All I can say is W.O.W. I take it from your notes on the photos that you did most of the reno work yourself??? Not surprised after watching you work outside. CAIT, you're a WONDER WOMAN. I remember being young, and there was nothing I would tackle. I LOVE your mosaic, the chandelier, well - the whole bathroom. You've done a fabulous job. Rest, you say. N.O.T. There's still surfaces to mosaic. So glad you're posting here again. I just don't have time to monitor the junk side anymore. Have slowed down, so spend most of my time mosaicing and checking in here two/three times a day. Great job, girlie.

Hi Slow!!

How's your shiner? Has it healed all up? MAN! What you girls really did in PV we'll probably never know! ;-)

Yes I did it all except for the electrics. I don't fiddle with that stuff. Besides, you need to have certificates and things like that. DH helped me as little as possible - my demand since I'm an absolute 'fusspot' (DH's word) when it comes to every detail. HA

There are so many notes because as I did things I took pics to send to my parents and it was easier for me to write in the pics than explain in the emails.

I'm happy you liked it and yes, I'm glad I'm finished with it because I do have projects of the mosaic type in mind. I'm planning on another patio in the secret garden and I'll be mosaicing a couple of benches. From your PV trip pics I've gotten great inspiration! Love that mosaiced bench you were sitting on so will figure out something like that. Wish I was going to your workshop as that would be invaluable. But you said you posted the how-to somewhere so I'll look for that and learn. That's how I learned how to do everything for the bathroom - on the internet!

Gosh, I'm gabbing so much but it's been soooo looong since I've tawked with any of you guys and it just feels sooo great to be back!

Thanks again and will be checking in often again!
Cait

I LOVE YOUR BATHROOM MOSAIC! Sunflowers always bring a smile to my face. Great job! And welcome back!

Becky

OH CAIT!!! I don't even know what to say...except
IT'S AWESOME!!!!! AMAZING!!! I had to give up my bathrm reno for my Art Room! So your pics are Really making me drool!!! I'm planning a convention of Garden Girls in Your Honor, cuz a visiting dig-natary doesn't happen every day!!!lol! I totally LOVE the corners of the chair rail and the blingy light, the mosaic is gorgeous and the door for the linen clost is perfect!!! I like the way you wrote in the pics too!!! WOW! You are amazing, to do this!! I am still amazed by your yard and brick work!!! And now this too!! Are you bringing your dog on your "Walk About"?

Amazing!! And great to hear from you. You did a fantastic job!!

Great bathroom addition -- cheerful and bright!

Hey, CALAM's response reminds me that she mentioned that you're coming to the States, and might be in TX. You KNOW, girlie, that if you're in Texas, you have to include Texarkana on your itinerary. I would soooooo love to have you come for a visit.

Oh Ya, forgot to mention that I LOVE those plates/etc you scored!!!

Wow Cait, your bathroom turned out fabulous! How long did it take you to complete the bathroom? It's amazing you did all the work, except electrical, yourself. I also love the stuff you got from your friend too!

Barb

CAIT!! Your bathroom turned out awesome. I love the mosaic. BTW, That shower surround is perfect for GoG! LOL

You gals know how to make a goil from Queens (who happens to mostly speak with a Brooklyn accent) feel GOOD! HA!!

Jane: a convention of Garden GIrls?? WHOOOO WEEEEEEE!!!!!!! What a BLAST!!! I think I'd give up a bathroom reno for an Art Room, too, though. Your Art Room is truly AWESOME and something I really wish I had. One day.

shrty & las: THANK YOU!

Slow: The ONLY reason I plan on tripping to Texas is to SEE YOU!!! My brother lives in Austin but has suddenly decided to venture around Latin America and I don't think he'll be in TX when I plan on being there. But this trip isn't even in the beginning stages of planning. When I know more I will be contacting you!

crafty: I started tearing down the bathroom in August so it took me a little over 7 months... but I didn't work on it everyday cuz sometimes I'm lazy and other times it was because I was waiting for the orders to come in and other times it was because it took me a few days to figure out how to do whatever and then there were other times I needed to work in the garden. WHEW!! But the best thing about it is that it's finished and I can now spend times here in Garden Web Land with all you GREAT GALS!!!

