New garden stones and Christmas gift certificate

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.  

Tesserae

Isn't this glass gorgeous?  I just bought it from an eBay seller and it's on the way...it's called Oceana and it's a speciality stained glass that was made in Santa Cruz but no longer made.  I have a ton of glass already but I couldn't resist this; it's a Christmas present from me to me.  Oceana glass is so fabulous; it is always beautiful yet different on both sides.  It's often thicker than other stained glass, and is known for its bold color, mottled texture, and the random edges of the hand-poured pieces.  I just finished an article about tesserae, all about the different qualities of tile, glass, pebbles, costume jewelry, etc. and I will publish it as soon as I take the pictures to go along with it.  

South Austin Music WIP - white glass done and starting black glass

I was ill with Cedar Fever for 27 days; no lie. Some days I stayed in bed all day. Some days I glued two or three pieces of glass and then went back to bed. I am well now and making progress; tomorrow I start with the border and the black glass background.

South Austin Music WIP

Left half of sign, stained glass on Wedi. The sign will be 6.5 feet x 5.5 feet. The M becomes hands that are playing the guitar. The lettering and all the design are white stained glass and the background will be black stained glass. The plan is a random crazy-paving mosaic on the white areas and orderly, horizontal waves on the black background. The Wedi will be bolted to the original sign.

Outdoor Sign is now on the back porch

Billy and his friend Dave delivered the South Austin Music sign earlier this morning. I have everything I need to start work. Today is Wednesday before Thanksgiving so I will be baking pies today and getting my hair cut and will celebrate the traditional holiday tomorrow with family and friends. Friday I will begin the mosaic and I'm so looking forward to it.

Preparing for the next big project

I just added a tip to this page: http://mosaicroad.blogspot.com/p/instructions-tips-and-tricks.html

I have spent the last several days organizing, clearing off the back porch, and getting ready to start on the sign, which will be delivered tomorrow!

New Project - Outdoor Sign - South Austin Music

This morning I'm on my way to Daltile for two 3'x5' pieces of Wedi board, and then to Blue Moon Glassworks to order 60 pounds of glass for an outdoor sign for South Austin Music.

The Cow Jumped Over the Moon

Had to come back and include a closeup. Left-click once on the picture to enlarge.

Space Mosaic Center Panel Done, 4 ft x 2 ft

These pics are all of the center panel. To view closeups, click on a picture, select "show original," then click on the picture again to enlarge. Note the cow jumping over the moon, in honor of CowParade Austin.

Space Mosaic nearing completion

Left-click once, then left-click again to enlarge.





Currently covers about 4 feet x 4 feet, and probably will be rearranged; it's just randomly laid out in these pictures. Also, the camera's lithium batteries died so these are just regular batteries until I can get to the store. One needs to envision the pieces all blended together with more black glass; the finished piece shouldn't have a hint of the squares. So exciting to be near the end. Still considering the substrate, framing and hanging issues. After grouting and sealing, there will be some metallic painting going on, including the awesome suggestion of my good friend Cathy, who thought GLOW IN THE DARK paint would be cool!

Another community project

Eve Lynch of Kraken Mosaics is planning a wonderful community project, a cloud of butterflies. I will be making three butterflies on mesh and mailing them to her for installation and I will show the progress here.

Her website is http://www.krakenmosaics.com.

Space mosaic work in progress

Here are pieces I've finished so far, little vignettes that will be used as filler around the planets and the large comets. (Click on the picture to enlarge, and then click again to enlarge further.)

These are done on mesh (netting), the largest ones being approximately 12 inches by 12 inches. This technique will save me hours of work; it's a simple matter to glue the mesh piece to the cow and the piece will conform to the cow's curves. I order this mesh from Wit's End Mosaics and apply the tess to the mesh with MAC glue. I wrote a how-to article about this method: http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-mosaic-on-mesh

Glass Tumbling for mosaic project

Today I began tumbling glass for the big outer space mosaic project. I have cut round shapes for planets and ground the edges smooth. I nipped bits of glass and 24K plate rims using Leponitt glass nippers. I loaded one barrel and tumbled the glass for 35 minutes. It came out great, shiny with smooth edges. I was concerned about the iridescent glass and the 24K gold-plated porcelain but it was fine. This first load was a test. I loaded up another barrel and started it, noting the time. I got busy with supper and granddaughters, etc., and suddenly realized that the tumbler had been going for almost an hour. I dropped everything and ran out to rescue the glass. It was still in good shape; the iridescence was still there and so was the gold.

These pieces will be used to mosaic galaxies and nebulas and comet tails. I decided today that I will write a Hubpage giving detailed instructions on how to tumble stained glass. When I publish it, I will come back here and post the link. I am having a great time, putting together all the tess for this large and wonderful project!

Still haven't heard from the CowParade, but if my design is not selected, I will use all these pieces in a large wall hanging with the same theme. So either way, I am anxious to get started!

Mosaic tequila bottle, finished

(Before and after -- click on the photo to enlarge)

Sea Journey with oak frame

I like this better with a frame; it looks more finished now ... (click image to enlarge)

Passion

Passion - framed and ready to hang:  (click to enlarge)

Sea Journey

Completed and ready to hang:  (click to enlarge)

(Note added 3/23/11) Since this photo was taken, I have added an oak frame and will post a new picture when I buy batteries for my camera. 

Sea Journey

Click to enlarge . . . The first photo shows the framed canvas turned over, Wedi installed, mosaic applied onto the Wedi.  I liked working with this canvas because it is unusually deep so I can use all levels of tesserae.  Note the drapery glass.  The blue glass in the upper right is rolled back onto itself, and makes me think of a wave.  The second photo shows the stained glass frame added.  Next I will grout using sand-colored sanded grout. 

A new hubpage inspired by a mosaic

My latest hubpage celebrates the joys and trials and tribulations of our lives, represented by ribbons and threads of colors that make up the Tao, the flow of the universe: 
http://hubpages.com/hub/Our-Spirit-River. 

More photos of my latest mosaic, "Sea Floor"

Sea Floor (click to enlarge the view)

16x20 wall hanging

Closeup of my favorite area of the mosaic:  Squid passage over sea floor (once a silver earring, now turned upside down and with glass tentacles added, now a squid).  Note:  the tentacles dangle.