New Listings For April

I'm slowly renewing the listings on Etsy each month for the mosaics I still have available. I don't have as many as I used to have but I'm planning on building up the inventory again as soon as possible!

Top: Mosaic Peace Sign, Made To Order, Stained Glass, Mirror, Broken China, Wall Art, Wall Hanging, Custom Made Mosaic, Mosaic Wall Art-10 inches

Middle:
Left - Mosaic Wall Hanging, Mosaic Wall Art, Cafe Art, Original Mosaic Art, Coffee, Tea, Mug Art, Peace Sign, Great Gift, Kitchen Art - 8 Inches
Right - Mosaic Tree Flower Pot, Mosaic Tree Pot, Stained Glass Mosaic, Tree, Green, Pine Tree Mosaic, Pine Tree Flower Pot, Woodland Decor-5 Inches

Bottom:
Left - Mosaic Sun Wall Art, Bohemian, Gypsy, Decor, Mosaic Wall Hanging, Mosaic Sunburst, Wall Art, For The Home, Mosaic Dish Shards Art - 6 Inches
Right - Stained Glass Mosaic Vase, Pink, Green, Purple, Black, Mosaic Flower Holder, Mosaic Candle Holder, Mosaic Vase, Glass Vase - 7 x 3 inches 

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

Stay peaceful.

Cindy, Earth Mother Mosaics

In The Studio - Wednesday

Because I'm working on something in the "Super Secret Mosaics Lab" this week, there are no photos I can share of the process of what I'm making.

I thought about just skipping the post today but instead I've decided I'd use this post as a way to show some things I've done in the past. And to remind those who read this regularly that my Etsy shop will be re-opening tomorrow September 22nd (my 62nd birthday!). I'm happy about that. I have missed the people there, the teams and the treasuries. Hopefully I'll be able to get back into everything full swing without much trouble after being away for over a year. A sale or two would be cool as well. ;)

So here's an example of what a custom order looks like. Over the years, I've listed suns, moons, gazing balls, peace signs and ball ornaments as available custom orders. I've stuck to that combination mostly but do a lot more custom work that isn't shown in any online shops. If you can think of something you'd like to see added to that list, let me know. For example, doing the mosaic letters spelling out a name isn't something I list as a custom order, but when asked, I'll do them. So, if you'd like to order something that isn't listed, just ask! Included in these photos are just a small sample of what I've done in the past few years as custom orders.

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

In The Studio - Part One

I'm fairly sure there's a whirlwind around this studio this week that is visible from at least 100 miles away! I've grouted, nipped, cut and created quite a bit and need to keep going!!

I shared the vase "Phases" last week but have some new photos of it (still waiting for glue to dry) that I want to share here. The Camera Goddess has been awesome!

The Mid-Century Modern Kitties vase looks great! It's still waiting for glue to dry as well but I'm really diggin' how it looks! All four sides have a different color Mod Kitty on it and the area around them is filled with really groovy scrap glass pieces. I'm looking forward to finishing it with grout and some paint to bring out the awesomeness of the kitties.

I am almost finished grouting my Snowmen. I have to do their hats in black grout and then get their hangers attached. Aren't they cute?

I took some great shots of the Small Stained Glass Corked Bottle yesterday in the sun. Oh my, it's gorgeous!! I have to clean the frosted glass I used on the top section a little bit with some vinegar to get the grout completely out of the glass pieces but other than that, this will be ready to get listed very soon.

And finally ... the "Super Secret Mosaics Laboratory" has officially opened for the holiday gift making. I believe it's cool to share what I made for my Dad and Step-Mom here as they don't read my blog, I don't think. Even if they do, I know they will enjoy it more once it's grouted and I've made a frame for it.

Here is the original photo I used for inspiration.

I have been playing with cardboard and made a small frame (not yet built but the pieces are made - see photo below) and I'm going to give it a test to see how it works out by covering it in plaster cast strips and putting a mosaic on the top part of the frame. It's been amazing how many videos on YouTube you can find about such things. Between it and Pinterest, I found exactly how to make a cardboard frame. Woo-hoo!

