I listed these two on Etsy this week.
We went to our favorite stained glass shop and I spent my $100 gift certificate from Christmas. Replacement head for Toyo hand-held pistol grip glass cutter -- $19.95. Three pounds of black glass for my next project -- $24.00. One set of replacement blades for my hand-held wheeled nippers -- $10.00. Dichroic scrap, $101.00 per pound. I dug through their scrap glass pile ($2.00/lb). They no longer carry MAC glue -- it's priced out of their range; no room for a markup. It's now $20 for an 8 oz. bottle. I'm back to using Weldbond for indoor projects.
It's clear from the cost of mosaic supplies nowadays that we must adjust the price of our work accordingly, take good care of our tools, and keep our eyes open for bargains. Last Sunday I stopped at a new flea market on South Lamar that was just about to close up. I bought a huge light fixture meant to hang over a billiards table. All the stained glass is perfect and it's gorgeous, stunning primary colors in a hammered effect, perhaps Kokomo. I paid $20.00 for the fixture and I plan to scavenge the glass and take the frame to a metal recycling place in Austin.
Lowes was out of black grout last week; I'm ready to grout my large Outer Space mosaic and after I paint the back of it and install the hanging mechanism, it will be done. I'm ready to move on to the stained glass mannequin. That's what the new black glass is for. I've picked out a wonderful Jacobean embroidery pattern to use loosely as a guide and so she will be covered in black glass background with fantastical red, blue, and gold flowers, and green leaves and vines.
Also participated in an exchange with a lovely person in Massachusetts and received her box in the mail today. Wow! Oodles of blue and white saucers, glass beads, metallic tiles, and even a bag of smalti (!) (my favorite tile in the world that I can't afford). Thank you so much! Mosaic artists, consider an exchange with a fellow artist. So inspiring.
