Tesserae Tuesday

This is a glass-on-glass project that will head to Etsy once grouted. Here, I'm sharing some work-in-progress photos and the final mosaic in the pre-grout stage. Because it's glass-on-glass or GOG as we like to call it, the glue will dry slowly.

I always used a PVA glue which goes on white but dries clear. I prefer this glue, mostly because it's economical but also because it lets me know when it's time to grout. Once the areas are free of white spots, it's time.

Using a pattern I drew and taping it to the back of this 13 inch glass plate, I was ready to start gluing down the stained glass. I picked jewel tones in light blue, many shades in green, dark blue in two shades and three shades of yellow.

Filling in around the design was a lot of fun. This glass was gifted; it's 3 or 4 layers of Youghiogheny Stipple (I believe). Beautiful colors swirl throughout the sheets and cutting it up into small pieces for my use made it really interesting. You will see, even before grout, the way the light plays throughout this mosaic.

Mosaic plate ready for grout and kitty approved!

This plate is so rich in color. Earth tones around the outside, jewel tones within. I truly love the combination of colors. It gives me that bohemian style feeling that I love so much.

The highlighted area shows spots of white glue which means it's not yet ready for grout.

Look for the finished mosaic on my website in a week or so.


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

In The Studio - Wednesday

I've been having fun creating this week. It's been such a long time since I've had a dedicated flat surface to work on. I used TV trays and a wonky side table for years and had managed to create many wonderful mosaics on them. I proved to myself that I didn't need a large studio with all the bells and whistles (although who doesn't want one of those?!???) to make art. I'm proud of all I've accomplished over the years. Here are a few things I created on a small TV tray and a wonky side table just to show you what can be done if you've got a mind to do it!

Today, I have been making small candle holders. I need to get back into the groove of 3-D glass-on-glass mosaics. The first one I just finished is now in the "to be grouted" pile. It isn't the best job I've ever done ... dealing with arthritis in my left hand and not having done these for a while took a little bit of a learning curve to figure out. But I did it!

I used blue and purple stained glass in lots of different hues for this candle holder.

This is now sitting in the "to be grouted" pile.

Waiting for the glue to dry was probably the hardest part. Luckily now that I have slightly more space in my room I was able to put it aside and start in on the next one right away. What a great feeling that is!

Purple, yellow and orange candle holder being gifted when it's finished.

Although I see tons of flaws, the fact that grout will fix most of them makes me relax and enjoy the process of gluing glass on glass. Thank goodness for grout!!

I have some new projects coming up but I am going to continue making candle holders as often as I can. All, if not gifted or donated, will be listed on Etsy as they are completed.

Hope you have a great week!

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



Stay Peaceful and Enjoy the Moments.
Cindy, Earth Mother Mosaics

In The Studio - Wednesday

On Friday I shared all the pretty glass I nipped up to attach to a vase. I love working on glass-on-glass projects but the fact that they are circular means I must be patient!

Literally waiting for glue to dry so I can turn it and continue working. It is really cool looking. Groovy!

And it is now in the "to be grouted" pile.

Black grout will make this awesome vase pop!

After I worked on the above vase, I picked up a green flower pot and started adding trees to it.

I really love the color of the vase, so I smashed up the last shelf I had in tempered glass for it.

I put clear tape on one side before breaking it to try to keep the bigger pieces together. I've used glue to try that and it never worked. I'd get tiny pieces anyway. This time, I thought clear tape would keep some of the pieces together. We like to use "islands" of it because when it crackles apart some of the pieces are very small. However, the tape didn't work either. As you can see, as awesome as this looks, every single crack is an individual piece of glass. Next time I have the chance to break a shelf or large piece of tempered glass, I'll use painters tape on it and see how it works. I'm still learning even after all these years of mosaic making!

Meanwhile, here's the vase with much wet glue on it holding the tempered glass in place.

Once dry it will be clear and the green color of the vase will come through.

On Friday, I'll share the way it looks with glue slightly dryer. And maybe a new mosaic piece or two.

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

Promo Blast!

