In The Studio - Wednesday

In between spending time with the family, I have managed to get some mosaic work completed too. It's a slower pace during the summer months, and having the Little Dude home every day with me is a lot of fun.

The celestial set is in the "to be grouted" pile.

I used stained glass in dark blue and various iridescent glass. I really do enjoy making celestial mosaics a lot.

I've started on a new mosaic. This is a discarded microwave plate (the last one in stock!) and carries over with the celestial theme.

I took a doodle I did last year that wasn't in very good shape (ink smeared, some of the drawings were off by a whole lot) and cut it out and taped it to the bottom underside of the plate. I can't do the specific details from my drawing because they are too small, but I can use them as a guide.

There's not a lot of planning here, just going with the flow and using the doodles as a guide. The flowers will no doubt become stars. The rays of the sun are probably going to get another color added to them.

And have no fear, once the doodle is no longer needed here for the plate, I will save it and use it for a mixed media project with paper or add it to something else at some point in the future. It's uses are endless!



Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!~Cindy, EarthMotherMosaics

 

In The Studio - Friday

Happy Friday! What a fun week I've had!

I've been working on the glass vase all week when I'm not working on the online shops. I want to make sure each store has everything listed in it. I have some photos waiting for editing, some mosaics to be photographed, some mosaics waiting for grout for both! I don't have the energy I used to have to go through an entire store filled with listings in one day. I do a few hours, then I have to stop and do something else. Part of that is due to not being able to sit in a computer chair for 10 hours any longer but most of it is because I want to go play with glass or dish tiles way before the computer work is finished. In order to honor my art and the muse, I try to spend mornings working on the online stuff and afternoons making mosaic magic.

I started adding stained glass fish to the etched fish on the vase. I think they are so cool.

I was looking at all the photos I took of the 25 crosses I've made over the last few years. A few didn't get photographed but most of them have. I used the mosaic maker feature through bighugelabs.com and got this nice collection of all the crosses.

The last one still needs grouting which I should do within the next few days.

A lot of work goes into making a mosaic. Prep work before a mosaic begins and once it's finished is a must! I put painters tape around the MDF circle and the last cross to make sure grout doesn't go where I don't want it to go. This prevents black smudges from appearing on the back of the mosaic once the grout has been added.

I like to take a photo of the mosaics I make on glass before grout. One day I might try not grouting a glass-on-glass mosaic but it's doubtful. I truly love what grout does for my mosaics. Some folks make mosaics and don't grout at all. For me, it looks unfinished. Having said that, here's a cool shot of the hurricane lampshade I put a mosaic on that is waiting for grout.

Since it has a beach feel to it, I believe I'm grouting this one in white. I study the grout colors I have for days (sometimes weeks!!) to make the decision as to which one to use. This one was a toss up between a tan color and white. When I have trouble making the decision, I put a little grout next to the mosaic and study it. Luckily I can "see" what the mosaic would look like grouted in the color next to it. I do it like this:

While sorting through the piles when I was "reclaiming my space" before the muse came out to play, I found a slew of dishes I can't really use for cutting up but they aren't good enough to use for their intended purpose, to eat off of. Some are very old, gifted to me when I moved here in the earlier 1990's. Others are plates folks have donated to the cause throughout the years. I was complaining the other day about not having small plates to put mosaics on, to make into trivets or candle holders and I realized I really do have more than I need. Check out this small selection I've photographed below.

These range in size between 6-8 inches. All will have broken china on them.

The larger plates range between 8 and 9 inches. Some will have stained glass, some will have broken china.

Just when I think I don't have what I need to continue with my creativity, I find it within mere inches of where I'm sitting imagining designs and color patterns. Cool!

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!~Cindy, EarthMotherMosaics

In The Studio - Wednesday

Wow has the muse been keeping me busy!! I finished getting glass on the donation piece, which I'll share more about in a separate post once it's grouted and ready to go. Number 25 of 25 crosses got some mosaic bling and I've started working on a large glass vase that has etched fish in it. This was gifted to me by someone we consider extended family. She is always thinking about how I can take what she no longer wants and turn it into a mosaic or use for my art in some way. Gotta love it!

