There's a New Cat in Town

Hello again! Here is another feline that just got finished. He is a Seal Point Siamese sweetie and was soooo much fun to do. I battled with the decision to grout with either a buttercream, or a pewter grout. I like the final look with the darker grout, as the kitty I designed from was a darker Seal Point.
Materials are Brio glass, ceramic vintage ware, handmade Klimt inspired marble.
Grout is sanded. Always fun to receive and meet the challenge of a customer's request! Happy Designing!!!

Meow-zers!

Hey there again mosaic'ers. Here is a sweet stoic kitty kat, perfect for a front stoop. Flat black ceramic plates, combines with a toille floral and insect print for added attraction and zebra print plate for his chest. He is grouted in a pewter colored sanded grout. I always have issues with what to do with the eyeballs. Sometimes I get lucky and am able to find a plate flower print that I can nip-out and use for eyes, other times I simply cut-out a colored plate to shape. Here, I used the tradional colored-glass marble....it seemed to work well :)
Helpful hint: Follow the original form of the statuary. Use these lines as direction for placing your ceramic/glass pieces. Falling out of line sometimes blurs the idea and loses the shape and form you are trying to create and get in an end piece...just a suggestion.
Have fun designing!!

Plaques and Mirrors

Mirrors are a fun project for any room.

Here are two completely different mirrors from the same frame design.
A shell, taupe and ceramic design is great for anyroom. I see this in a beach home, funky flat or a beautiful bathroom.

The tangerine gumdrop mirror with icy blue is one of my all-time favorites. Super clean, sweet and full of character and color. This would compliment any tabletop or wall in your home or office.
Again, most of the materials used were from local thrift stores, beautiful brio glass, vintage plates and classic handmade marble windows.

Plaques are fabulous for your garden or livingroom wall. They say whatever statement you would like and are great as gifts for a friend. Here are two of my newest plaques....both greeting your guests in different color and language :)


Have fun and keep your creative side flowing!

Tickety Tock

This clock would make such a beautiful color and art statement! What a great way to add whimsy and design to your kitchen or livingroom wall. Even though we are heading for the middle of the summer months, I love still designing in the beautiful fall color scheme.
This clock was a "FIND"! at the local thrift store, and with plenty of color pop, added clip art marbles, ceramic design details and glass marble shine, the transformation is loud and apparent. The great thing about designing a clock, is that there is no need for a flat surface. The uneven, textured product gives it a three-dimensional appearance...tons of unlimited fun!

Little Critters

Hello Mosaic peeps...

Here are a few more of the critters and collections I created this week...it has been busy!
The large squirrel and Chipmunk were created from handmade marbles, selected vintage franciscan ware, china patterns and some lovely brio glass for color splash! Both were grouted in a pewter sanded grout.
The birdhouse I just ABSOLUTELY LOVE! The jade colors, simple daisy flowers and asian inspired marble design and roof really pop....my daughter mentioned that, "gosh, some bird is really going to like having this as their home mom!"..you must say this in Minnie Mouse voice tone to get the full effect!
My suggestion for the day is, "do not pass something up just because you dont think you will use it in the for-see-able future", you will kick yourself later. Many of these little hints (in the critters especially) were overflow from months/years ago purchases that I was so pleased to incorporate into the pieces today.....have fun creating and ENJOY :)

Dedication Bench

WOW!!! It has been awhile since my last post. Life gets busy and sends you in directions that you aren't prepared for, and smaller things get pushed to the side (blogging:) ) and have to be patient..be patient my little blog page, be patient.

Okay, here is a really nice dedication bench that I created for the Principal that was retiring at my children's elementary school. She is FABULOUS and so she deserved a FABULOUS bench for her garden. We Love her!

The bench is a classic style cement bench with some lovely details that I picked up at The Pot Sop in Moss Landing, California...go there please if you have not been. It use to be Little Baja and was a little messy and disorganized...NOW!!, run by some pretty darn cool people and offers so much for the eye and wallet ;).

To design the bench, I used mostly materials from my all-time favorite online tile company....Modwalls ( plesae also visit them online at www.modwalls.com )...mostly brio glass cut-up, with some ceramics incorporated and some Oceanic glass for hibiscus designs. One of the applications that I LOVE that Modwalls offers is a page that allows you to choose your colors of tile and then apply the different shades of grout to see what your end product will look like (nothing like designing and then grouting and then realized after it is literally set in stone that you chose the wrong color of grout, right?!)...play with this feature!

So, dont expect your bench to come out smooth as silk (yes, it is bumpy and was not intended to cuddle up with like a body pillow!), this is a design for your garden and adds so much character and color!!! ENJOY and happy designing out there! xoxo Jan

A Successful Auction Item!

Well hello out there from the land of Mosaic and Tiling!!! I wanted to post a couple of pictures of the Mosaic Mirror that we did with my daughter's kindergarten class for their annual Art/Music Auction benefit. Each child did a self portrait and that was encased under a clear large flat marble. It was adhered to the mirror frame and then each child mosaic'd around their beautiful face and then I filled-in and created the edging with hand-cut circles to match the connective/continual circle theme. Well, auction night comes and TA-DAHHHHHHHH....drum roll.....the highest bidder paid a whoopping $2300 for the mirror and the funds go to such an AMAZING and WONDERFUL cause to keep the arts in our children's schools!!! So proud of those little five and six year olds!!! So proud of our Brook Knoll school and the parents that add so much and make it so special!!