LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. Those tiles are to-die for.

Yes!! loving it!!

I'm looking forward to how this turns out. When I did my fireplace, I had a whooole nuther vision, but King Richard was putting his foot down! So I'll be living vicariously thru You!!!

Gorgeous tiles! I love the direction this is taking. Will you still use the finials on the columns?

Looking forward to following this project!

Yes on the finials. Don't quite know how to treat them yet. Want them dark. If they were the same color, I'd use them as is, but w/have to paint them. One is rusty, so some work involved in preparation. Thanks, y'all.

It's gonna be gorgeous!!!!

In spite of the back pain, I just hhhhhhaaaaaaad to get some of the little tiles on yesterday afternoon. CALAM - I need you to pay me a visit.
Making Progress

Lookin' Good!!! Love Love Love those tiles!!!!

Oh my, that is going to look wonderful, you got a lot done for a sore back person. I know it's too hard to stop once you start. This is going to be so beautiful, I love your vision for this.

I've decided to take down what look like Ta Tas, as CALAM calls them. I don't think I can live w/them. Didn't mean them to look like that, but I'm afraid they do. I made them w/lath, and they were a pain to make - made the tassels too, so I hope to find another place to use them.

Progress is slow cuz I keep taking things out. Juan w/have to drill into the concrete to hang the cross. Although I LOVE making crosses, I have so much going on right now and in the weeks to come, I decided to save time, so bought this at Hobby Lobby. Don't know what I'll put around it to show it up - maybe spikey gold mirror.
Fireplace Progress

Oooh, soooo pretty! I love that half circle in the center! It looks like a quilt but prettier.

Beautiful - love all the color!

I too love the half circle!!! And that cross is awesome, can we get a close-r up pic of this?

Thanks, y'all. I'm having fun w/this one. CALAM. For you another picture. When you open the image, it opens at 77%. Click on it to get 100%.

Closeup

If you ever sell your house -- I'll buy it ! That fireplace will be *to die for* !!!!!

Yes I too am loving it!!!!

TooMuch: When I visited Slow last year, it took me the Whole Week to look at everything inside her home!!! SERIOUSLY!!! It's like nothing you will ever see on this planet, anywhere else!!! She had a dinner party in my honor, and when I was asked what I thought of Slow's place....I said; You mean not Everyone in Texas, has their place decorated like this?! ;-)

It's looking stunning Betty, I like it better with out the tata's too !

Haven't checked in for a few days but just had to see your progress on this. When I saw the words tata's I had to immediately see your pictures. What a hoot! I love what you did instead. It is absolutely gorgeous. Can you still burn wood in the fireplace or is it non-working?

I bow in thanks to y'all. CHINA: This w/no longer be a fireplace. It was an eyesore to this room, and total waste of space cuz I never used it. I had the plumbing taken out. It was either wood or gas. My concern is not for the next owners' use of this space. TOOMUCH: I don't think you'd be concerned either if you DID buy this crazy house. CALAM: Are you making that up??? Yes, KLINGER - I couldn't live w/them and forever wonder if people visiting and touring would be snickering about them. I just HAD to see what plants w/do to it, so bought these this afternoon and the water feature yesterday. I decided to save my back a little and not make the frog pond. The frog is thinking "hmmmm, there was supposed to be a pond in here - how the hay am I gonna get into one of those teensy jugs?". I am just playing around w/the plants - only temporary. Scuze the mess.
Playing w/plants and water feature"

WOW, I can't believe how much you get done in such a short period of time! It's looking stunning! Love the idea with the plants and fountain.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!!!!!! I L.O.V.E. it!!!!!!

Good grief Slow!!! I turn my head for a bit and look what you go and do!!!! You are over the top Miss Mosaic!!!

Many thanks, y'all. EMT: You've turned your head too long. Get back here and stick around awhile. Been missing you.

Wow, I, too, am stunned at how quickly you put that together!!! It's a beauty. I love all the color. Fantastic and inspirational!! Very cool!

Love it with the plants and fountain! Once you get a project started you must work non-stop on it. You get so much done in so little time.

Thank you both. You got it, CHINA - non-stop. However, I was interrupted yesterday by Jeannie and her daughter, and never got back to it. I got a note that today I have unexpected company arriving around 10:ish, so had to run to Walmart for lunch fixins. Also today I'm teaching my neighbor and her daughter their first mosaic class starting around noon - after lunch on the patio. Then next week w/be a whirlwind of activities - preparing to leave for a week's trip to KS to visit my DD. So I won't be working on this project for awhile. I have to build a bench for a downtown community project after my return from KS.