The donation piece is an 8 inch piece of MDF. This is similar in design to "A New Horizon" a glass-on-glass mosaic I made a few years ago. "From A Distance" is ready for grout and finishing touches.

The last cross was a difficult one. I originally used dish tiles and stones on this and the grout cracked and chipped off the tiles. I thought I had a photo of the damage it did, but I can't locate it. Trust me, it wasn't pretty. I hadn't primed the cross before putting the tiles on it for some reason; had to have been when I wasn't feeling well because this is a no-brainer when it comes to mosaic substrates --- ALWAYS prime wood or MDF and even some glass pieces before putting tesserae down on the substrate. It caused water to seep through the grout into the MDF and cracked the grout. Luckily, the cross did not warp. Whew. I painstakingly chopped up the stones with a hammer, dug out all the grout and tiles and let it sit for a while before I decided to prime it and try again. As I was moving things around during the cleaning frenzy (which has stopped for the moment because the muse wanted to play with all the fun things I found while cleaning) I saw a box with tiles in it that would be perfect for cross #25.

This vase stands 10 inches high. I tried to get some photos showing the fish. As often is the case, I started with a plan which quickly faded with the sunset. The only thing I knew was the colors I wanted would be in blues, purple and greens. We'll see what happens once it's covered with glass. As usual, grout will do wonders for this one. My nipping skills are just so-so these days. I have limited mobility with my hands some days and the tools I have are old and have been lovingly used for years. But, I will still keep going because I know at some point new tools will be purchased, more space for cutting and setting up the grinder will appear when it is supposed to. Meanwhile, here is this awesome vase so far.

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!~Cindy, EarthMotherMosaics

In The Studio - Wednesday

Finding the right substrates to put mosaics on has never been much of a problem for me. It seems I am blessed to have people in my life throughout the US who think of me when they are cleaning out their closets or break a dish. I'm very lucky!

While looking through my stash to see what "speaks" to me, I found some really fun things. Some are new, some are old, but they are all waiting for some mosaic magic.

2 large glass vessels, one a vase with fish on it, the other a hurricane lamp

The design on this is along the outside of the plate. My hope is to follow it using some pretty colors in stained glass.

We got a new microwave recently, so I have a new glass plate to mosaic! Yay!!

I've been doing some final touches on a few things I've had sitting here for a while. I put bails on these crosses and will get hangers on them. I hope to get them photographed and listed before the end of the week.

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!~Cindy, EarthMotherMosaics

In The Studio - Part One

Inspiration has taken hold and I've been doing some work!

I've gotten a few new supplies in and started work immediately on the custom ordered vase.

Gorgeous colors. Life is easy when there's so much beauty around me!

The vase is sitting, waiting for glue to dry. It will take approximately a week, maybe longer, before it's ready for grout.

So I went next to a square vase because I've got a few designs in my head for vases and need to get it all out!

Two sides are finished so far. This is called "Phases". I have a lot of dark blue scraps in stained glass but not enough to cover an entire vase. So my solution was to use different shades, all in blue for the section above the orange and all dark purple for the bottom section (all the same on each side). I like it so far!

I'm still waiting for information and decisions to start on the switch plate covers for a customer, which means I get to play continuously with other things until those decisions have been made! Yay!

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Cindy

In The Studio - Part Two

What a great week. Busy!! I love when that happens.

I finished getting all the glass on the vase and I am so happy with how it looks.

The glue will take a little bit of time to dry completely, especially in the center part of the flower but once it's dry I can grout it. I'm excited to see it completely finished. I really love it.

The center light green glass is from an old, chipped Depression glass bread plate in the Rose Cameo pattern. The petals of the flower are in 3 different shades of blue. I put ball chain around the flower to bring a little interest to it. It's surrounded by a really pretty green/blue glass with spots of deep dark purple here and there. As usual when I do a glass-on-glass mosaic vase, I'll use a dark grout to finish it nicely. When it sits in a window or near a light source, the grout color is hard to see if it is a specific color. Dark gray or black work really well.

