Using a photocopier, enlarge the image by 500% (enlarge by 200%, then 200%, and then by 125%).

You'll need:
Materials Carbon paper (optional)
450mm x 1200mm piece of fibre cement sheeting, or cut to fit your splashback
Old blue and white china plates
Plates or crockery in assorted colours for flowers: yellow, blue, orange, cornflower blue
Glass mosaic tiles in white, blue, turquoise and purple
White multi-purpose tile adhesive
White grout Contact adhesive or building adhesive (such as Selleys Quik Grip or Liquid Nails

Tools
Stylus (optional)
Ruler
Pencil
Tile nippers
Goggles and mask
Mixing containers
Palette knife
Rubber gloves
Rubber squeegee
Rags or cloths
Sponges

Here's how:
1. Print out the template and enlarge the pattern as indicated on a photocopier, or adapt it to fit the size of your splashback. Repeat the pattern as many times as you need to fill the length of your splashback. Using carbon paper and the stylus, transfer the design onto the sheeting.

2. To make the crisscrossing lines in the centre of the splashback, smash the blue and white china plates into pieces, then cut into small square pieces using tile nippers (these small pieces are called tesserae in mosaic work). Wear a mask and goggles when you do this to protect yourself from dust or flying fragments. Lay out the tesserae on the design to see if you have enough pieces.

3. Using tile nippers, cut the petals for the six yellow flowers and six blue circles for the centre of these flowers. Cut small rectangular petals for the five orange flowers and five cornflower blue circles for the centre of these flowers.

4. The main part of the design is filled in with white glass mosaic tiles cut into random shapes. The border is made of blue and turquoise mosaic tiles cut into triangular and rectangular shapes, and purple glass mosaics cut into thin rectangles, about 20mm x 10mm. Like the china, these smaller tile pieces are called tesserae. Using your tile nippers, you can cut all these tesserae now or, if you prefer, cut them as you need them.

Spread adhesive on the back of the individual tesserae and place them along the drawn lines.

5. Using white tile adhesive, glue the blue and white china tesserae to the sheeting to form the crisscrosses. It's a good idea to put the adhesive on the backs of the tesserae so you can still see the design lines as you work. If you put the adhesive directly on the surface, you'll cover these lines.

6. Add in the yellow and orange flowers. Position the round tesserae for the centre of the flower first and then add the petals. Lay out the petals around the flower and when you're happy with how it looks, glue them in place with the tile adhesive.

7. Fill in the centre of the design using the white tesserae. Use small wedge-shaped pieces to fill in the spaces around the petals. Glue in place with tile adhesive.

Butter the backs of the purple glass tesserae and position them as a border running around the central design.

8. Arrange the purple glass mosaic tesserae in a single row around the white tesserae, along the inner edge of the border section, and glue in place.

9. Fill in the corners of the splashback with purple tesserae and glue in place. The rest of the border is made up of triangles of turquoise and blue. Arrange these tesserae on the sheeting and glue in place. Leave your mosaic for 24 hours so the tile adhesive dries.

10. Now you can grout your mosaic with white grout. Using the rubber squeegee, spread a generous amount of grout over the mosaic, making sure you push it into all the cracks. If it's easier, wear rubber gloves and spread the grout with your hands. Wipe off the excess with a cloth or rag, then leave it to stand for 5-10 minutes.

11. Wipe over the mosaic with a damp sponge to remove the excess grout and reveal the design. You'll need to keep rinsing out the sponge while you do this, to make sure all the grout is removed.

12. When the mosaic is dry, a light film of grout will appear. Remove it by polishing the surface with a clean, dry rag.

13. Now it's time to put your mosaic splashback in place. Choose a contact adhesive or building adhesive suitable for the wall surface (try Selleys Quik Grip or Liquid Nails) and fix the fibre cement sheeting to the wall. Neaten its top edge with a batten.

Source: Mosaics (Murdoch Books)