Fireplace Turned Grotto. Gotta stop today to go out and search for background tiles for the columns. Won't be able to work on this for awhile, so thought this was a good stopping place. The cross is propped - w/put in an anchor hanger when Juan comes Wednesday, and attach after grouting. The tile on the right that stands out in the fan is copper Van Gogh - light from the solar tube on it shows it brighter than it is.
Fireplace Turned Grotto

ARE YOU SERIOUS!!??? All that done ALREADY!!!! YOU are a woman Posessed!!!!! If you were a gun fighter...you would be The Fastest draw in the WORLD!!!lol! Seriously!!! I should just rent a van and haul/hand over all my supplies to you, and hang my head!!!! SHEESH! I BOW to THE QUEEN!!! Excellent Work M'Lady! All those colors! I love the background paint too!!! Perfect!

I've been catching this on Flickr, it is a masterpiece! what a wonderful style, like your own version of Talavera print! stunning and more! and the Grotto??? pure awesome!

CALAM: Don't be ridiculous. When I watched the way you mosaic when you made the heart for my neighbor, I was blown away at your speed and neat and tight work. Your tess were so perfectly fit together I was in awe. You're GOOD, girlie. Thanks, you both. I started on a column yesterday late - too late, cuz I was tired, and got more than three rows done. Don't like it so w/chip it all off today, and wait until I return from KS to begin. My DD Suzie said there's a tile store near her. She should NOT have said that to me!!!!!!!!!!!

For sure the last day b/f my trip, I neglected everything I SHOULD have done today to start the columns. Couldn't figure out what to do other than a crazy patch solution. The points on the top are miorror above the dark blue tiles.
Columns

OH YA! Crazy Quilt pattern is sooo workin' got ya!!! Getting more curious as to what you are gonna stick in those niches....you are known for your flameless candles...????

Thanks, CALAM. Hoping a set of three red flameless candles w/fit in each side. Since I left air holes in the top of the column, I could burn regular candles, but I like the flameless ones.

I love the tile with the little gecko on it. This is truly something a person could just stand and look at for a long time!

So yes!!!!!!

Many thanks, y'all. Packed and ready for the KS trip. See y'all next week.

You are SO industrious!
Amazing

FINALLY. It's been a painful adventure, and today I'm so pleased w/my efforts. Think I'll mosaic a cigar box next.
Finished

Just DANG,DANG,DANG!!!!! So Dang purty!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!!! GORGEOUS!!!! Love those red candles, what a nice touch! And the fact that you have the water feature lit up too!!! Zowie!! Those two towers/pillars are spectacular! Sure makes my Plain Jane fireplace look sad and jealous! heh heh! Love the mosaic pots planted up too, they really Go with the whole thing, kinda ties it together! So Nice Slow!!! You surely can be tickled with this job!

Too flippin AMAZING Slow!!!! Just stunningly AWESOME!!! As always U blow me away!!!!!

WOW Slow, that has turned out amazing!! What a nice thing to sit and enjoy!

I'm curious, do you ever get tired of doing mosaics? You must spend hours at this every day.

Thanks, y'all. Yes, I'm enjoying this creation very much. LORI: I am taking a respite from mosaics for a few days to do some trimming in the gardens. I can stand for about 1 1/2 hrs - 2 hrs. - did that yesterday then have to lie down to rest the back. Need another day of it and can relax a bit. I never get tired of mosaicing. I'm planning to bring out a box or frame soon to do the push/squish method - sick of grouting.

Your work is so amazing, Slow! And you are so fast! I'm so slow at making mosaics. I think I need some of your stick-to-it-ness, till the project is done!
!

Oh, it's good to know I'm not the only one who gets a tired back after a while. I try to alternate standing/sitting, try to keep my back straight. Still, I can only go about 4 hours then I've got to call it quits for the day.

I hope I never get tired of mosaic. I'm starting up a little internet business selling my concrete mushrooms and flowers. I'd love to keep at it into retirement and have fun earning some "mad money". Gotta watch that I don't go too whole hog and burn myself out. You're a great inspiration!

Thanks, WISHDISH. It's a passion for me. LORI: Be careful w/your back. I have abused mine all my life. Went to the 4th and final dr. yesterday in Dallas at Texas Back Institute - the best there is in spine problems - seeking help. Same diagnosis discs are so degenerated, arthritis and my age - waaaay too dangerous to have surgery, so w/have to deal w/the pain 'till Jesus comes to get me. **sigh**. Still thankful for the little I can still do, just have to switch gears and go back to small things.

I love working on small things. I find them easier and after a few days, they allow me to move on to something new. heh.