CHRIS' COMMENTS

Jack-O-Lantern for Julie

2011-10-31T02:53:00.000-07:00

This is for you, Julie. I added a Jack-o-Lantern. He's lit up and ready to use. :)

Jack-O-Lantern for Julie

Pumpkins Galore!

2011-10-27T16:13:00.000-07:00

Wishing all of you a Happy and Safe Halloween.

Here are a whole bunch of fun pumpkins to cheer your day.

I Changed My Shop Name on Etsy

2011-10-20T04:57:00.000-07:00

Most of you know me as a mosaic artist, but I also have a vintage store and a mosaic supply shop.

Recently Etsy offered a one time chance to change the names of our shops and I decided to do that with my supply store that is currently named Memories Mosaic Supply.

Originally, I wanted to keep the word "Memories" in each shop to continue the link of my name (Memories in Mosaics; Memories of Yesterday and Memories Mosaic Supply) but I realized later that it wasn't really the right term for what I wanted people to remember about my shop.

My new name will be "Discount Mosaic Supply". I will be offering lower prices and a larger variety of items to my regular inventory of hand cut tiles. I plan to add glass gems, glass and ceramic tiles and more focal pieces over the next few months.

My Mosaic shop will be changing too. I have decided to concentrate in other areas and will not be producing new pieces as much anymore. I will still offer custom orders, but my inventory will be less overall. I have come to the conclusion that I just can't sit at my computer as much as needed to keep all 3 shops promoted and right now my inventory for my vintage shop just keeps growing.

My husband and I are in our mid 50's and all our children are grown and out of the home, so we wanted something we could do together. Hunting through Estate Sales, Garage Sales and Thrift shops is a lot of fun for the two of us and something we both love to do, so my vintage shop won out over my mosaics.

I hope you will stop by and check out my shops. I will give 10% off to anyone who reads my blog in each of my stores. Just use coupon code "Blog10" when you check out.

My mosaic shop is http://www.memoriesinmosaics.etsy.com/

My vintage shop is http://www.memoriesofyesterday.etsy.com/

My supply shop is still http://www.memoriesmosaicsupply.etsy.com/ but soon will be
http://www.discountmosaicsupply.etsy.com/

Until Next Time :)

Horseshoes Like You've Never Seen!

2011-10-08T17:19:00.000-07:00

Some people are unbelievably creative and can take virtually any object and make it a work or art.

Tom Hill is a 23 year-old self-taught sculptor who creates life size animal sculptures using nothing but recycled horseshoes. I don't know anymore about him as I received this in an email from my sister-in-law, but I just had to share them with you.

I'm Baaaaaack!

2011-10-04T16:06:00.000-07:00

It has been months since I last blogged. I put it aside for awhile so that I could concentrate on my 3 shops on Etsy. I just opened a vintage shop and had 100's of items to list and I honestly just couldn't sit any longer to post to my blog.

I also have been having a lot of trouble commenting on other blogs, so if you haven't seen me in a while it's only because Blogger won't always let me comment and tells me I don't have permission. What???

I hope to get back to posting at least once a week. In the meantime I will share some of my new mosaic pieces and some of the new listings in my vintage shop.
The first one is a small guitar. I have always wanted to mosaic a guitar and it was quite a challenge to do so, but I would definitely do it again.

This one was a fun piece to do. I like to do some ultra modern pieces sometimes. I call this Orange Sunburst.

This piece has some elements from a 120 yr-old home in rural Colorado. I did a mosaic for my sister and had some things left over so I used them in this piece. I also have my signature piece of jewelry in the tear shaped copper pendant right next to the mirror. It has a small piece of real turquoise in it. All my mosaics are One-of-a-kind and you can see them all at http://www.memoriesinmosaics.etsy.com/

I just love dishes of all kinds, especially vintage pieces. The artistry is amazing and I always wonder who owned it and where it's been. This first one is a hand painted sugar bowl.

This is a lovely plate with "courting scenes" all around the rim.

This i a wonderful cameo that was carved from a shell. If it's held up to the light you can see through it.

You can see these and many other fine pieces at http://www.memoriesofyesterday.etsy.com/

Until Next Time :)

2011-10-04T16:04:00.001-07:00

Shadow and Light

2011-06-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

Now that treasuries are so much easier to make on Etsy I have started using this feature more and more.

Here is my latest. I just love textures and they really shine through when they are absent of color.

One Source Craft Supply

2011-06-22T06:33:00.000-07:00

Looking for some great supplies? Well, look no further as the Etsy Street Supply Team (team esst on Etsy) has everything you need.

Go to http://www.etsy.com/ and put in "team esst" under supplies.

Memories of Yesterday- A Flash of the Past

2011-06-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

My vintage shop is called Memories of Yesterday, which is a take off of my mosaic shop called Memories in Mosaics.

I have always loved vintage items, especially things of the more distant past and I finally opened my shop on Etsy so that I could sell some of the pieces that were in my family as well as some from my husband's family.

We do go to estate sales, thrift stores and an occasional garage sale to find pieces but mostly we have boxes of it right here in our home.

Here is a small peek into my shop. I would love to have you stop by. We are always adding something new. I haven't even begun to sort out all the jewelry my mother-in-law had and we have lots of artwork to sell as well.

My Newest Mosaic

2011-06-08T05:58:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a new mosaic for some time now as I couldn't quite figure out what I wanted to do with the background.

The mosaic is made of different patterned dishes that I cut to make the pinwheels and then added various accents such as half marbles, glass tiles and ceramics.

I knew the theme would be blue because I had so many pretty dishes with blue in them, but trying to decide whether to continue the blue theme or just use white took a while to decide.
As you can see, I chose the baby blue glass tiles and a soft custom made lavender grout for the backgound. I am happy with the affect. Now if I could just get a good photo.

What Happened to the Flag?

2011-05-31T09:19:00.000-07:00

Memorial Weekend has always been filled with movies about war, news programs covering parades and interviews, people are out at the parks and lakes barbecuing and enjoying themselves, but there is something that has changed over the years that disturbs me.

I don't see our flag displayed in any one's yard anymore. We were the only one's on our entire block that had their flag out in memory of those brave soldiers who died for our grand country. Why is that? Are we no longer proud to be an American? Are we no longer honoring special celebrations of our country? What happened?

I am more than disturbed, I am angry. America is like no other place in the world. It was founded by blood, sweat and tears of every race so that we could enjoy the freedom of not being under the rule of one government; so that we could pursue the American Dream. Nothing stood in our way as we fought for our belief in freedom.

When I see news clips of people burning our flag or principals of schools suspending students for wearing the flag on a shirt I am appalled. Our flag represents all that we stand for; all that we have become.

Maybe I am wrong, maybe because it doesn't appear that we stand for much of anything anymore our flag is just one of many symbols that no longer have meaning. Even many of the schools don't want it in their classrooms because it "divides the students" and doesn't fairly represent each heritage. What about our heritage?

When you are in the United States of America you use our flag. When you are in some other country you will see that country's flag. Have we become so confused that we allow the complaints of a few determine the outcome for all? I certainly hope not.

Team Fest May Daze Blog Giveaway

2011-05-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

The FEST Team proudly presents our May Daze BLOG GIVEAWAY selection from Laura of Tierrasolpaz. Laura is an accomplished artist who enjoys creating mixed media art, jewelry, photography, zines, stationary, decoupage pieces, paper crafts - anything that materials may inspire her with. Laura uses recycled materials, or follows an upcycle philosophy whenever possible helping to keep the final cost of her creations affordable to the buyer. She is proud to be part of the etsy community of independent designers, creators, artists, and crafters alike.

Her giveaway is a stunningly beautiful and glorious sunset over water with mountains in the background of Lake Mead in Las Vegas, Nevada. The photograph will be delivered as an 8 x 10 glossy professionally printed picture.

HOW TO ENTER: Visit the team blog post May Daze BLOG GIVEAWAY to enter to win the lovely and colorful photograph by visiting Laura at Tierrasolpaz or any of the FEST Team Members listed in the Member Section. Find your favorite item, share it with us and tell us why you love it. Remember to leave your email or contact info so we can reach you if you're the lucky winner. The winner will be picked on June 4rd. Simple and Easy!

Good Luck!!

My Newest Mosaic

2011-05-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

I just finished a large mosaic mirror for my shop on Etsy. I just love the golden iridescent tiles around the border because they make this mosaic shimmer in the light.

The fan design is a fun one to do and allows me to incorporate some of my dish tiles as well as glass tiles.

I call this one Golden Rays Upon the Water.

I must have taken 20 photos of this mirror before I had one decent picture. Trying to take a shot of a large piece like this one (24x24) with a mirror in the middle takes some time. The colors are so much brighter in person.

More Etsy!

2011-05-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

Some of you know that I have 3 shops on Etsy. I run a finished mosaic shop called Memories in Mosaics, a mosaic supply shop called Memories Mosaic Supply, and a vintage shop called Memories of Yesterday.

I am currently running a 20% OFF Sale in my supply shop. It is on everything in my store so if you know anyone who uses dish tiles, half vases or focals please let them know.

Here are a few items from there.

Sue Zipin Pattern

Laura Ashley Print

My vintage store really didn't get up and running until my sons started adding merchandise they found at estate sales. Some great buys to be had.

Here are a few pieces of what you will find when visiting MemoriesofYesterday.

Johnson Brothers Creamer from 1930's

Erte Bronze Statue

Until Next Time :)

My Newest Mosaic

2011-05-05T05:19:00.000-07:00

Some time ago I bought this ceramic plaque (lower right hand corner of mosaic) knowing
that I would use it in a mosaic one day.

It has sat on my shelf now for nearly a year and I finally found a lovely rustic metal cross to go with it.

I kept the theme more organic and used earthy colors for a more subtle appeal.

Until Next Time :)

Chris

How to Build A Light Box for Taking Photographs

2011-05-04T06:09:00.000-07:00

I finally took the plunge and decided I could use one of these homemade light boxes to photograph my jewelry for my vintage shop on Etsy.

Materials needed:

2 sheets white poster board (additional one in black-optional)

tape-I used scotch tape

scissors

ruler

cutting knife

muslin

sturdy cardboard box

small desk lamp

packing tape or duct tape(for bottom of box)

The first step is to determine what it is you will be photographing so that you will know what size tent to make. This one is a 14x14 that I bought at Walmart for 74 cents. The first thing I did was to lay the box flat so that you can cut 2 windows at the same time as you will need 4 windows cut in all.

I measured 2" from all sides and drew a line using my fabric ruler, then proceeded to cut out the windows with a straight-edge knife.

The next step is to line the inside of the box in white. I already knew the sides were 2" and started cutting strips the length of the poster board. It was real easy to measure using my fabric ruler.

Before you attach your strips you will need to tape the box at the bottom to make it stand up. Be sure to tape just the bottom as the top will remain open when you are finished.

Here is one strip in place on the inside of the box. I used scotch tape to hold it. You will need to cut enough strips to cover the entire inside of the box (16 total).

