Mosaic tile and improvised mosaic tile can be obtained cheaply from various sources: returns to building material stores, construction dumpsters and home renovations, old dinnerware from thrift stores and garage sales, lawn and garden stores (for rounded river pebbles and crushed stone), bottles from recycling centers, etc. Rock tumblers are useful for processing some of this material, but some of it can be used as obtained (or with a little cutting). However, vitreous glass and recycled glass tile can actually be more affordable, especially if you consider the time spent reclaiming and preparing material for use in a mosaic.
