.

Take your time when aligning the pieces. Focus on matching up the edges carefully, as uneven joins will be more noticeable once the ceramic repair is complete.

Below is my first piece. This is why it’s good to practice on something you don’t mind experimenting. If you are a little too heavy in the application on the practice piece, it helps you learn what to do differently on the next attempt.

Note: concentrate on lining up the edges as you don’t want them mismatched.

When I set this piece down to figure out the next piece to attach, I placed it upside down. The epoxy can still be sticky until it cures.

For the next piece, you can keep adding single pieces, as Hubs is doing here.

Or you can join two smaller pieces together first, and then attach the repaired section to the larger bowl. Keep in mind that you’ll need to mix a fresh batch of epoxy and power each time you work a new section. The repair is done in stages, completing one join at a time, so patience is key. But it’s still relatively quick. Traditional kintsugi is a true lesson in patience: a single join can take weeks to cure using urushi lacquer.

Troubleshooting

You may notice that, as you near the end of your faux kintsugi japanese ceramic repair, you end up with a hole.

You can handle holes in a few different ways, depending on the look you want to achieve:

• Leave it as is
• Fill around the edges while keeping the opening visible.
• Fill the entire hole, either leaving the surrounding area untouched or adding gold to that area as well.

Before continuing, it’s best to wait until the epoxy cures so the tape in the next step doesn’t permanently bond to the epoxy (i.e. minimal stickiness).

Hubs chose to fill the hole while leaving the surrounding area as-is. To do this, place a small piece of green tape on the back of the piece to act as a temporary barrier.

Here is is from the inside:

Mix a fresh batch of epoxy. Holding a finger on the back of the tape, carefully scoop the mixture into the centre of the hole where the tape has been placed. Once cured, the tape can be removed, leaving a smooth, filled repair.

I, on the other hand ended up with a tiny hole.

So I chose to leave the hole and fill the area around it. I this instance, I’m taping around the area I want to fill on the front.

And instead of a stick, I’m using a fine brush to guid the epoxy where I want it. Unfortunately, that means you have to sacrifice it as it will harden after the epoxy dries on the bristles. So use an inexpensive disposable brush.

I immediately remove the tape, toward the repair, and let it dry.

Japanese Ceramic Repair

The Reveal

Now that we have this skill under our belts, it’s time to repair the starfish. I’ll update this space when it’s done. In the meantime, here’s a different ceramic project using left over ceramic tile: look at what you can do with ceramic tile mosaic!

Pin Japanese Ceramic Repair

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Creative Craft Hop

Now it’s time to check out How to Decoupage a Tissue Box Cover from Carol at Blue Sky at Home. When you’re done, please remember to visit these other amazing talents below:

• How to Decoupage a Tissue Box Cover
• Decorative Toilet Paper Hydrangeas DIY
• Gathered from the Garden Botanical Lanterns
• Tiny Harry Potter Book Charms Christmas Ornaments
• Japanese Ceramic Repair – Faux Kintsugi (that’s us)