The next step is to cut squares of muslin (purchased at Walmart for 3.00) to fit over the squares you cut out for the back and sides. I found it real easy as I used my cutting mat and rotary cutter from my sewing days. Cut the square 2" larger than your openings. My openings were 12" square so I cut 14" squares out of the muslin.

Attach the squares of muslin using whatever tape you have on hand. I used scotch tape for now but may need to strengthen it later with duct tape or packing tape. I decided to just drape the remaining muslin over the top until I decide how the lighting works. You may want to put this box "over" a vase or taller piece and keeping the top open allows you to do that.

The last step is to cut a strip of your 2nd piece of poster board to fit inside the box as the backdrop to your photos. Be sure to cut it lengthwise. You want to cut the width about 1/2" smaller than the width of your box so that it will slide right in. My box was 14" so I cut mine 13 1/2" wide.

Slide it in from the top of the box making sure that it does not crease. You want your items to appear to be floating and a crease would show up in your shots. The board should be gently curved then taped in place at the top of the box. I bought a black poster board in case I wanted to change it out for a different background.
If you look at my finished box photo you will see the curved piece in the box at the back.

Here is the finished box sitting on my bar. I have my tripod in position and a bowl for the photo. All I need now is to set my lamp up to shine in from above and I should be ready to go.

Here is a photo of a vintage creamer that I took. It appears to be floating in space. I will continue to adjust the lighting, but I am thrilled with the shot. Now I need to make a larger light box to fit my bigger pieces.

TIP: I might try eliminating the step where you cut the strips of poster board to fit on the inside 2". When you take a photo using this box you are only capturing the background piece of poster board. It may help the lighting to line the entire box with white, but I am going to see if it really makes a difference as that step takes the longest to do.

Until Next Time :)

Chris

Trip to Georgia, Part 2

2011-05-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

Our next stop was Marietta. We parked by the old locomotive that's right by the Marietta Museum of History and I took a shot of my husband standing next to it.

1940's style kitchen

This is a very old sausage grinder.

Bedroom in the Museum of History

This is a shot the park in the center of the Historic District from the upstairs restaurant where we had lunch
called the Vineyard Cafe

After lunch we headed over to another museum for the movie "Gone With The Wind". This is a personal collection of one man that was donated to this museum. I liked this one better than the one in Jonesboro because there was a lot more authentic pieces including scripts, letters written by the stars, costumes, dishes other memorabilia.

Scarf worn my Olivia DeHavilland as Melanie

Photo of her wearing the scarf hat

One of the chairs used on the GWTW set

Chair in the background

This is a mosaic that was on the side of one of the buildings.

The above photo is one of the rooms in the Root House museum. This is also in Marietta and was one of the better tours. The woman took the two of us around by ourselves and showed us everything.

A photo of the family room

Up to 10 people lived in this very small home and the grandmother had her bed in the dining room.

Families vegetable and herb garden.

This garden was amazing! It wrapped all around the house and was full of herbs for medicinal use as well as vegetables and decorative flowers.

A rope bed

Mattresses were held up by ropes that were tightened with a wooden pin with handles, as shown in the photo above.

Family tub and cradle next to fireplace

How would you like to try and fit into that tub! Mostly they spot washed when necessary.

Our fabulous docent

Our Trip to Atlanta, Part 1

2011-04-30T04:32:00.000-07:00

My husband and I just came back from a trip to Atlanta. We spent a week going from city to city to see the sights and I have some photos I wanted to share with you.

Most of our friends can't understand why we didn't do the normal tours such as CNN and Coca Cola, but truthfully, we just love the museums and old plantations and decided to see as many as we would in the week we had.

The gardens were stunning and I took a picture of this old statue.

This is the back steps to the Swan House. That's a waterfall in the middle.

This home is in Jonesboro, Georgia called "Stately Oaks". It had it's own small village in the back with a blacksmith shop, an Indian Village, a smoke house, and a tenant farmers home.

This is the home. You can see Ralph up on the porch with arms folded.

Entrance to GWTW Museum.

Under drawers worn by Vivien Leigh

Worn by Olivia De Havilland

Miniature of Tara. Said to be worth $70,000

Part Two will be our trip to Marietta and Athens. I hope you will come back.

Until Next Time :)

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T06:24:00.000-07:00

My Newest Mosaic with Honeysuckle Pink Accents

2011-04-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a large mosaic in a while so I got busy and finished this one just this morning. It still needs to cure, but that doesn't affect the photos.

Many of you know that I like to add jewelry and other bits of whimsy to my pieces and this one is no exception. I have a large hot pink loop earring topped with another round one on the lower right corner.

I also used the black acrylic flower from a napkin ring for the focal piece and a fun glass knob I picked up at a craft store.

I don't have a name for this one so if anyone has any ideas please let me know. Right now I call it Honeysuckle Pink with Black and White. I had fun doing the background on this one as it is a new one for me and from far away it makes me think of lace.

What's in Your Printer?

2011-03-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

My husband received this from his cousin and I just thought it was too cute.

You never know what might be in your printer.....

Customer's Photos of Custom Mosaic

2011-03-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

Doing a custom mosaic is always a challenge because you have so many variables going on, such as colors, patterns and overall design that you just hope what you have in the end is what your customer wants.

Thankfully this mosaic was a take-off from one I had in my shop. The size changed as did the dish tiles and some of the coordinating pieces, but the overall design was the same.

My customer wanted a large mirror for her bathroom. This one finished out at 28" x 32" with a 22" mirror in the center. Fortunately I was able to purchase such a large mirror at an IKEA store.

I just got the photos in my email today from this custom mosaicI did several months ago. The woman was pregnant and her baby was due the following month so she was rather busy.

Here are the photos she sent to me.

March Sale on Mosaics and Supplies

2011-03-18T06:11:00.000-07:00

I am having a March Madness Sale in my mosaic shop as well as my supply shop. Everything is 10% off for a short time.

Be sure to use the code shown in the announcement of each my shops as it will automatically deduct 10% at the time of purchase.

If you have been waiting for a sale...this is it! I won't be having another one until much later this year.

I hope you will stop by.

Amazing Iceburgs in Lake Michigan

2011-03-17T05:44:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law sent these pictures of amazing icebergs and I wanted to share them with you.

Icebergs in Lake Michigan sometimes have stripes, formed by
layers of snow that react to different conditions.

Blue stripes are often created when a crevice in the ice sheet
fills up with melt water and freezes so quickly that no bubbles form.

When an iceberg falls into the lake, a layer of water can
freeze to the underside. If this is rich in algae, it can form a
green stripe.

Brown, black and yellow lines are caused by sediment, picked up when the ice sheet grinds downhill toward the lake.

St. Patrick's Day Treasury

2011-03-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

This treasury was created for the members of the Florida Etsy Street Team (FEST).

Some of My Favorites

2011-03-10T13:10:00.000-08:00

I have so many favorites that I have compiled over the years from the many talented artists on Etsy that I thought I would share some of them with you. This is just the most recent, so if you don't see something of yours it does not mean you aren't a favorite too. :)

Back to Basics

2011-03-07T10:45:00.000-08:00

When I first started doing mosaics I would take floor tiles and place them between 2 towels and smash them with a hammer. The shards were then placed on the table, or whatever I was working on, and pieced together like a large puzzle.

That was over 10 years ago. Since then I have purchased a few tools and have learned some tips and tricks along the way, however, I have decided to go back to the basics and make a few mosaic mirrors using a similar method.

This is my current project. It is 24"x24" with an 8"deep set beveled mirror. I liked the fact that it was more or less ready to mosaic. It does have writing on it but the surface is flat and the tiles should adhere without a problem. I am using a regular tile adhesive rather than the Weldbond use for the dish tiles.

The tiles I chose are smaller than I would normally want since it's easier to break up the big ones, but the colors were so unusual that I just had to get them. I also ran across these wonderful 1"transparent glass tiles in the same watery blues and greens that are in the tile pattern. My plan was to keep it simple and let the tiles speak for themselves.

I still have about a third of the mirror left to do but I hope to be grouting soon. I think I will use a linen color as stark white might be more of a contrast than I want.

I will post a photo of the finished piece.

Until Next Time :)

Mosaic chair

2011-03-03T17:37:00.001-08:00

Mosaic chair a photo by Waschbear on Flickr.

This is a chair that was created by Waschbear that I saw on flickr and just had to share it.

There are so many unbelievably creative mosaic artists out there that it boggles my mind. I never would have thought to do something like this but I love it!

"Lilacs" New Floral Mosaic Mirror

2011-02-28T07:46:00.000-08:00

I just finished making this mosaic last night and have managed to get it listed today.

I have to say it was a very labor intensive piece as it took 8 dinner plates cut into small tiles to make this large mosaic.

I love the bright lilac colored glass tiles around the border and was happy they matched the lilacs in the pattern so well.

The 3 little ceramic knobs were just too cute when I saw them at Hobby Lobby so I decided I just had to have them for this one.

Thank You to My Followers

2011-02-23T14:05:00.000-08:00

I so appreciate those of you who have chosen to follow my blog and I would like to take this time to spotlight a few of your shops.

First up is ChristieCottage, an online shop on Etsy that has a variety of fun things to buy.

I chose this lovely tapestry purse to share with you today. The little polymer clay button really adds a nice touch to this richly colored bag and the fact that it's all lined in a subtle tan linen is just another plus.

Next up is a sweet little greeting card that says it all. Who doesn't want to receive a handmade card that tells you how much someone loves you.

This adorable card is very reasonably priced a $2.50.

Themusescloset is owned by Andrea and carries very unique and original art.

One of the more popular original oil prints in her shop is called "Flower Muse" and is an 8x10 print of an original painting done by Andrea. This is perfect for those of you who look to your muse for creativity and inspiration.

Andrea also has a "poppies" original painting that is part of a series. This one is an abstract of the popular flower and was done in oil on gallery canvas. I really like the simplicity of it. Well done.

Like Andrea says "If you can dream it, I can paint it"! Contact her shop if you would like a custom order.

RecreationalArt is a fellow member of the Florida Etsy Street Team and lives in my favorite city on the planet: St. Augustine.

She captures the spirit of fun in her exclusive and one-of-a-kind creations, whether it's jewelry or one of her recycled pieces, you can sense her love of what she does.

This ring would be quite the perfect accessory to wear for St. Patrick's Day. It's fun, flirty and colorful. Individual beads in various shades of green are attached to an adjustable gold plated shank which makes this a great gift for yourself or anyone as you can easily adjust it to fit. (size 6+) There are many colors to choose from in this design.

Anything vintage attracts my eye and this wonderfully made Gypsy wrist wrap with it's antique copper weaving is just too fun. There may be a little bit of "gypsy" in all of us and wearing this wrap would certainly give you a great opportunity to show that side of yourself.

I hope you will stop by each of these wonderful shops as this is just a small taste of what you'll find.

Until Next Time. :)

Do You Believe in Miracles?

2011-02-17T09:04:00.000-08:00

I believe in miracles. I believe miracles are everywhere and we only need to look to find them.