Now I have times to figure out what to do with all the stuff I've been hoarding for when I can start crafting again!

crystal: GOG shower? ROFL Now that would be fun!

Hot Diggedy Dawg!!! Yipppeee - another forum visitor. Sure wish you could come for the workshop. CALAM and her DH are planning a trip here too, so I'm a happy person w/the possibilities of meeting more of y'all.

Cait, you're my hero. What a great job you did. The mosaic looks wonderful, but a fabulous job on the whole bathroom,
Cindy

When I read your response, CAIT, re looking up "The Recipe", I didn't have time to search for it, but this mornig I do, so here it is. Since I posted this I found the written instructions from Riana, which states "Cement Formula: Mix one part Portland cement to three parts Mason sand with water to a thick peanut butter consistency." She also said Fiber-Optic (fiberglass) can be added to cement for structural strength in high stress areas., and laytex polymer additive to make the cement shrink less and water and crack resistant. I'm sure you know all this already, cuz of your garden work, but wanted to offer this up for anyone else interested. BTW - the shiner is still there but fading ever-so-slowly.
Riana's Recipe

Thanks Klinger!!

And thank you, Slow. I've 'clipped' the post so now it will be easy to find it in the future.

I have these huge blocks of styrofoam and I'm going to make benches with them and also shape them like sculptures... I don't know yet HA!... and I want to mosaic them but figure I'll have to first tack chicken wire over them so that the cement mix/mortar mix will have something to adhere to. Then I want to plunk the tiles in the mortar mix. When I went to that Mosaic Garden that's how I think she did it - at least that's how it looked. The mosaiced wall didn't have grout, just the cement mix that squooshed between the tiles. Would you use Weldbond as the polymer? I'm sure that would work though I can get a product specific to bonding - probably have some leftover from paving projects but have Weldbond, too. Love that Weldbond. Anyway, does that sound like it would work? I really can't wait to get to that stage. This afternoon started cutting the styrofoam but I'll have to make the patio first. There'll be no moving of those benches once they're tiles.

Ooooohhhh! I can't wait to get this project underway!! Will have to work quick cuz winter is on its way down under.

Oh, and glad to hear you're healing!

Oh, CAIT. I wouldn't advise Weldbond for outside. It's water soluable, and w/NOT last. I'd use polymer/latex modified mortar or the recipe above, if you don't have any, to put them on. And, yes, squooshing them into the mix w/alleviate grouting. I like the primitive look of that technique too. Wouldn't hurt to use a little rebar in your benches too for added strength, if they're sitting benches. Decorative - not a problem. Riana uses rebar in her large sculptures and in all her benches. I feel your anxious-ness to get underway b/f winter.

The entire bathroom re-do is fantastic! I wish I had the ability to do something like that!
Your mosaic is perfect! I love it
Betsy

I love sunflowers! What a great job, and to tackle it all by yourself.....amazing, I love it!

Slow... the styrofoam chuncks are BIG:

{{gwi:148475}}

I am going to use rebar to attach a back to the benches so there's something to leans against, and for the arms, but I don't think I'll need rebar in the seat part.

As for Weldbond, my mosaic duck was done with Weldbond and that's outside and no damage or pieces falling off. And now they make a Weldbond for outside. But I'm thinking of just as an additive to the mortar mix, not for actually sticking the tile on. I'll just squoosh the tiles in the mortar.

Thanks Becky and squirrelly! My Mom thought it pretty wild that I was doing it on my own!! HA! But I could have never afforded it if I had hired people. Average cost of a bathroom redo here is like 15 grand (labor is soooo expensive) - it may have taken me months but I kept the cost down to a little over 4 grand by doing it myself.

Wow love your bathroom,the sunflowers are wonderful,and like the fact that you made them big...what are the centers/what a beautiful bathroom you have not...How'd you score the styrafoam?

Thanks Annie! The centers are tiles. I just nibbled away at the tile.
The styrofoam was scored by DH who had a client who was moving an didn't want them anymore.

Congratulations on a HUGE job well done, Cait! Good for you!!! Your sunflower mosaic is SO nice! And your bench sound like an exciting project! Again... GREAT job! Katie