Here's a small frame I'll be working on first to see how it goes. Exciting stuff!! Doesn't look like much at the moment but it will become a cool mosaic frame for a doodle of mine if it goes as planned. Fun!!

Once I get used to making a few of these, I'm going to attempt to make a frame that will hold a mosaic. I'll share the results when I do!

Yesterday I shipped out the custom vase I made recently. I really love how a simple design can make such an impact. This is one beautiful piece of mosaic art. I'm quite proud of it! I hope the customer loves it!!

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

Cindy

In The Studio - Part Two

I finished up "Phases" the vase I was working on a few days ago and started on a new vase!

"Phases" waiting for glue to dry so it can be grouted.

Fun kitty-inspired vase

I mentioned last month that I was going to work on making a mosaic bra. I've put that aside for now, because I have a few supplies to purchase before I can make it the way I know it needs to be made.

Meanwhile, I was thinking about all the doodle art I have laying around here and how much I'd like to make some frames for them and get them listed for sale. Putting on the thinking cap and using only what I have available to me, without spending any additional money, can be a challenge. However, it's never stopped me from thinking about what I can do and how I can do it.

I have a LOT of cardboard boxes and pieces here in my small space. I know if I cover cardboard with plaster cast strips I can mosaic it. I've done it. BTW, I now have grout I can use to finish that little cardboard box house off with! I have a nice pile of things to grout this weekend. I think I'll add it to the pile.

Soooooo ... making frames using cardboard and plaster strips is the new project currently in the research & development phase.

I'm expecting a lot of trial and error and anticipate the first few will be "just okay". But meanwhile, trying to figure out exactly what to do and how to do it, is so much fun!

Top layer is cut out, middle layer has the doodle and glass and another layer under that will hold a hanger of some sort (still working on it but I do have an awesome idea, so fingers crossed it works!). My goal is to have all 3 layers become one piece, which means the doodle cannot be removed. The top layer will get a mosaic, the back will be finished in some way not yet sure what but it will have plaster strips on it too, so it'll have to be covered with material if not glass.

The holidays are creeping up on us fast! I have no idea yet what I'm making for the g-kids and extended family's children this year. I'd better think of something soon! Over the past few years I've had my grandson make gifts for everyone he knows (adults mostly) but this year I have an idea of my own to give my Dad and Step-Mother. In addition to something he may make them, I'm going to make something too. As soon as the vase is finished up, I'll start working on that.

I am still waiting on the customer to let me know how many switch plate covers they need so I can complete that order, but in the meantime, I have a lot to keep me busy! I just got a nice amount of 4 inch square coasters in MDF to play with. Yay!! New mosaic coasters will be created very soon!! Woohoo!!

REMINDER: If you are interested in ordering something custom made specifically for the holidays from my shop, do it now! There are only 2 more weeks to order something. I won't be accepting any orders for the holidays after November 25th.

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

Cindy

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

There's lots to share today, so let's get to it!

The custom order is coming to an end and I've experienced a few mixed emotions along the way. I love being productive and if you've followed this blog for a while you usually see a lot of different things I do to stay happy and creative. When work comes to an end, I often get a bit depressed or sad that it's over. But I'm also ready to take a break and begin on something new!

The last 3 pieces in the custom order are now in the "to be grouted" pile waiting for glue to dry. This might take a while. I used Weldbond, a white glue that dries clear, on my glass-on-glass pieces and the milky white glue stays milky for a while. It can also look clear but go back to milky white when grouted. It often takes a very long time (months) for the glue to completely turn back to clear. I know it will change eventually, luckily it always has, but I want to wait another week before grouting the 2 vases that show obvious signs of wet glue. Each day a little more on each of the white spots becomes clear. Another week will do it!

When it came time to work on the last 2 vases, I was a little unclear as to what I wanted to do with them. Sometimes grabbing a lot of glass scraps and letting it sit in front of me for a while, allows my muse to figure out a specific design to use.