Miracles come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes they are obvious and many people are involved, other times they are felt only by the person experiencing it.

I would like to tell you about one miracle that recently happened to me. I have had many miracles in my life, too numerous to count, but this one is recent and I thought I would share it with you.

Lately my health has been up and down. I have had 3 severe sinus infections in the last 6 months and they are the kind that creep up on you and one day you wake up and your head feels like it's going to blow up from the pain and your sinuses are so inflamed that you can't breathe, can't think and have little, if any, energy. Your temperature elevates, your eyes hurt and sometimes it affects your gums. For those of you who have experienced this kind of infection you know the only way to cure it is to have an anti-biotic or serious anti-inflammatory prescribed by your doctor because over-the-counter-drugs don't work.
On top of this I have been dealing with swelling in the ball of my left foot. I started having pain whenever I would take a walk around my neighborhood. Some of you know I have fibromyalgia and have read about the fracture I had in my right foot last year and how long it was (7 months) before I was able to walk for any distance. When you have this illness (fibro) it can play games with you and causes you pain for no apparent reason, so when this swelling occurred I wouldn't normally have gone to the doctor, but I put off going when I had the fracture because I assumed it was just sprained so this time I went right away and was given an anti-inflammatory after having it x-rayed and told to build up to walking any distance.

To make a long story short, it had been 3 weeks and the pain in my foot would not go away even though I had practically stopped any kind of walking and had iced it on a regular basis.
So, here I was on Valentine's Day with a sinus infection that's escalating and pain in my foot that is causing serious frustration. I am tired, irritable, weepy and fed up, but I know that there is power in prayer so I began to ask God to show me what it is I am to learn from what I am experiencing. To show me why I keep having trouble with my feet and getting chronic sinus infections. This was not the first time I had prayed for healing, but it was the first time I had let go and asked God to show me what He wanted for me and truly meant it.
He led me to the computer (later that day) where I read an article about a woman who was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 1993 and has led an extraordinary life despite it. She is unable to get around at all and has to lay in bed day in and day out just looking out the window and watching life happen around her. She longs for the days when she could take a bath all by herself and remembers what it was like to run and dance and swim.

People often tell you that "things could be worse" when you complain about your life. I never liked that answer and frankly, it makes me mad. However, when I read that article about that woman's life I was in tears and it did something to me. I not only realized that my problems are small comparatively but it made me stronger. I made a decision to accept my situation and let God work where He chooses. This isn't always easy for a person who likes to control her own life.

That night I decided I would go into the Urgent Care the following day and get the meds I needed to get over this sinus infection and set a doctor's appointment to see about my foot. I had envisioned a long journey of possible Allergists and Ear, Nose and Throat doctors to help me determine what I am going to do with this chronic problem. I also figured my doctor would suggest an MRI on my foot as nothing showed up in the x-rays. It looked like a long road.

When I awoke the next morning my headache was gone, my fever was gone and my nasal passages were as clear as ever. My foot barely hurt and later that day I took a walk around my neighborhood. This was happened 3 days ago and my infection has not returned and my foot is nearly back to normal. I have walked every night and have little pain and no swelling.

I would imagine many would see this as coincidental or that my infection wasn't as bad as I thought or whatever. I happen to think it is my very own miracle!

Until Next Time. :)

What's He Doing?

2011-02-10T12:38:00.000-08:00

My husband and I were talking and all of a sudden he pointed out the window and said "Look"! Being shorter than my 6'3" husband I couldn't see a thing through the blinds (he can see over them through an arch above) so I had no idea what he was talking about. It wasn't until he started to tell me that a squirrel was perched up in our Queen Anne Palm that I peeked out the slits of the blinds and could see him.

I raced to get my camera and was able to get a quick shot of him before he disappeared.

You would think a pink elephant was on our lawn by the way we got excited about this squirrel, but the way he was just sitting up there was unusual. I have no idea what he was doing.

It's Finished!

2011-02-08T17:31:00.000-08:00

I finished the custom mosaic this morning. I had a few areas that needed a little more grout so I mixed a small batch and worked on that then painted the back a flat black.

I applied 5 coats of sealant to the grout knowing it will be hung above a stove so I hope the extra will help it to repel staining. I am enclosing some of the powdered grout I used in a baggie so that if it should get some sort of stain on it the customer can easily fix it.

Since the area is cramped for space I decided it might be a good idea to use picture frame wire for hanging. Usually I would hang 20lb. D-rings on either side assuming the customer would have large hooks, but I think it will be a bugger to try and hang it that way with the cabinets hanging down and obstructing the view.

The finished size is 16x28

Custom Mosaic-Grouting

2011-02-07T12:40:00.000-08:00

First of all I want to thank all of you who have commented on my mosaic. I appreciate your taking the time to do so and to let me know that you like my work.

I got the OK this morning from my customer and have grouted the mosaic. It took about an hour which includes the 10 minutes of letting the grout set up.

I got a little carried away with mixing too much this time, but since I normally have a mirror in the middle I wanted to be sure I had plenty. I guess too much is better than too little.

My supplies gathered to grout. I always wear a mask but the gloves usually come off because they catch on the tile edges.

My grout is mixed and I am waiting for 10 minutes for it to "set".
It should be the consistency of a brownie mix.

Photo just before I grout.

This is how it looks once I finish getting the grout in all the crevices. I don't like to leave all of that on for too long as it just gets harder to remove it.

This is how it looks after my first cleaning. There is still a lot of residue but the clumps are removed and I smooth out any lines created from the sponge.

Later tonight before the grout becomes too hard I plan to clean the residue off all the tiles and gems with a toothpick. I do this while it's still slightly damp so that I can smooth the grout back out should it leave a crevice or marking. If you wait until it is totally dry and you find that you have a few tiles that are still partially buried in the grout you end up with a "ledge" where you scraped it away if one tile sits slightly lower than another.

I try to keep my tiles thickness as consistent as possible when I make my pieces but sometimes the dish tiles are thicker than the glass tiles and the variance can cause a problem when grouting. To make the transition as smooth as possible I clean the bulk off of it right away.

Tomorrow will be the final post on making a custom mosaic. I will have a few photos of the finished piece.

Until Next Time. :)

Custom Mosaic is Ready for Grout

2011-02-05T18:14:00.000-08:00

I just finished putting the last piece in so now I am waiting for approval from my customer so that I can grout.

It took quite a while to complete this one as I am used to working around a mirror and this one is all tile.

It's difficult to get the entire mosaic in the picture frame because it is so large and it is sitting on top of my studio workbench so I stood on tiptoe to get these. The colors are much more vivid than these photos show, but you get the idea.

My customer chose white grout for this piece.

This one shows the shelf. The photo was taken upside down and then flipped.

Custom Mosaic Edging

2011-02-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

I have been working on the edging for the last two days for the custom mosaic. I don't usually do edges in tiles because they have a tendency to pop off, however, that is what my customer wanted so that is what I am doing.

I start by setting the mosaic on the floor with one side up and glue down the tiles, careful to keep the spaces even. Once that takes hold (about an hour) I glue the tiles to the top edge.
This will have to set overnight before I chance moving it. Those steps are repeated with the other side and bottom of the base and another night of drying.

My next step is to glue down the blue border (top) tiles so that I know exactly where they will line up as I want to be sure the design tiles lay close in to the border tiles. If I need to add some pieces or trim some I can do that before I glue it all down. One of the reasons I don't start out with this step is because they can easily pop off or chip (since they are made of glass) when they aren't grouted. I prefer to get the majority of the design finished without that concern.

This should be completed by tonight as I don't have a lot left to do on the design itself.

Almost ready for grouting!

In the meantime I have been playing around with some mirror tiles and various shapes and sizes of purple tiles for a piece to sell in my shop. This is a work-in-progress photo. I plan to grout it in black to make all the mirror tiles "pop".

Until Next Time. :)

Custom Mosaic -Adding the Shelf

2011-02-01T17:27:00.000-08:00

My husband embedded the little half salad plate into the base of the mosaic and glued all around it. We had to let that dry before applying another coat of glue which has taken several days to complete. He finished it off using some wood filler so once I finish with filling in the rest of the design I can grout around it and it should be good to go.

I also painted the back black not only because I like a finished piece, but to camouflage the Spackle on the back from the plate.

This is a photo of the plate just laying on top.

Here is the plate embedded into the wood.

Back view showing the wood filler.

Tonight I hope to complete the mosaic and have a photo of it emailed for approval. Once I get that I will grout it, which will take at least two days to cure, then clean it up and ship it out. I take a toothpick around each tile, gem and doodad in each of my mosaics. It takes time but I believe the finished product is worth it.

My next post will be on grouting. I hope to be doing that as soon as I hear back from my customer on the design.

Until Next Time. :)

Custom Mosaic Continued

2011-01-29T12:13:00.000-08:00

I have started piecing the tiles to fill in around the main design. This takes time and patience as you want to get them as close together as possible and there are lots of curves to go around.

I found some fun bright yellow dishes with a royal blue pattern and I thought it would be the perfect thing to go with this mosaic. I used them in the fan design at the lower left side. They are rather thick dishes and would be too much of a variance in height for many of the tiles, but it works when you have the gems butted up against them.

The photo above is upside down so I could work on filling in the top. I decided to glue what I have down and let my husband get the half plate embedded on the bottom (for a shelf). He will need to cut out the area I have sketched in and set the rough edge of the plate down inside the wood. He will then fill in any areas with wood glue and let dry overnight.

Next my husband will sand down the glue so that it's flush with the mosaic front and back.
After that I can finish it up and see what my customer thinks before I grout. At this point I can still change things around a bit. Hopefully this will be good to go.

The dish tiles on the bottom of this photo are very similar in color but have a completely different design. One has light blue polka dots against a darker blue and one has light blue swirlys against a darker blue background. It keeps the continuity and flow but creates more interest.

I'll show you the little "shelf" once it's dry and sanded.

Until Next Time. :)

Custom Mosaic Part 2

2011-01-27T12:52:00.000-08:00

Just getting the feel of the design.

I changed the tiles a bit and have added my flowers.

I have been working pretty steadily on this mosaic and have it partly laid out. I have changed a few things from the original drawing, but it will still have the same look when I have finished it.

My customer wants lots of bright and light colors so I am doing my best to keep to that. I cut the flowers out of the checkered pattern dishes to keep the country feel to this.

The pencil markings toward the bottom are where the shelf made from the salad plate will go. I just want to be sure I don't tile over that area.

Just a few more to lay out and I will run this by my customer to make sure we are on the same track. If she is good to go I will probably glue down what I have to keep it from shifting while I design the rest.

I should have my progress here on my blog in the next day or so.

Until Next Time. :)

How I Design a Custom Mosaic

2011-01-26T08:53:00.000-08:00

Everyone has there own way of doing things and it has taken me a while to figure out what is the best way for me to approach a custom mosaic.

One of the first things I ask my customer is if they see a design in my shop that they like. That way I at least know what style I'm dealing with.