Mosaic Stained Glass Plate - "A New Horizon", Abstract - Mixed Media - FREE SHIPPING Within US - $135.00

The title of this is "A New Horizon". I imagine standing towards the edge of a cliff where I see grass, hills, water, sand and rocks. It's a new beginning, a fresh start and an inspiration in one 12 inch mosaic stained glass plate.

When this is turned it completely changes perspective but no matter how it's placed, it is quite beautiful.

Stained glass colors used are green/yellow, amber, white/light blue and aquamarine.

I love making mosaics on discarded items; transforming them into something beautiful and unusual. Such is the case for this mosaic. Very small hand cut pieces of stained glass are placed on a discarded 12 inch microwave plate and grouted.

This plate is meant to be shown in sunlight. I used to call these plates suncatchers, but traditionally suncatchers are hung in the window to grab the light. My plates are heavy and hanging is not recommended nor do I craft them for that purpose. They look fantastic sitting in the window in a display dish holder (not included).

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

Stay peaceful,

Cindy

In The Studio - Part Two

It might get a little quieter from In The Studio for the next week or so. I've got a nice big project I'm working on and it will probably take a little bit of time to complete. No complaints about that! I love to create and this is going to be so much fun!

But first, I'd like to share the glass-on-glass 6 inch plate I put some stained glass on this week. It's about ready to be grouted and will go into the online shop soon!

I love these colors! Iridescent light amber, yellows and orange glass.

I made a sphere a few years back and have had it sitting here waiting for inspiration to hit. It finally has, I'm happy to say and although it will still be taking up some room in my cramped space, it will be a beauty once completed!

This 15 inch ball will get covered in mirror, glass and china in the Flower Power design.

And here we gooooo!!!

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

Stay peaceful,

Cindy

In The Studio

What an exciting week for my muse and I! When she wakes up like this, all I see around me are colors and shapes and how to make them all into art. When I come out of this trance like state, I need lots of naps!

My daughter handed me a Styrofoam skull not so long ago that she acquired at a discount store a few years ago and asked me to put a mosaic on it. It was painted black and had silver glitter on it but both were chipping off. I should have taken a "before" photo of it. I've been walking past it for quite a while and this week I picked it up and added glass to it in one day.

If you can see underneath where the jaw is, that section is concave and I filled that in with glass as well. This is getting grouted with black. It measures 4-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches and is covered in iridescent black stained glass.

I finished getting the broken china on the custom order. That will get grouted now, possibly today, and sent out by Friday this week.

I put resin fairly successfully on 2 pendants. I'm not a fan of resin but for some mosaics, especially jewelry, if grout isn't used, resin should be. I decided not to grout these because of the thickness of the small tiles I used - some are nano size and some are micro. I believe grout would make them disappear even after cleaning.

This pendant will get the grout treatment because the tiles are all basically the same thicknesses.

I started the GOG Group's (through Facebook) Nugget Challenge! piece and again, finished it in one day. It is 9-1/2 x 13 inches and done on a piece of glass pane.

The glue is still drying and I will grout only the mosaic, leaving some glass clear. Not real sure how to finish this, I'm hoping the glass will stay strong without a support for a while. I think it should be framed and possibly add hooks and chain to it too.

As I often mention, my whole family and many friends keep their eyes open for curbside wonders for me. This was grabbed by my cousin, who knew when she saw it, that it still had potential even if it's former owner didn't see it.

This is 24 x 5-1/2 inches and the biggest birdhouse I've ever considered adding art to. FUN!!!

 My family also knows to save their bottle caps and plastic lids for me too. Yes, my one room studio/living space is a bit crowded but everything has a purpose. Even the things that were used for one thing still have a purpose for use as another.

Plastic water bottle caps are used here as "feet" to hold a mosaic trivet (not yet started).

Last night I still had a little bit of energy in me and started a new project. This is a beveled mirror and was used to hold a candle or two. When I'm finished with it, it will still be able to hold a candle or two but it'll be so much more cool with a stained glass design on it!

Work-In-Progress

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

Stay peaceful,

Cindy