By the way, this plate is the only green one that was saved from a box filled with Depression glass plates given to me when my Great Aunt passed away many years ago. I have a lot of pink to use and will, one day get them in mosaics. Not much is useable as it is but it still has beauty for future mosaics!

I've completely finished the custom made 8 inch peace sign. It is now sitting in the "to be grouted" pile! Around the outer edge I've put some of the awesome mirror I used in the center of the design. I'll share a photo or two when it's grouted. The customer has seen it and thinks it's beautiful! Yay!

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Cindy

In The Studio - Part One

This may end up being a busy week In The Studio and I like it!!

The custom 8 inch peace sign supplies arrived yesterday. They are so cool. The top row of glass is some I had but the rest was purchased specifically for this job.

I'll share the progress as I go on this one but it shouldn't take too long to do. I'm pumped to work on it because I absolutely love the colors. And it's for my daughter's instructor at beauty school so I'm quite excited to make it for her.

I'm also working on an 8 inch vase. I really love how this is turning out. Those flowers ... ugh ... such a pain to do but the results are great. I would love to make this design on a square vase soon to see if it's easier to do. Cylinder vases are hard to mosaic on, for me, anyway.

The filler colors are green/blue and dark purple. The purple is only in dots here and there because I didn't have much of it. But I like it so far and will share another photo on Friday.

I don't know if you all remember this large 15.5 inch gazing ball I made months ago, but I've grouted some of it. It's been sitting in a box by my feet at the computer and the other day the sun hit the mirror and the room just lit up!

Isn't it gorgeous?! This will be listed soon. It's heavy and has stained glass, mirror, broken china, acrylics and glitter with tempered glass and black glass gems. Everything I like to work with materials wise is on this gazing ball. It's an amazing sphere, truly fantastic. It's one of those things you think it's got to be seen in person to really be appreciated. Hopefully someone will see the value of it's beauty and want to give it a new home.

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Cindy

In The Studio - Part One

Happy First Day of Fall! I love the changes in season here in PA and I'm really excited to watch my favorite tree's leaves change into all the beautiful colors of autumn.

Here are a few photographs I've taken over the years of the maple trees in our courtyard and walking around the apartment complex. I really hope I can do that again this year but right now I can't manage to go down the stairs to get outside. Fingers crossed that will change soon.

Yesterday was my birthday! I turned 61 years old and to celebrate, because I had a quiet apartment all day (grandkids were in school, their parents were at work) I decided to put on some peaceful music and work on the mosaic I've neglected for 3 weeks.

This mosaic is on a 15 inch microwave plate. It's the last plate I have right now, so I wanted to make sure to do something really special on it. Behind the plate I taped about 6 photographs of mine from my favorite trees; one or two are shown above. Using them in an abstract way, I placed glass in sections following the colors of the leaves and the tree branches.

It took about 3 hours, to do that one last small section, but I did it!

Once this is grouted it will get placed in the window so we can see the pretty colors of autumn all year long. Right now this mosaic is for me, but eventually when I'm ready to let it go, I will list it in the new shop I'm working on through Handmade at Amazon.

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Cindy

Promo Blast!

I'm sharing some pretty glass-on-glass mosaics I have available through Storenvy this morning.

Holiday Mosaic Stained Glass Vase and/or Candle Holder - Green and Red - FREE SHIPPING Within US - $65.00

Hot and Spicy Mosaic Stained Glass Trivet or Candle Holder - Red, Orange, Yellow - FREE SHIPPING Within US - $40.00

Brown Stained Glass Mosaic Candle Holder and/or Vase - FREE SHIPPING Within US - $50.00

Sun Flower Mosaic Stained Glass Trivet or Candle Holder - Orange, Iridescent Amber, Yellow - FREE SHIPPING Within US - $40.00

These mosaics were all made using hand cut stained glass by the artist (that would be me!). Dimensions of each are provided in the descriptions on the site. Click on the links above to take you directly to each mosaic to read all about them.

Any questions please feel free to ask!

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!

Cindy