The next step is to ask them to send pictures to me of the room where the mosaic will be hanging so that I can get a feel for their style and colors . If they have a paint chip I ask them to send it to me. Sometimes they send pictures from magazines too.

Many of my customers want to include some of their own keepsakes in the mosaic. Once I receive these the design starts to take shape in my mind.

I like to sketch out the design on graph paper and email them a copy. This makes it easier to convey what you are thinking and is a great place to start a conversation of likes and dislikes, sizes, shapes, etc..

This is a partial design that I did for one of my customers. Their decor was a cross between ultra modern and very country.

My idea was to blend the two tastes by using an abstract design and traditional dishes for tiles.

Working up a color board probably stems from so many years of studying interior design. It gives you a clear view of your colors, textures, patterns, etc. that you have to work with. I get all my tiles, gems, and anything else I can find that I think would go well with the color scheme of my customer's room and email it to them. That way they can then pick and choose what they like.

This is one of the photos I emailed to my customer for ideas. The paint chip and photo are included with the color board.

Generally my husband puts a nice 1/4" wooden border around my pieces but this customer asked for a tiled edge so I thought using a tile the exact same color as her room would make the mosaic "float".

Another photo I emailed to my customer for approval.

At this point I have approval of the design and color scheme so I am ready to go. The first thing I do is seal the wood because it will be exposed in the kitchen. Second, I paint the surface white so that any transparent tiles or gems will have a clear color. If you put a glass gem against plain wood it would lose much of it's original color.

I don't bother with the edges because I know the tiles will be used and don't require a primer. This is a 3/4" piece of plywood that will go above a stove area. The wood has been sealed.

I hope you will follow along with me as I continue to post my progress.

Until Next Time :)

Stepping thru' the rainbow

2011-01-12T06:01:00.001-08:00

Stepping thru' the rainbow
Originally uploaded by laurainspain :)

This is a fantastic shoe that an online acquaintance made for her step daughter.

I just love this and had to post about it.

The detail, colors and composition are just fabulous.

Little Pink Pitcher Mosaic

2011-01-11T17:01:00.000-08:00

I found this cute little blush pink pitcher on one of my shopping journeys to the various thrift stores and couldn't resist buying it. I just loved the rose bud at the handle and thought it would be a perfect size to do a small mosaic.

This was a fun piece to do but ended up being a lot more work than you might imagine. Getting those tiles to fit around the handle took a bit of patience, but I managed to get it done.

I wanted to keep the scene light and airy so I stayed with the same color scheme as the pitcher except for the blue and white checked "table" it's sitting on. The rich blue gives some contrast without being to brash, I think.

I must get some better photos before I list this one. The glare from the camera flash is bouncing off the tiles. The pink in here is also a very subtle blush color that matches the pink of the pitcher and this camera of mine doesn't pick it up that way.

Annie K Designs-Fabulous Finds in Fabric

2011-01-09T04:54:00.000-08:00

Meet Annie from anniekdesigns, a lovely upscale home decor and gift shop on Etsy.

Annie is a fellow member of the Design Style Guide Team, a website that concentrates their efforts to the world of interior design and home decor.

Annie's love of color and design and her ability to turn fabric into such amazing pieces is truly inspiring. As a sewer myself I can honestly say that Annie's work is carefully and meticulously done and it shows.

This is a fabric envelope. What a unique idea. This would be great not only for your cards and letters, but also for a gift certificate to Annie's shop

In her own words:

I have been sewing since I was 10. My mom, grandmother and aunts all sewed. My aunt Lura, made a carpet quilt for her antique colonial dining room set. It was spectacular. I loved their creativity and envied their work.

I sewed doll clothes for my doll Judy at first. I had a hard time figuring out the neck and shoulders but I persevered. My mom was working so she wasn't around to help.

I continued to sew for what it seems to be forever. I watched Nancy Zieman and Shirley Adams to advance my skills. Still watch Nancy Zieman and order from her.

Many years later my company transferred me to NYC. I jumped at the chance and attended Parson's School of Design where I earned my degree in Fashion Design.

Annie's shop carries a wonderful variety of handmade fabric gifts and decor for your home. What I have shown here is only a sampling. I hope you will stop by and take a peek. She also offers custom designs should you want something specific.

RSS Design- A Whole New Look at Fiber Art

2011-01-06T09:23:00.000-08:00

When you mention the word "art" sometimes what comes to mind is a famous painter or maybe a sculptor, but there is also a world of fiber art that is truly amazing.

Fiber art is defined as: a style of fine art which uses textiles such as fabric, yarn, and natural and synthetic fibers.

Ruth is the owner and artist behind RSS Designs in Fiber, an online store on Etsy.com. She has loved visual arts and crafts since she was a toddler and it certainly shows in her shop.

I think you will find that her creations are unique, bold and creative. I love her color choices and variations in design.

When you visit RSS Designs in Fiber you will find everything from crocheted hats and scarves to baskets and wall hangings. Any of these pieces would make a wonderful gift to yourself or someone special.

Take a look for yourself.

You can also check out Ruth's blog and learn more about her and her special designs.

My Special Anniversary Gift

2010-12-27T06:50:00.000-08:00

On December 23rd my husband and I celebrated 22 years of marriage.

Generally we don't get each other much as Christmas is just a few days away. I always bake his favorite cookies (Meringues with peppermint candies) and he usually gives me a lovely card. But this year he surprised me with something I just had to share.

Ralph took a coffee can that he had been saving his change in forever and wrapped it with Christmas paper then inserted a branch. He tied various colored ribbons from the branches and hung silver dollars to them. He then placed the remaining silver dollars in the can.

He told me there was a silver dollar for every month we have been married. Honestly, I just started crying. He can be so sweet and romantic.

A Very Special YouTube Video

2010-12-23T14:24:00.000-08:00

Pique Assiette

2010-12-15T17:17:00.000-08:00

When I first started doing mosaics I learned that the broken dish style of mosaics was called "pique assiette", a french term for using pieces or broken ceramics.

My style isn't really broken as I hand cut each tile, but it sounds more elegant to say pique assiette.

For some time now I have been challenging myself to new ideas, new looks and new methods, but I still love the "broken dish" look of a mosaic more than any other.

I just completed a new one that is primarily made from a lovely brown floral print that I pared with an aqua and turquoise ivy patterned dish. Actually, they are 2 of my favorite patterns of all and I use them often.

I am still looking for the right name for this one, but for now I call it "Southwestern". I think it reminds me of the southwest due to the color scheme and the fact I added the copper beads on the upper corners of the mirror.

I have a large custom order I will be working on this next week so I plan to share it from start to finish here on my blog. I hope you will join me.

Until next time. :)

Merry Christmas to My Female Friends

2010-12-10T14:49:00.000-08:00

"Merry Christmas To My Female Friends" is a poem I received from my sister-in-law that I just had to share with my more mature female followers. :)

If I were ol' Santa, you know what I'd do
I'd dump silly gifts that are given to you
And deliver some things just inside your front door
Things you have lost, but treasured before.

I'd give you back all your maidenly vigor,
And to go along with it, a neat tiny figure.
Then restore the old color that once graced your hair
Before rinses and bleaches took residence there.

I'd bring back the shape with which you were gifted
So things now suspended need not be uplifted.
I'd draw in your tummy and smooth down your back
Till you'd be a dream in those tight fitting slacks.

I'd remove all your wrinkles and leave only one chin
So you wouldn't spend hours rubbing grease on your skin.
You'd never have flashes or queer dizzy spells,
And you wouldn't hear noises like ringing of bells.

No sore aching feet and no corns on your toes,
No searching for spectacles when they're right on your nose.
Not a shot would you take in your arm, hip or fanny,
From a doctor who thinks you're a nervous old granny.

You'd never have a headache, so no pills would you take.
And no heating pad needed since your muscles won't ache.
Yes, if I were Santa, you'd never look stupid,
You'd be a cute little chick with the romance of a cupid.

I'd give a lift to your heart when those wolves start to whistle,
And the joys of your heart would be light as a thistle.
But alas! I'm not Santa. I'm simply just me,
The matronest of matrons you ever did see.

I wish I could tell you all the symptoms I've got,
But I'm due at my doctor's for another flu shot.
Even though we've grown older, this wish is sincere,
Merry Christmas to you and a Happy New Year.

Featured Shop Simply Divine Desserts

2010-11-30T07:04:00.000-08:00

I recently interviewed Sharon who is the owner and baker behind Simply Devine Desserts on Etsy. She is a fellow FEST (Florida Etsy Street Team) member and resides in Sarasota, Florida.

Here is my interview with her:

Tell me a little about yourself.

I’m a brown-eyed girl, strong in mind and body, with a Christ centered spirit. I am a happy, busy, productive, strong willed, organized, unemployed, single mom. I have two grown sons, 25 and 22, who are the biggest blessings in my life (along with my new daughter-in-law!). I was a home school mom for 16 years, and they were some of the best years of my life. I’m an active member of a great church, I love music, the beach, and going to the movies.

Autumn Leaves Cake Pops Edible Bouquet

How long have you been baking?

I’ve been baking for most of my life. I grew up loving to be in the kitchen with my mom and grandmothers, not only for the great food that was always being created, but for the warmth and comfort that it brought. My older brother started calling me “Bake” when I was 11, and for some reason the nickname stuck and to this day, I am “Bake” to my family and many old friends.

What made you decide to sell on Etsy?

I decided to try etsy after a dear friend of mine kept poking and prodding me to give it a shot. I sold books to homeschoolers on ebay for many years, so I’m used to online selling, but the thought of starting an online bake shop seemed strange to me at first. But now that I’ve made some sales and have sent my goodies to various parts of the country, I’m excited to see what the future will bring.

Cranberry Cookies Mix in a Jar

What kinds of things do you like to shop for on Etsy?

I’m forever browsing the many beautiful earrings on etsy. I’m in awe of all the talented jewelry makers all over etsy, and I’d be buying lots of wonderful items if I wasn’t unemployed. So for right now, I window shop and put lots of earrings and jewelry into the treasuries that I make.

What is your favorite dessert from your shop?

Old Fashioned Bonnie's Butter Cake

My shop favorite has to be my Bonnie Butter Cake. My mom used to make this cake for me every year on my birthday. And for the past 25 years, I’ve been making it for my boys on their birthdays. Now I’m baking it more frequently, as it’s one of the most popular flavors for the cake pops that I make.

What would you like other people to know about your shop?

I bake using only the finest, all natural ingredients. I’m blessed to be surrounded by neighbors who let me hand pick many wonderful organic citrus fruits from their trees, and I use many of them in my baked goods. I take great pride in all that I create, and I hope that whoever buys something from me can taste the love that I added to their goodies!!

I asked Sharon for a photo of her "work" area. Look at all the cute little angels overseeing everything.

I just had to get in a shot of these delicious looking scones (below), and in a heart shape no less!