Blue-green and frosted iridescent glass were the muse's choices.

Confetti glass, a favorite of mine, was placed on this vase in large nipped chunks. If you look closely, you can see the milky white of the glue in this photo which was taken a few days ago. There is less of this visible this morning but it's not completely dry yet.

Next came the peace sign. The last item in the custom order.

The only request the customer made was to use blue mirror glass in some way on it.

Many of the items still in need of grouting are sitting all together here along with a grouted vase.

The swirls around the peace sign were done in the blue mirror. I've filled in around that with complimentary blues in a few various shades.

While waiting for glue to dry, I can seal the light switch plate covers and grout the yellow vase this weekend.

I took some new photos of a group of bottles I've decided to sell as a set of 3. My daughter recently surprised me with "just because" flowers (the upside to her job in the floral department) in pinks, white and blue using food coloring to get the bold colors she wanted. The flowers (seen in the above photo with the peace sign) made a great back drop for my new photos.

Coming Soon! Set of 3 mosaic bottles - all in blue.

I've got some new items to share from the 2nd Etsy shop. My favorite for this week: "Groovy Pear". I really love this print. I hope you all do too!

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

Stay peaceful,

Cindy

In The Studio

Gearing up for a good month to 6 weeks of custom mosaic work is always exciting! But still, keeping myself busy with my own favorite things to do is exciting too!

I've got the porcelain doll I'm working on to keep me busy. She is looking pretty cool now that I've got a direction for her. I couldn't decide on a design when I first start working on her. It was getting frustrating because I really did want to do something. So after the cement was dry, I picked up the colors I thought I wanted to use and started.

cement did not make this thing look LESS creepy ...

I used purple iridescent stained glass as "hair" and started with circles on the body

I love the little red iridescent stained glass flowers a lot. The back will have 2 circles on it as well in the opposite sides with flowers around it. I'm aiming for black stained glass to fill in the background with bits of orange and purple placed here and there.

This doll IS a hoot to work on but under the arms and between the legs ... challenging for sure. This mosaic already has my DNA on it.

I did a mosaic on 2 new 3.5 inch candle holders almost ready for grouting!

These are going in the online shops for sure. I think I'll use white grout on the blue one and that wonderful suede color for the brown one.

While I was waiting for some sort of design inspiration to start the doll, I worked on an approximately 6 x 6-1/2 inch mosaic in one sitting. It's called "Birds Eye View".

Both crescent moons are ready to be grouted too. I think I'll have a messy party this weekend! Yay! I love to play with grout!!

the stars glow in the dark - wayyy cool

The supplies and materials for the custom are starting to arrive. Now is the time to look at each piece as a separate piece of art and decide on a design and color choices.

eleven drab looking switch plate covers will be getting some mosaic goodness making them all one-of-a-kind pieces of art

There's a sale going on at delphiglass.com plus I got an order in on the last day to take advantage of a 20% off coupon too! Gotta love that!! I purchased 4 sheets of Cathedral glass for a really great price. Some will be used on the glass vases I'm doing for the custom order.

Two small candle holders/vases (3.5 inches) are prepped and ready for mosaics. I'm waiting for two 8 inch cylinder vases to arrive to be prepped and added to the pile.

Van Gogh Stained Glass

Yellow & Orange Swirled Stained Glass tiles

I used just about all of my scraps in these colors and thought it would be good to get them to use on the switch plate covers. Not all of them are going to be the same colors, the customer actually requested they all be slightly different in color and design. I like that! This glass came from mosaicsbymaria.com - always a great experience ordering glass from that site.

10 inch peace sign will have blues and greens on it. I'm going to order blue mirror glass for this at the customer's request.

This fantastic MDF 10" Peace Sign was purchased through my first choice in MDF shapes, Etsy's very own ZZBob - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the shop! Thank you, Bob and Pam for the speedy delivery! They rock! I had them send it to me without a keyhole and added a D-ring myself to the back.

Looks like I'm going to be having lots of fun in July, don't you think?!

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

Stay peaceful,

Cindy