1. When gluing for outdoor use what adhesive? I want to mosaic an old cement birdbath stand. Do I need to do anything special to prepare the surface?

2. What to look for in china/plates to break up. I live near Replacements (replacement china and dishware) and this weekend they are having a "yard sale". I thought I'd check them out to get some materials. Should I be looking for plates only, designs in center or edges, etc.

3. What is the most helpful book for a beginner?

4. Where do people get the bowling balls they use...do bowling alleys just give away old ones?

Thanks for any help you can offer.
Judy

I am a newbie on this board, too (though I think that I have posted before- been so long I can't remember!). There are so many outstanding artists here that it is hard not to be inspired (or intimidated, in my case). ;-)

I am sure that others will chime in shortly, but I will add some thoughts based on my own learning experiences.

1. Haven't done one in cement, yet, but would imagine thinset would be the adhesive of choice. Not sure, though, so I will defer to those with more experience!

2. What to look for in china/plates to break up.

This really depends on a lot of things. If you are looking for "focals" (meaning a larger pattern or image that will be the focal point of the piece), you would want to look for plates with larger images in the center (flowers, etc). They are most often in the flattest area of the plate, and can be nipped/cut out intact fairly easily. Most often this style will have a nice corresponding pattern around the edge, so you can get more bang for your buck.
I have found plates with dramatic colors or patterns to be great "background" or accent materials, as they don't require really careful nipping in order to be used. I most often go after them with a hammer when I need to release some stress, though you could nip them if you want to! When using plates or other "repurposed" materials, there is always the issue of making the pieces lie flat when you use parts of the "foot" (the rim around the bottom), or the angled rims. I am still working through this issue myself, but you can either build it up with your glue/adhesive, or use something like thinset to even out the surface. You could also leave it uneven if you like the look.
You will also want to make sure that you get the correct type of china for your project- some kinds of more delicate china are not to be used outdoors, for instance.

Other than that, I would just go for whatever takes your fancy and work from there - you can always save a great find for another project. That sounds like quite a place to shop- I have found the local Goodwill/thrift store to be a great source too.

3. What is the most helpful book for a beginner?
The FAQs have a great list of books, but I have found the library to be the most helpful. If you have one near you, just check out a stack of books and go through them- hopefully you will find one that sparks your imagination! What I have done is to find the projects that I really like, then scan or photocopy them for my "idea" book (well, overstuffed folder- I will get to it sometime!). I don't have a ton of space to work with, so I just keep the bits that interest me.

4. Where do people get the bowling balls they use...do bowling alleys just give away old ones?
Freecycle, Craigslist, word of mouth, garage sales. I called a half dozen alleys looking for some to use, and the response was really underwhelming (and downright rude, in some cases). I have been told that you have better luck going and asking in person (and maybe taking a picture to show them what you mean?), but with two babies in two during the day, that never worked for me. ;-) I got several on Freecycle, and a few at garage sales. I still haven't done anything with most of them, but they are waiting patiently in my garden as we speak!

Good luck, and I hope that you get a lot of suggestions from the more experienced folks around here!

Jenny

I did a cement BBath last winter, and used thinset. Yuppers, it'll work fabulous. Here's a pic:

I don't do books. I find more inspiration and information on the how-to of it all right here and from the folks over at Carl's place on any given day. It seems that those writing books seem to only touch on the basics of what the artists here have done in depth for a long time. And you NEVER seem to get the 'unique' stuff from books like we have here.

Bowling balls- I have only 3 in my possession, but got the first one from DH, and found a couple others deserted from a tenant...not sure where I got the other one. Yes, from what I understand, you CAN inquire at B-Alleys, and they'll be able to tell you how they dispose of their old ones. I've found that when people yard-sale them, they want about $20 for them, which I'm not willing to fork out.

Another thought on where to get "orbs"...it's coming up on holiday season. There are usually big honkin' tacky balls at your local Walmart on the clearance rack in January. Snatch them up for little or nothing and use them! Once they are weighted down with tess, they'll do just fine!

ramona (rchovey)