These wonderful little goodies come in several flavors; Blueberry Lemon, Cranberry Orange, Tropical, Mango, Pineapple and Coconut, Classic Raisin, Lemon, Luscious Lime, Apple Cinnamon, or Classic Plain. You can order 8 different flavors for a sampler package.

Check out Simply Devine Desserts for a perfect gift for the holidays. Everything is made to order and shipped USPS priority mail.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T08:49:00.000-08:00

I want to wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving.

May you enjoy your day and stay safe.

Homemade Christmas Can't be Beat!

2010-11-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

With the concerns about our country's economy along with the desire to teach my grand kids a “different” kind of giving, my daughter, Terra, and I have decided to make some of their gifts this year.
Terra’s boys are 4, 6, and 8 so they are constantly bringing home papers and hand drawn pictures from school that they want to keep, so one of the gifts we are making is a box covered with wrapping paper that will match their room decor.

I bought 3 medium sized paper boxes with separate lids that I will wrap individually so that the lid stays separate from the box. My 6 year old grandson is obsessed with Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story movie so I chose paper that has that theme. The box lids will be wrapped so that the cut ends will be on the inside of the box. I will then attach lengths of grosgrain ribbon to cover these edges so they will look neat and crisp as well as decorative.

After wrapping I plan to use an Elmer’s glue and water mixture and brush it all over the entire box so that it will resist tearing during use. Once it dries I plan to attach some wide grosgrain ribbon and maybe some large buttons across the top for a bit of decoration.

These boxes will hold hundreds of papers and other cherished items my grand kids want to keep. They can be left out in the open because they are decorated which makes for easy access for mom or the boys.

The second gift my daughter is going to make is paper mache piggy banks. These are made by blowing up a balloon and draping newspaper strips that have been run through a solution of flour and water (which makes as paste) all around until the balloon is completely covered. You can add a snout and tail for a pig, or ears and whiskers for a rabbit. There are dozens of characters that can be made using this method. I used to make these when I was a kid.

Every year I try to find just the right ornaments to give each of the boys, but this year I decided to buy some wooden ornaments that they can paint themselves. Fortunately they are still at an age where they want to contribute to the tree decorations and are always very proud to have their piece hanging each year.

These are just a few ideas we have come up with that will make this Christmas a special one. To me, there is nothing better than a handmade gift, especially one made with love

Florida Esty Street Team Gift Ideas

2010-11-11T12:02:00.000-08:00

Team FEST or the Florida Etsy Street Team is a group of talented artists who reside in the state of Florida and currently have shops on Etsy.com.

I found such a variety of unique gift ideas while wandering through some of their shops that I thought I would share them with you.

Thank You to My Followers

2010-11-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

I so appreciate each and every one of my followers and from time to time I like to do a post where I can showcase their shops. This time around I would like to feature 3 more very talented people who are kind enough to follow along on my blog.

Larissa is a fellow member of the Handmade Artists Shops. She and her husband, Eric, sell their high quality all natural soaps, among other indulgences, in Reef Botanicals located on the HAF website. Their products are so rich and colorful that you can practically smell them just from looking at the photos.

"Fudge Chunk" is the perfect gift for that chocolate lover in your life. Cocoa is one of the ingredients in this creamy handmade soap. It looks just like chocolate fudge ice cream doesn't it? Yummers!

Can you smell the lemons? This is a scrub made from lemons, sugar and natural oils.

Reef Botanicals sell gift baskets that are loaded with scrumptious products from their shop. What a great gift for that special person in your life.

Jillian is the owner and artist behind JillianReneDecor. She is also a fellow member of DesignStyleGuide, a online site for all you home decor needs. What Jillian can do with buttons is quite amazing. Using thin gauge wire and various sizes of buttons she creates these lovely flowers and attaches them to pillows or to various fabrics that are then framed making it a very unique piece of wall art.

What a wonderful gift this framed button art would make. It's bright and colorful and can be hung on your wall.

This is just a small sample of what Jillian can do with a pillow. This design makes this silvery gray fabric light up. Very chic.

This is one of my favorites. I just love black and white together, especially in a zebra print.
Jillian has embellished this fun pillow with this bright red flower made from buttons. Stunning!

Sara lives in New England and sells her beautiful jewelry on Etsy in a shop named LillyQueen. Her lovely pieces are made by incorporating vintage and new together to create truly unique designs.

These luscious ice blue glass vintage diamond faceted earrings just sparkle. I love that they are embedded in antique brass. Great color combination and very trendy.

This 17" necklace boasts an antique brass bird charm with 3 Swarvoski glass beads in royal blue. Just a darling piece. This is called "Raindrops in Summer".

This bold bracelet is the perfect neutral to wear with anything. It's made up of smokey quartz vintage Lucite beads and faux pearls held together with a vintage lobster clasp.

It is always a pleasure to showcase all the wonderfully talented followers of my blog. I hope you will stop by each of their shops as this is just a peek at what they can do.

Giveaway Glitch!

2010-11-03T04:35:00.000-07:00

I did not realize that I have a "spam" section on my blogger page until this morning. Sure enough there were 5 comments in there left by Audrey's Country Crafts when I was holding the mosaic giveaway back in September. I feel just terrible about this as she put in a lot of effort to win and she wasn't included in the drawing.

I have no idea why my blog blocked her as she has commented many times in the past on my posts. This is definitely something I need to check up on. Anyway, I felt it was only fair that she be given a little something for her efforts so I would like to send her this little heart

with a peg mosaic.

If you would like to have this heart, Audrey, just contact me and I will get this right out to you.

I have been working on a mosaic for my older son, Travis, who will be turning 33 this month.

I made one for his younger brother for Christmas last year so I thought maybe he would like one too.

I included a bolo tie that was made by my father as well as the silver "end caps" that went on the leather rope part of it. I also added some of the venetian beads my father used to make as well as a pin my mother wore.

I hope he likes it.

The Pier in St. Petersburg, Florida

2010-11-01T05:43:00.000-07:00

I am concluding my 4 part post on my mini vacation to Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida. It was a lovely time with great weather and plenty of things to do.

A view from the Salvador Dali Museum

Salvador Dali's signature on the outside of the museum.

My husband sitting on the "melted" bench outside the Dali Museum. We couldn't take photos inside so this is just a taste of what you will find inside.

Bird's Eye view at the Pier.

St. Petersburg Pier

A quick ride on the trolley

Trolley

A beautiful day to walk the pier. This is the entrance to the pier in St. Petersburg.

Tampa/St.Petersburg Part 3

2010-10-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

This is the last of the photos of the Henry B. Plant Museum. Next post will have the remaining pictures we took of our trip, including the St. Petersburg Pier.

This is the guest register

More clothes of the time period. I just love the hats. What ever happened to that?

One of the trendy things to do in this era was to save some human hair for decoration. This is a wreath made with different colors of hair then encased in glass. They were also big on saving locks of hair to put into something to adorn their neck or wrist.
This is a shot of what was beneath the ugly brown on one of the panels in the men's retreat.

Here is a long shot of the men's retreat room with my husband in the background listening to the self-guided tour. Here is where they could smoke, drink, spit and read the newspaper without the women looking on.

Ralph using the hand-held photo enhancer of that day. For some reason the name escapes me.

On the University side of the hotel is the old elevator that is still used. We took a quick peak inside as it was out of service that day. Look at how detailed the woodwork was along with the patterned carpet.

Tampa/St. Petersburg part 2

2010-10-26T17:48:00.000-07:00

I am continuing my post on our mini vacation to Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Here are some more pictures I took at the Henry B. Plant Museum.

The piece of furniture shown here was actually a closet where the housekeeping staff kept their supplies and even a small sink. The clothes are what was worn by the staff. The photo is a bit dark.

Some clothes that would have been worn during that time period-around 1891.

This is one of the dining tables all decked out as it would have been for an evening. They purposely chose to use mix and match china patterns for a more informal feel.

This room housed several of the decorative pieces used throughout the hotel. The round piece with the number 14 on it was a "garden seat". Mr. and Mrs. Plant spent a lot of time and money choosing just the right furniture for their hotel.

Another shot of some of the attire worn by guests.

This photo is a bit fuzzy but I took it to show the lions on the red carpet. Apparently Mr. Plant spent a fortune on this wall to wall carpeting only to find out half the guests wouldn't walk on it because the lion was representative of Great Britain and they felt it dishonorable. Mr. Plant had it removed immediately after that. This is a remnant of the actual carpet.

The hotel boasted hot and cold running water and indoor plumbing for tubs and toilets. This is a shot of the bathroom off of the guest suites.

Another photo of the bathroom. The very right hand corner had a small sink. Originally the baths were done in wood planks but later changed to tiling for obvious reasons.

I still have plenty of photos to share so I hope you will come back for part 3.

Mini Vacation to Tampa/St.Petersburg

2010-10-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

My husband and I decided to take a mini vacation to Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida for 3 nights and 4 days because it's close to home and we really hadn't seen much of these cities when we traveled through several years ago.

One of my favorite things to do no matter where I go is to tour old houses that have been restored to their former glory. I just love history and get such a thrill to see how others lived. The craftsmanship of those days is something to behold in itself. Even their door handles had character.

We decided to head over to the University of Tampa and visit the Henry B. Plant Museum, formerly a luxurious hotel that opened in 1891, but now inhabited by the U of T with the exception of the museum portion. It was originally constructed by Mr. Plant to be used as a winter resort for the very rich. A suite of rooms back in those days cost $15.00 a night which was what one might have paid for a lavish hotel room in New York.

Henry Plant was the founder of the Plant System of railroads, steamships and hotels. He started out buying bankrupt railroad companies and soon connected rail lines between Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Florida. In addition to his success with the railroads, he also ventured into steamships and hotels. Because of his efforts Florida's West Coast began to thrive.

This is a photo of the hotel from where we parked. The protruding cylinder shaped portion in front is where the museum is located. The rest is used by the university.

I just had to get one of this remarkable architecture and brickwork.

This is the entrance to the museum .

This is a photo of one of the rooms that was used by the guests of the hotel. They actually had the bedroom portion in the back. It had high domed ceilings and electric lights, which was not at all common in that time period. There was also a living room in the front where you see the chair and settee. Rather than the usual armoire they had an actual closet and chest of drawers as well as a bathroom. (photos of bath in later post)

These rooms were designed for the elite visitors and came with their own hallways that led to the outside of the hotel so that you could come and go without actually going through the main lobby. Across the hall from the bedroom was a private music room where you could entertain guests. If you chose to have music you would just send out for a musician to come and play for you.
I just had to get a picture of this funky lamp. It's actually a floor lamp that stand about 5' high. The shade alone is enormous. They used several of this style lamp throughout the hotel.

This style of "attached" chairs are still used in some hotels. The floral patterned fabric is the original.

I will have more posts of the Henry B. Plant Museum and our other adventures over the next few days.

Door Decor Favorites

2010-10-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

The very first thing people see when they come to your home is your front door. It is the very first impression someone has of you. Why not put a beautiful wreath on your door and put a smile on the face of all who enter. It's a perfect way to welcome guests to your home.

