I have done a large, round wall hanging, a space motif, (again) ! but it has yet to be grouted. I am procrastinating because I dislike using black grout - it's so messy - yet I love the look of it, so that's what I will be using. I have also made a charming little Italian birdhouse that is at the grouting stage also.

But I am side-tracked because I am making a brooch bridal bouquet for a friend and that's what I've been working on tonight. It's going to be gorgeous! If you haven't heard of them yet, Google it or go to Etsy and search "brooch bridal bouquet." She requested jewel tones and gold metal tones so that's what we're working with. It is so much fun.

School will start back up soon and I will have more free time to dedicate to mosaic work.

So tell me, what are you working on?

I've been going crazy making concrete flowers and mushrooms. I'm trying to make enough where I can start an Etsy store. Problem is, I don't want to sell any of them, LOL! So I make more hoping when I get enough, I'll have a dozen I'm willing to part with.

Incidentally, those brooch bouquets you're referring to look adorable. And what I like about them is they could be saved for future generations. Would love to see some pics when you get it done!

TooMuch: Looking forward to seeing some pics of your project!

The plan for the raven is based on a Native American story. Raven steals the sun, water, and moon from Eagle.

This is supposed to represent raven hanging the moon. I will finish up with a sunset and water, and of course a moon. My cutting of glass into square shapes leaves something to be desired, but at least I'm consistent with my irregularities.

I do my work at a Seattle mosaic shop, and they are going to help me with the double indirect method in a wood frame.

It helps to have knowledgeable people around to bounce ideas off. I have noticed a certain glazing over in the eyes of people who aren't into mosaic when I talk about it.

Silva, I've read your blog and am so impressed with your work. Susan

My project right now is finally finishing the top of the master bath mirror surround I started a couple of years ago. I stalled out because I just did not know where to go with it. And then a vision hit and all is good and I imagine I will have this done some time this winter.

My husband turned the light fixture over since I took the picture and it all looks so much better. I am already working on the next section but my job got in the way.

Also working on a mannequin. At this point I only have her taped in the silver foil tape. Plan on doing her bustier in grape clusters leaves and vines. If I can. This is an experiment.

Really hoping to get to play with glass today. Finally a day with out having to work and trips to town. I think. I have not asked yet.

My goal is to cover her in grape vines and grape clusters. No idea why I want to do her this way other then she will blend in with our kitchen back splash. Since she will be sitting in the dinning room we do not eat in I felt she should blend in.

There is nothing to take a picture of yet. I have her taped in silver tape and some lines drawn in as guides in dry erase marker.

Scrolling back. I forgot to mention how much I liked the pebble stepping stone.

What a lovely idea to have your bridal bouquet as a keep sake.

And I would love to be able to look at that lovely surround every day. Susan

Today is my day to play with glass so getting to it. Might have WIP pictures later if I can get enough done today.

PS --
I'm doing a mannequin torso ,too ! I got so far on it last year and had to put off finishing it. It's really hard now -- it won't stand up because I have more glass on the front ;it falls forward. I need a big place to work on it , I'll have to lay her down and prop her up where I need her .

It has been tedious. I still have several exercises to go through. It's been a three band-aid weekend.

I just repeat to myself - it's going to worth it, art is hard.

I am really not very good at cutting glass. I do have a triangle shape ruler edge with a small lip at the bottom that hooks on the flat edge of glass to help with cutting straight pieces.

There's something I haven't grasped yet, to look at projects with a new viewpoint, to remember that glass as a medium isn't like a drawing.

It's how the eye reads the whole... anyway, I'll try to relax and make something beautiful.

I have to agree - you have to change your perception on what you're making. It used to just kill me because I couldn't get glass pieces as intricate as my drawings were.
Then the light bulb went on --- when you look at your piece with all those "clunky" pieces of glass .... your brain just sort of fills in all the details and it makes sense ! I think that's the beauty of glass , it just "suggests" something and we see the whole thing and it just all fits together !

Here's the story. Last year my husband and I drove into Westlake Hills on the outskirts of Austin to a hardware company called Breed and Company. They carry a kitchen sharpener, a carborundum stone with a wooden handle, that I use to smooth the sharp edges of tess. So I couldn't find them right off and I asked an employee and he was trying to envision what it was and where they might be. He said "What do you use it for?" and I replied, "Mosaics." A young woman who also worked there walked by and touched my arm and said, "When you're through shopping, come and find me; I would like to talk to you."

Well, I couldn't imagine what she wanted, but after I made my purchase, I went and found her. She was getting out of mosaics and into metal working and she wanted to know if she could GIVE me some glass and tools because she was running out of room. Well, we made arrangements to go to her house on her next day off. Then she said, I hope you have a pickup or a large car. I said I had a van.

I could not believe what she gave me. A ton of beautiful stained glass, all kinds of tools, storage units, Diamondcrete, grout, I couldn't begin to name it all, and ... a brand new Glastar grinder, never used, still in box with manual. I was stunned. She would not let me pay her one penny. The van almost dragged the ground on the way home. I called my friend in town who also does mosaics and gave her a load of glass and I gave the storage unit away to someone who took a class from me, but I kept the grinder and lots of tools. So you never know . . .

I hope you get your grinder. I never thought I would ever get one.

My email is susanlong@harbornet.com if you want to discuss the details that way.

Yay!

Finally got a chance to go look at your grouting project. That really is a lot to grout in one sitting. I do the same here creating a grout-a-thon. Doing it outside really would be good. I will give that a try on good weather days. I always have a fear I will get too much grout spread and not be able to get it off in time. So far that has not happened so I am not sure why I have this fear going on.

Your pieces look great. Love the long dragon fly panel.

When I grouted the kitchen back splash. I did several sections (9- 8 by 13 inch pieces at once and I was so freaked) flat on the counter. Then installed them and did the seams. Kind of seemed like a double grout job but once a piece is grouted and cleaned it cleans up fast the second time if extra grout gets on it again. I am working the master bath wall that way too. Need to get back to that but Eve jumped in front of me and demanded to get some glass on her. LOL

Back to work here people coming over house is trashed. Eve is still on my kitchen counter.LOL

I enjoyed the Open House tremendously, the lady whose house it was is the nicest person and so are all her friends and neighbors.

Only the small stuff sold; the highest pieces that sold were for $40.00.

To see something else I recently made (not mosaic) go to Conversations.

I bought a painting in PV - the artist, who's workshop followed ours - gave me a 4-hr. demo on his technique, and I felt it was mine, so bought it. He's shipping it Thursday. I have to take down several pieces in my l.r. to make space for it - huuuuuge.

I posted what I've been doing after returning from PV on the conversation side. Seems noone goes to that side often.