Here are some of my favorites:

My First Pineapple

2010-10-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

Some time back I posted about pineapple plant that my husband and I purchased a few years ago.

When we bought it there was already a fairly good-sized pineapple growing so we left it on the vine long enough for it to change from the dark green color to the yellowish brown, indicating that it is ripe, before removing it. It was so good. One of the sweetest pineapples I have ever eaten.

Last year we experienced a freeze and were concerned that the plant might have died but we could still see some green shoots coming up and decided to leave it alone.

We kept an eye on it over these last several months and finally decided to pull it from the vine this week as it was turning the color needed for a ripe pineapple even though it was very small.

It is so small that it fit inside a tea cup. Just too cute.

It looks very juicy and we couldn't wait to try it. Unfortunately it tasted very sour and probably needed additional time to ripen. Either that, or the plant was more affected by the freeze than we realized and couldn't put out a good pineapple this year.

My husband took the top portion and planted it so we'll see if we can grow another pineapple for next year.

Neighborhood Turtles

2010-10-03T04:46:00.001-07:00

Most anytime of the year you can find a turtle or two crossing the street or hiding in the Preserve out in the back of our house. It's not very often that I see one and can run and get my camera to catch a quick photo.

I didn't have my glasses on when I took these so I was just hopeful that the turtle was in the picture at all.Here he (or so I assume) is taking a stroll between our house and the neighbors making his way into the Preserve.

Help Me Decide

2010-10-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

I could use some input on the color of grout to use in a new mosaic I am working on.

Originally I planned on grouting the entire thing in white but now am thinking of using the white at the corners and a lavender in the body of the piece. The lavender would make the lavender triangle tiles fade into the color rather than stand out.

Let me know what you think. I appreciate any input.

The Creative Process Behind Red Marionette

2010-09-29T14:40:00.000-07:00

I am part of a group of wonderfully talented artists who have shops on Etsy.com and just happen to all live in Florida. It is called Team FEST or Florida Etsy Street Team.

Red Marionette is a shop owned by one of our members and they made a Youtube video showing the creative process in making the adorable felt animals that are for sale in their shop. Honestly, these are some of the cutest little creatures you have ever seen and I have included a gallery of some of them to give you a glimpse of what you will find when you visit the Red Marionette. "Conrad the Spiky Monster" is one of my favorites.

What's New?

2010-09-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

Since I didn't sell much at my craft fair I have quite a number of new mosaics in my shop and I thought I would share them in my post today.

Like most online sellers I am always trying to figure out what people want in the way of design, colors and overall appeal. My new pieces are a variety of all of these and I plan to continue making more for the upcoming Christmas season.

I am happy to say that this one has sold!

I call this one" Caribbean Contemporary" because of the blue and yellow wavy pattern of the dish tiles I used.

An adorable little plant stand

Another contemporary I call "Cafe Latte" due to the rich brown colored brown tiles and the creamy beige glass gems in this one

This one isn't mine. My husband made this mask from a palm frond leaf from our yard

My daughter made this funky fun photo frame

Sort of an abstract that my husband says looks like a man with a yo-yo.

Mosaic cross wall hanging

All I Can Say Is...

2010-09-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

I am very thankful that I do not depend on craft shows for selling my mosaics!

For those of you who may be tuning in a bit late, I recently did my very first craft show and now know it will be my last.

People setting up their booths.

It was definitely a unique experience to load up both cars with all our things and then try to unpack and get my displays up on Friday night as it was sweltering hot inside as well as outside because all the doors were propped open.

One of the reasons it bombed was because their was very few shoppers. Apparently the advertising for this show was pitiful and so we were lucky if we saw 1,000 people file through the auditorium in the two days of the show. Honestly, it was so quiet in there so much of the time you would think the doors hadn't opened yet.

Most everyone I spoke with was thoroughly disappointed and didn't even sell enough to pay for their space let alone their other expenses. I am in that category as well.

I was so worn out and so bored by the time the first day ended that I didn't want to come back. Some of you know I suffer from fibromyalgia and that sitting for long periods of time is a killer anyway so my sweet husband said he would go back for me on Sunday and basically babysit our stuff, since we only had one sale, until the darn thing was over at 4pm.

Here are two pictures of my space. Our camera decided to give us fits so the photos aren't very good, but you get the idea.

On a brighter note, I did pass out a lot of business cards and was able to get the feedback on my mosaics so I am very happy about that. I even had 2 women approach me about putting my pieces in their gallery.

For those of you who do craft shows, my hat is off to you. It is an awful lot of work.

Getting Ready

2010-09-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I am going to my first craft show this weekend. I thought I would show pictures of the guest room where I have all my "stuff" stored. Fortunately, no one has come to visit as the beds have been take over.

Even my husband, who will be working the show with me, has gotten into the swing of things and made this mask (below) from a palm frond of one of our trees in the front yard.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I plan to take pictures of the show and do a post on it in a few days.

My First Craft Show

2010-09-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

I will be doing my very first craft show this weekend at the auditorium here in town. It's a 2 day show and inside (the only kind I will do because of the heat here) and is put on by the Junior Women's League.

OK, it's probably hard for some of you to believe that I have never been in a craft show before since I've been selling my mosaics for nearly 2 years now. Well, I have if you want to count the 4 hours I set up during my grandson's Halloween Festival at school a few years ago. I was bored out of my mind and so was everyone else. Hardly any sales that day for anyone and it turned me off of doing a 2 day show.

Anyway, I have heard there can be some real horror stories involved in doing one of these gigs so I am a bit curious what some of you have run into. I suppose the weather can certainly throw a ringer in it. I have some online friends who recently experienced what rain can do to ruin a perfectly good day of sales.

I just hope I have everything I will possibly need so that things run smoothly. I have made a list of the supplies I think will be used such as tablecloths, cash box, sales receipts, pen, bags, bubble wrap, tape, etc. etc. etc. I even plan to take a lunch in case we're stuck there and can't get out. Some inside shows don't have the food like others except for the tasting kinds of things like soups or dips.

All in all I am looking forward to it mostly because I would love to hear what people say about my pieces. When selling online the only contact you really have is in the feedback people leave and half of them don't know to do that.

Anyway, let me know how things went for your craft shows as I would love to know.

And the Winner is.....

2010-09-12T05:31:00.000-07:00

Today is the end of the week long contest I have been holding for a chance to win a mosaic vanity tray.

Here are all the entries in my "fish bowl" just waiting for my husband to pick one.

The Winner is Larissa!

Congratulations to you, Larissa, I will need your address to send this out to you.

I want to thank each and every one of you for entering my contest. I hope to have another one sometime in October and hope you will come back.

Thanks for following!!

Mosaic Giveaway!

2010-09-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

I want to thank all of my followers and have decided to do a giveaway. Most of you who have been following me for some time know that I don't do this very often so I thought now that school is back in session and we were heading into the holiday season it was a great time to have one.

I am giving away this lovely little 6"x 11"vanity tray. It's a fun piece with cute little balled feet. I used colorful dish tiles and a few glass gems to give this some personality. So, if you would like a chance to win this mosaic just take a few minutes to read the contest rules.

The contest ends at midnight on Saturday, September 11th. The winner will be chosen by a drawing. I will post the winner on Sunday. The winner will need to contact me with mailing information.

The rules for this contest are as follows: You can do as many of the 6 things listed below as you want to increase your chances to win the prize. If you are already following my blog be sure to tell me. If you just started following with this contest be sure to tell me that too.

1. ***You must be a follower of my blog to win***. Just let me know on your comments. 1 chance to win.

2. Go to Memoriesinmosaics and tell me what is your favorite piece. 1 chance to win

3.Use one of my mosaics in a treasury and link back to me.-1 chance to win

4. Add my etsy mini to your blog and link back to me -2 chances to win

5. Feature my shop on your blog and link back to me-2 chances to win

6. Twitter, Facebook, etc my shop and link back to me-1 chance to win

That's all there is to it. Thanks for playing.

Something a Little Different

2010-08-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

I found the Talavera sun face in a shop in Cocoa Village and bought it knowing that one day I would use it as a focal piece for one of my mosaics.

Finally, about 3 weeks ago I came across some very colorful dishes in one of the thrift shops I frequent I knew immediately they would be perfect for this piece.

This mosaic mirror is colorful and bright and has lots going on in it. I decided to just go for it!

I call it "Tears of the Sun" because of the facial expression, but it is by no means a gloomy piece.

Last Day of Summer

2010-08-23T03:59:00.000-07:00

Well, the end of the summer for the kids is over and they are back in school.

I remember being more than ready for school to start each year. Of course, the summer months seem to be longer 25 years ago than they are now. My kids went from Sept 3rd through to the first week of June. We didn't have all these extra days off during the school year either.

Here's Terra's kids playing at the beach on their last day of summer fun.

Here is Jessie and Joshua with mom posing for a picture for their first day of school.

Jessie is in Kindergarten and Joshua is in Pre K. Taylor starts 3rd grade this year. Hard to believe he was starting 1st grade when they moved here.

Featured Artist "Swell Dame, Inc"

2010-08-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

Amber Grey is a fellow Floridian and the owner and artist behind Swell Dame Inc, a shop on Etsy.com that carries a diverse collection of unique wood crafting.

Burning an image into wood is called Pyrography (Greek for "fire drawing"). It can be done with manual tools or with a laser but Amber prefers the hands-on approach to make the images on her pieces. Most of her designs are influenced by the Art Deco and Art Noveau movements with a special emphasis on the classic Hollywood period.

When you visit Swell Dame Inc. you will find a wide variety of art that can fit all budgets, from jewelry and accessories to home decor. One of my favorite pieces is the "Snow White Fairy Tale Pyrography Art Wood." I love how she shows the bite out of the apple. Very clever.

Amber also enjoys the challenge of custom work and is more than willing to work with you in finding a design that is perfect for you.

I hope you will visit Swell Dame Inc. and see for yourself and see this amazing art form.

A Little Family Time

2010-08-18T06:49:00.000-07:00

I just got some pictures from my son, Travis, and his family and thought I would share them as it's been a while since I have posted anything about my grand kids.

Travis is the one in the hat in this first picture. He has always been one to dress a bit differently than his peers.

This is Travis' wife, Alicia, and my two grandchildren, Abbie and Tyler.

Isn't it fun to watch how much they change in just a few months? Tyler looked exactly like his mama for the first few years of his life but now seems to look a bit more like dad. He just turned 4.

Abbie is the little princess of the family and she is well aware of it. She is so funny sometimes with all her ideas of how things should be run. You would think she is closer to 30 rather than just turning 3.

Etsy Street Supply Team's Semi-annual Sale Event

2010-08-12T04:43:00.000-07:00

Beginning at 12:00 AM EST August 13th and ending 12:00 pm Sunday August 15th, the Etsy Supply Street Team (ESST) will be holding its Semi Annual Etsy Supply Street Team Promotion.

This sale exclusively features the members of the Etsy Supply Street Team! Crafting supplies for most any project you may have.

Team members will be offering specials like free shipping, discounts, extra goodies, and everyday fabulous prices. I will personally be slashing my mosaic tiles to just $5 and $10 dollars for nearly everything in my shop, MemoriesMosaicSupply.

For more information please check out our team blog:

http://teamesst.blogspot.com/

And for a look at the Team members promos checkout out Team ESST Promo blog:

http://esstpromo.blogspot.com/

Search TEAM ESST on Etsy.com for all your supply needs:

We will be featuring the latest:

*Deals

*Sales

*Bargains

*Great Every Day Prices

*Supplies for the Talented Artist in You!

Featured Shop-"dvinedesign"

2010-08-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

Debbie Vine is the artist and owner behind dvinedesign, a lovely jewelry shop on Etsy.com.

Her accomplishments include a Fine Arts degree from Keystone College in Pennsylvania with a concentration on ceramics, jewelry and sculpture. Her designs certainly show her expertise as she has the most unusual and unique pieces in her shop. There is one called "Sculptured Flower Pot Vase" that I just love. The detail is amazing!

When you visit dvinedesign you will find a wonderful array of bracelets, necklaces, pendants and earrings all using fine silver and sterling silver as well as gemstones.

Take a peek at where the artist creates her art in the photos below. Debbie has a wonderful workspace with lots of room for everything she needs.

I hope you will visit dvinedesign. You will not be disappointed.

Florida Artist Audrey Garden Lady

2010-07-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to be featuring AudreyGardenLady today. She is a fellow member of FEST (Florida Esty Street Team) and HAFTeam (Handmade Artist's Forum) and has a heart as big as all outdoors. I do not know her personally but I can tell from her profile and the fact that she always takes the time to comment on others accomplishments that she is a caring individual. Even the name Garden Lady comes from the fact that she volunteers to teach organic gardening at her son's school and the kids call her the Garden Lady.

She left her career as a branch manager of a bank after 14 years to become a stay-at-home-mom and and has since opened a shop on Etsy where you will find some very unique jewelry designs. Many of her pieces reflect her Florida surroundings and you will find everything from a Key Lime Necklace to her Blue Lagoon Bracelet. She has a wide variety of beautiful pieces to choose from.

She is also a member of Etsy Project Embrace, (EPE) a Universal Coalition of Artists whose main purpose is to create awareness and support for people who have been diagnosed and are suffering with Cancer, whatever kind it may be. Look for the "teamepe" tag on some of the items in her shop. Ten percent of the sales on those items will be donated to the American Cancer Society. ♥

Pink Lemonade

2010-07-24T04:42:00.000-07:00

Miss Paige, who is 14 years old and a follower of my blog, reminds me so much of myself at her age. She started ComeShopPink Lemondade, a shop on Etsy, along with her mom and her sister in 2007 as an outlet for their obsession of making all things feminine and girly. Who can't relate to that feeling :)

She sells embellished women's clothing, shoes, brooches, jewelry, and vintage along with many other unique finds. Her fabric rosettes are one of my favorites and she is currently running a tutorial on her blog, Simply Handmade, showing how to make one into a scrunch belt.

Paige is someone to admire in my opinion because her youth has not stopped her from making her dreams come true. She has a real passion and isn't afraid to just get out there and make the best of it.

PoPkO-A Unique Kind of Butterfly Art

2010-07-16T17:20:00.000-07:00

Crystal is the owner and artist behind PoPkO, a very unique shop on Etsy. I say unique because much of her jewelry is designed around real butterflies' wings. Now, before anyone gets upset, these wings are from "deceased" butterflies only. Here is a statement from her shop:
" I use butterfly wings that were raised for conservation and public education in a butterfly conservatory. Once they naturally expire, they are collected and I make jewelry to preserve them. Some butterflies live for a 1-2 weeks, some (like monarchs) can live up to 6-9 months if not actively breeding. Its important to know that these are from a safe source, as butterflies have a fragile existence. Butterfly wing jewelry has been around for hundreds of years, and I hope to give you heirloom pieces to enjoy as well".

Crystal's has been selling on Etsy for several years. In fact between herself, her four sisters and her mom they have a total of 7 active shops. What an amazing family to have so much talent. You can read a Storque article about the "homemade" wedding they all put together for Crystal and her husband. It is not only heartwarming to see such a close-knit family but you also get to see all the great ideas they came up with when they pooled their talents.

Below is a sampling of what you will find when you visit PoPkO but it is very much worth your time to take a closer look and visit her shop.

She has some great rings at a very reasonable price that are just too fun. They are called "Glitter Pop" rings and just dazzle the eye with all their bling. Crystal specialties also include Bridal a fused glass gifts.

My Newest Mosaic

2010-07-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe we are halfway through July already. The heat here in Florida is hot, hot, hot, so I have been staying in my room more and fooling with different ideas for my mosaics.

I just finished this one called "Innocence in Pink" because the cotton candy pink glass tiles along with some of the little focal tiles I used just makes my heart feel light. It's wavy, curvy shape is whimsical and the colors of pink and gray together are always a good combination so I just had fun with this one.

Tins and Treasures by Natalie

2010-07-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

On my last post I showed a few favorites from some friends I had met on Etsy. These are the people that take the time to convo you if they haven't heard from you in a while. They also make it a point to comment on your blog and vote for you when you are in a contest.

There are also some friends I have made through various forums that I find refreshing in their every day approach to life and Natalie is one such person. Self decribed as a wife, mother, teacher and empty nester, she is one busy and talented woman.

Natalie owns Tins and Treasures, a shop comprised of Handmade, Original, Primitive pieces that are brimming with personality and charm. Each one is made with love and care and it shows.

Natalie also has a truly lovely blog that I follow that takes you in the minute you enter her world. She posts about family and friends, hearth and home. She is genuine and honest and I admire her.

A Salute to Some of My Etsy Friends

2010-07-10T05:26:00.000-07:00

Having an online shop with Etsy not only gives you the opportunity to sell your work but also a chance to make new friends along the way. This is a salute to some of those special people.

There is a variety of talent here and I hope you will take the time to visit their shops.

Our Pineapple Bush Still Going Strong

2010-07-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

Shortly after we bought this pineapple bush, over a year ago, it produced the sweetest, juiciest pineapple I have ever eaten. It was about the size of a small melon, but was just right for the two of us.

Since that time our yard has suffered a severe set back from the extreme cold temperatures this past winter and we were afraid it may have killed our little bush. But, as you can see it is growing strong even though the leaves are damaged and brown the little fruit is hearty.

It grows very slowly but I am hopeful that in another month or so we will have a great treat.

Brand New Blog!

2010-07-05T06:37:00.000-07:00

I am working on a brand new blog that will feature suppliers on Etsy.com. I recently joined the Etsy Supply Street Team (ESST) because I have a mosaic supplies shop on Etsy and wanted a way that I could promote all of us.

Every one of us needs supplies of one kind or another whether it's paints and canvas, cooking essentials, crafting supplies, beads, fabrics...and the list goes on. This will be a blog that will give you another resource for finding what you need.

I plan to feature a new shop every few days so I hope you will stop by often and check them out. You don't have to be an online seller to buy from these shops. If you are a do-it-yourself er and just need some quality supplies feel free to check out the Etsy Supply Street Team on Etsy.com or pop on over to my blog Memories Mosaic Supplies.

3 DAY SALE in My Mosaic Shop

2010-07-02T04:51:00.000-07:00

I am having my bi-annual sale through the 4th of July in my mosaic shop. Most of my inventory is marked down 10-20%.

Here are a just a few of the pieces that I have placed on Sale.

Only for 3 DAYS so if you want anything be sure to get it before the sale ends.

Happy 4th of July to all of you. May each of you have a safe weekend.

God Bless,

Chris

The Finished Piece!

2010-06-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the mirror and was trying to get some good pictures of it. The closeups are fairly easy to do but I sure have a hard time with the full front of my mirrors. As soon as you snap the picture you realize that your feet were in it or the mirror is smudged or the flash went off and is blinding the photo.

Anyway, here it is. I am very happy with the end result. It took considerably longer to work each tile in so that the grout lines are finer, but it's a challenge and keeps me on my toes.

I was stuck for something interesting to do and my husband suggested I run some leaves up to the top so that's what I did.

The focal on this mosaic is a top to a trinket box that I hand painted to match the colors in the tiles.

I added a cute little knob that I hand painted in a rich salmon to enhance some of the flowers in the pattern of the dishes I used for this project.

Seaphemera Jewelry

2010-06-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

There are so many gifted artists living right here in Florida and now that I belong to a group called Florida Etsy Street Team (FEST) I have the opportunity to get to know some of their work.

This is to introduce Gail Cormier's shop Seaphemera on Etsy. Gail lives in Inverness, Florida and loves to walk the beach and look for unique and unusual shells to use in her jewelry. She also uses beach glass and pearls and has created truly lovely pieces at very reasonable prices.

My Newest Mosaics

2010-06-26T18:52:00.000-07:00

I have been working on some new mosaics and wanted to share them with you.

This first one is similar to one I did several months ago and I was fortunate enough to find the same patterned dishes. This one was created using several plates of a lovely lavender floral on one side and black with gray swirls on the other. I decided to keep the strongest floral part at two corners and graduate to black at the other two giving this an abstract feel.

I don't have a fancy name for this one so I just call it the Abstract Lavender and Black Mirror.

I have made several rustic trays in the past and they seem to be a good seller so I guess I won't mess with what works.

I just love the pattern of dish tiles used in this one because it goes well with the espresso brown distressed finish giving it a rustic southwestern appearance.

I am currently working on a mirror with tiles from plates with lavender, salmon and yellow herbs on a gorgeous silvery sage background. I happened to find the focal piece a few months ago and just painted the flowers to match the tiles I used. It is a top to a trinket box.

Piecing this one is very tedious, but I like the finished look as it will have very little grout showing and all the tiles are the same height. I hope to get it finished up by tomorrow.

Here's a sneak peek at the WIP.

Giveaway Mosaic Frame

2010-06-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

I am featured on a blog called NYCIslandgal and am giving away my Sunflower Mosaic frame in a contest.

This is a fun blog with lots of giveaways so I hope you will swing by.

Team ESST's 4th of July Goodies

2010-06-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

I have a mosaic supply shop called Memories Mosaic Supplies that I started on Etsy several months ago and I am happy to say that I am now a member of Team ESST (Etsy Supply Street Team).
With our country's celebration of Independence coming up this next month some of you may want to show your spirit by making something red, white and blue. Whether it's for your website, shop or just for yourself you may find just what you need in this slide show from some great suppliers of team ESST.

Come take a peek.

This digital slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Florida Artist Robin Maria Pedrero

2010-06-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

I am in a group of wonderful artists known as FEST or Florida Etsy Street Team and I want to take the opportunity to highlight a very talented woman who blows my mind with her amazing talent.

I think I have mentioned before that I would love to be able to paint like this so I am always drawn to people with this particular area of expertise.

I just love the bright and cheerful colors Robin chooses for her work too. As you may have noticed many of my favorites that I post on my blog are loaded with color.

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade
robinmariapedero.etsy.com

Are You Being Served?

2010-06-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have never been on a cruise or may have cruised just a few times you may not realize that there is a difference in the type of service you receive not only depending on which cruise line you use but also the size of the ship.

Years ago the staff was more efficient and you never saw your cabin steward but would miraculously have a clean room and bowls of fruit awaiting you when you came in from dinner. The reason for this is because everyone had a dinner time; either the early seating or the late seating and the cabin crew knew exactly when to get into the rooms and get back out before you finished your meal. Now everyone has a different agenda for dinner and the stewards just get to your rooms when they can. I can't say it's their fault, it's just times have changed and more and more people are opting to cruise for their vacations and there are many more rooms to attend then ever in the history of cruising.

My mother took a cruise back in 1977 on the Princess Lines and she said the wait staff at her table practically fell over each other to make sure their every wish or whim was granted. She thought there was probably one person in service for every 4 people on board.

Not too long ago tipping was something that was done at the end of the cruise and you were given envelopes to put your cash tips in according to the type of service you received. There was one for the cabin steward and his assistants, one for the Maitre 'd, one for the sommelier (person who took care of wine ordering and keeping the glasses filled), one for your waiter and his assistant (because you had the same one each night). You were given a suggested amount per day to put into the envelope and if you had extra good service you could include more. Unfortunately, I think too many people left without giving any tips at all and it has ruined it for others.

Now that has gone by the wayside and everyone gets tips whether the service is top notch or not. Most of them are very friendly and work very hard to please you, but other times you will find that the cream for your morning coffee hasn't been refilled or the dishes from last night are still laying around the room. Again, it isn't a reflection on them so much as the fact that they just have way too much work to do for two people. You will find them in your room ready to change your sheets for the next cruisers when your still getting ready to leave the ship because they have a very short time frame from one cruise to the next.

My husband figured out one way to beat this problem and that is to tip them in advance so they know there is more coming at the end of the cruise if the service is very good. We also tip in cash to the waitstaff in the specialty restaurants if we feel they have gone above and beyond their job description. Some are just more outgoing and make sure your night is memorable and you want to give them a little extra.

Different Lines do different things for their passengers too. Holland America always had a moist wash cloth to hand to you as you re-entered the ship from port to wipe off the dirt and perspiration. They also had hot chocolate on the colder cruises to New England. We loved all that. The price to cruise was a little higher than you might pay for another Line but well worth it if you like the extra pampering.

I haven't been on the mega ships (such as the Oasis and the Eurodam) yet but I wonder how it is working out for the service, not only in the rooms but also around the ship. They keep adding more and more cabins but I wonder how many are hired on for the extra services.

Don't let this discourage you from cruising as you will no doubt have a wonderful time. I think it's like anything else in life. Once you've had the best there's no comparison and my husband and I have definitely had the best.

Tips for The First Time Cruisers

2010-06-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

With summer just around the corner many people are thinking about vacations and possibly taking their first cruise.

My husband and I have been very fortunate in that we have been able to take a cruise at least once a year for the 21 years we have been married so I have picked up some tips along the way that I thought I would share.

The cruising industry has changed considerably over the years and I am finding that most regular cruisers have chosen a particular line such as Norweigian Cruise Lines (NCL), Royal Caribbean, Carnival, etc. because the more you cruise with one line the more benefits you receive. Everything from discounts on future trips, upgrades on cabins and special parties on board can be had for those loyal customers, but not all ships are alike and neither are the amenities so maybe I can help you wade through some of this with my experience with the various lines.

One tip that I find helps those first time cruisers is to decide what is most important to you on your vacation. Entertainment is a given and all ships provide that in one form or another, however, choice of dining experience, shopping, on board activities, and service are all different depending on the ship.
When I first started cruising in the late '80's you were assigned seats and times for dinner and everyone ate in the main dining room no matter what cruise line you were on. There was an "early seating" and a "late seating" and you were placed with the same group of people for the entire week. If you didn't hit it off with them you were basically stuck with the situation. Most of the time we were in good company, but occasionally we found ourselves with people who didn't speak English and so there was a lot of nodding going on.

NCL started a new program several years ago called "freestyle cruising". Instead of having just the main dining rooms for people to have their evening meal they added several upscale International restaurants with cuisines from France, Japan, Italy and Spain as well as a 5 star steak house. For an additional fee you could have dinner at any one of these restaurants and choose your own time table. Originally this was relatively inexpensive but the charges now are anywhere from $10.00-$30.00 per person extra. This is my favorite kind of dining experience as I feel the service is better and the food is more authentic then you might find in the main dining rooms. You also have a change of scenery as each one is decorated according to the cuisine served.

Now many of the other cruise lines have added an "anytime dining" alternative to their standard fare, but generally offer only one or two additional restaurants. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that cruising is becoming more popular and the need to compete comes into play.

The "Anytime dining" works well for the days you are in port until the late evening as you can relax and enjoy yourself without the worry of rushing back to the ship so that you can have enough time to change and still make it to your scheduled dinner hour. Many times we had to race back to grab a shower and a quick change because we opted for the early seating which was 6:30. There is always a full buffet served on the upper decks until at least 10pm so you never go hungry, but the food is not the same and it's self serve.
Unfortunately you sacrifice one thing for another among the different cruise ships. The specialty restaurants on NCL are exceptional in service and flavor but the ships themselves leave a lot to be desired as far as decor. This is just my opinion, but this is not a ship I would choose for ambiance.

If you want really great food without worrying about a time table then I would suggest you opt for a ship that has the "anytime dining" and at least try one of the restaurants other than the main dining room during your trip. This is not to say that the food in the main dining rooms is bad. Far from it. They offer a variety of main courses as well as specialty dishes and a host of desserts, but the experience can become mundane day after day.

Another area that has changed considerably over the years is the type of service you receive on board. There isn't a whole lot you can do about it, but I do have some tips to make it a little better and I will be posting about that next time.

Thank You to My Followers

2010-05-29T17:43:00.000-07:00

I have been blogging for some time now and I always take note of new followers and check out what they are up to online. Whether it's a shop on Etsy or Artfire, the Hafteam forum, or just blogging themselves, I like to take the time to get to know a little piece of who you are.

As a thank you for being a part of the "bits and pieces" of my life here on Chris' Comments I would like to showcase 2 more talented followers.

The first one is Sandy of Forbes Farm Gifts.

Sandy is a multi-talented artist that has several shops where she sells her jewelry and crafts. Honestly, it was quite difficult to choose a few pieces to share with you as I truly love her work and got caught up looking around in her shops. But I think these give you an idea of some of the wonderful gifts Sandy makes.

Bell Flower Earrings:

Made from three acrylic floral beads. The outer purple bead is transparent allowing the yellow color of the inner bead to show through giving an dreamy effect. The third flower is Lavender and centers the piece along with a matching Amethyst colored Swarovski crystal. The entire piece is topped off with antique gold colored leaves and a second Swarovski crystal.
This is a truly a gorgeous earring. The closeup gives you an idea of all the detail Sandy puts into her pieces.

Hardanger Doily (Simple and Beautiful form of counted-thread embroidery that comes in many patterns):

This doily is done in a traditional design using color fast red cotton thread on white linen material. It took approximately 30 hours to complete. Measuring 9" square or 23 cm, it is the perfect size for a small table or in a grouping with other delicate doilies.

Beaded Parrot on Chainmaille:

Hand beaded using seed beads, bugle beads, Czech fire polished beads and Fire Line nylon thread. This is absolutely amazing to me how much work goes into something like this and how much it looks just like a parrot. I just love all the colors used too.

Watches by Helen can be found on Artfire. These are truly beautiful and very unique watches that are custom made to fit just for you.

This is an adorable, beaded silver watch that has purple window glass beads with violet, swarovski crystal beads. These beads are further highlighted by charlotte cut purple seed beads. There's an easy-to-fasten magnetic clasp to fasten the watch. The silver really sets off these luscious shades of purple.

This is a fun silver watch where the glass has been cut from the iridescent glass to show shiny, clear glass beneath. It makes it look like dots. If you like red you will love this watch but you not only get red but the iridescence brings out green, blue, yellow, and even purple. The red spheres are complimented with red Swarovski crystals to make this watch even more special.

Helen also designs earring to match her watches. I chose this pair to show you as I love the leopard print and copper and black together is very classic.

These watches with a matching pair of earrings would really make a wonderful gift for that very special person in your life.

Claude Monet Inspired Mosaic

2010-05-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

I found some really beautiful dishes in Claude Monet's "Water Lillies" pattern for my newest mosaic and have been playing around with some new ideas in my layouts.

Lavender seems to be a big color this year so I have been using it quite a bit in my latest pieces. It is quite subtle in this one and it's a nice change for me.

I decided to team it with aqua and a blue-green color that's just wonderful and very muted and I found a lovely enameled lid that worked perfectly as the focal piece at the top.

Boy, Are We Spoiled!

2010-05-24T04:51:00.000-07:00

Our air conditioner went out on us on Friday night and we have been sitting in our house with an inside temperature of 85 degrees. Thankfully we have ceiling fans in every room and a nice pool out back so we can stay somewhat cool.

Our last vacation we took a tour of Blackbeard's House and I remember thinking how clever they were to build them with breezeways to keep cooler in these dreadfully hot summers. But I also thought about the layers and layers of clothing that those poor women had to wear in order to maintain their reputation and dignity. Heaven forbid if any part of the neck or ankles showed. Can you imagine?

So I do realize that we depend on our comforts each day and many times take for granted that they will be there. I am just fortunate that it's only my A/C that's out and that I still have a home as I know many are faced with much tougher problems with this recession.

Shuttle "Atlantis" Final Flight

2010-05-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

At NASA Kennedy Space Center space shuttle "Atlantis" launched it's it's 32nd and final flight today that occurred at exactly 2:20p.m EDT. I was fortunate enough to be able to see this historic event right from the comfort of my front lawn and was able to click off 4 photos before I lost sight of it.

During the 12-day flight, Atlantis and six astronauts will fly to the International Space Station, leaving behind a Russian Mini Research Module, a set of batteries for the station's truss and dish antenna, along with other replacement parts.

This mission signifies the last days and final chapter for the space shuttle program and will forever change the state of Florida.

St Petersburg Times states:

NASA hopes to launch space shuttle Discovery on Feb. 27, and people in the Tampa Bay region may be able to see its fiery glow on the eastern horizon. But such sightings are numbered. NASA plans to stop flying shuttles by the end of next year, ending nearly three decades as the centerpiece of the American space program. "The impacts on Florida, both tangible and intangible, are just really remarkable," said Pat Duggins, a radio reporter at an Orlando NPR affiliate and author of Final Countdown: NASA and the End of the Space Shuttle Program. Although some are pushing to keep shuttles flying for a few extra years, only nine more missions officially remain on the books. After that, Florida is likely to lose thousands of space-related jobs, not to mention an icon that has become part of the state's image.