I just discovered this forum... WOW!

soonergirl1968

13 years ago

I am so excited to find this forum! I spent a long time just browsing through your posts and pictures and am now on a mission to create something wonderful. I have one thing I made in my backyard (which I guess may not actually qualify as "garden junk" but it's the only thing I've made... for now! :)

I'll try to attach pictures but I never can seem to figure it out. Here goes...

Now I'm off to find things to make a totem!! I'm so glad I found this place!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pebble Mosaic

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Comments (20)

leveta
13 years ago
How beautiful. Are they pieces of glass pieced together??
Marlene Kindred
13 years ago
Welcome Soonergirl! We are so glad to have you find us and join us! What an awesome mosaic?? It looks as though it is on the ground in your yard....meaning that it looks sizable. What a great job...truly beautiful!

Watch out for those totems...they are very addicting!!
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Dear Paigect, I am another one of those - former stepchild/stepmother. I didn't like my stepfather for a while, but figured things out when I grew up and we had a great relationship before he died of cancer. My first dad was dead when I got him, so there wasn't any wishing to get back together stuff. What role do you think you could play in putting an end to your son's fantasy of you 2 getting back together? Do you think that you could actually help the situation? Or do you just want your ex to be the one to deal with it? I take it you aren't remarried yourself. If you are truly trying to get your son happy and able to have a relationship with his dad- you could help. If your son acts out and is disrespectful to his stepmother and you condone it and blame it on the fantasy and her - you are giving him a message that he can be disrespectful to adults if he chooses not to like them. Do you see that? I have one stepson who is like that, and I have another one who I adore and he a loves me. The difficult one has done things that would curl your hair - choked his girlfriend, stole his dad's gun and got arrested 3 days out of marine boot camp, run around naked, at 16, holding his penis out in front of 10 year old girls thinking he's funny, wrecked cars- twice in one weekend one time, threatened me, runaway and left horrid notes blaming me numerously, got beat up at school for running his mouth and needed to be taken to the med station a number of times, stole his dad's 300.00 fish finder and lost it, lying, partying and skipping school, bad grades, no job, the list goes on and on. When do you say enough is enough? His hell bent goal was to get his dad to divorce me so he could be in charge. He wanted to run things. He blames me for joining the Marines -claims he wanted to get away from me. Now he hates it and it is all my fault. It will be my fault if he gets hurt too. He isn't responsible for any part of our bad relationship or his choices, is he? I am just supposed to take it, the blame and the horrid behavior. His room is a mess from the last time he was home - including used rubbers and half eaten candy bars stuck to the carpet. Oh by the way, his carpet is ruined, there are holes in the walls and his mattress is all chopped up - the new one I bought for him when we moved into our house together. That is all my fault too. Some kids just aren't nice. I must be doing something right though - his brother loves me like crazy. And now you can call me an evil stepmother like he does. Or you can realize that some of us have come to the end of our ropes and patience. You know what? I honestly hold my husband responsible, along with my stepson, for his behavior. If my husband hadn't made excuses for him, made him accountable for his actions and made him take some responsibility, he wouldn't have turned out as bad as he did. I have 2 of my own kids in the house too. They are not bad kids and respect my husband. My ex is out of the picture. It is like I have 3 kids and he has the one. I don't want to leave my husband, because then I couldn't keep my stepson who loves me. The older one is out of the house in the Marines now and it is a whole different household. There is peace. It isn't the his kids vs mine thing. Sure they all pull stuff. But I can discipline now and no one accuses me of being mean and targeting the step kid and other rubbish. It is fair. And there is respect and love that goes both ways. That is the most important thing. No I couldn't respect my older stepson. His repeated behavior wouldn't facilitate it. Every time it would seem to get better - he would pull something and some how he would turn it around and someone else was to blame. Usually me. Yes I am relieved he is in the marines. No, as a matter of fact, I clearly stated I didn't want him to join. He doesn't have good sense and I am afraid for him. But there is a peace in the house. Except of course for my husband. He blames me that his son is gone. But you know what - he is the one who could have refused to let him join. He is the one who could have talked him out of it. He had the influence and the power. Not me. Master manipulator that kid is, huh. Oh, by the way - the boys mother killed herself 3 years ago. She was a drug addict, convicted of embezzlement too. Her choices caught up with her and that was her answer. Now her son is going down her path. I am scared to death for him. I wish someone could help him, but I clearly can't. Maybe the marines will. And when he grows up, maybe he will figure out I wasn't that bad and we can have some sort of relationship. No I won't hold my breath though - I don't want to die, already had that scare with ovarian cancer. Life is too short to be that miserable. Until you walk in someone elses shoes, be careful how you judge them. Some of us have had waaaayyyyy too much to handle with perfect grace. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. That is the path of a stepmother.
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dvon50
13 years ago
Wow...The Mosaic is Awesome. I am new here too. Just joined today. I have zilch talent when it comes to plants so..sure could use some ideas to had some fun and color to our yard.
Donna in Boise
jeannespines
13 years ago
WOW, sooner! that is quite AWESOME! Pebble Mosaic? WOW! Yup, may not be GJ...but we've lots of GJ "ART" here! WELCOME! Have fun with totems! TFSharing! Jeanne S.
tasymo
13 years ago
Soonergirl, your pebble mosaic is STUNNING!! Welcome to Garden Junk. I can't wait to see more of your projects!!!
shrillmtb
13 years ago
Oh, WOW - amazing job on the pebble mosaic!! What are the dimensions? It looks huge! Looking forward to seeing what you create with some 'junk'!!

Sheryll
smickerdoodle
13 years ago
WOW! That is gorgeous! I can't wait to see more of your art. Welcome to the forum and keep creating!
soonergirl1968
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks everyone for making me feel so welcome! Just got home from the thrift store rounds and am hoping to make something "junky" and fun soon! Yes, the mosaic is very large. It's 18 ft. in diameter, consists of 47 sections and weighs about 6500 lbs. I came across a book by Maggy Howarth in the book store and fell in love with pebble mosaics. It took my dad and I 10 months (working every weekend) to complete it. I kept it in my garage for a couple of years and then installed it in the backyard of the old house I bought in 08. I think I'll go peruse the forum for some more ideas!! Thanks again for being so kind! :)
lizzardly
13 years ago
That is truly amazingly gorgeous! Where did you get your pebbles from? I'm hoping you have a source other than nature. I picked up a book on pebble mosiac recently and would love to start working on one, but I can't find the right stones.

You'll love hanging out here. There's always something going to spark the creative juices. WELCOME.
soonergirl1968
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks, Lizzardly! Unless you are incredibly lucky, you won't find these types of pebbles in our part of the world. I actually bought some from a stoneyard locally, some from Dallas (both of which where Mexican beach pebbles) and had some shipped in from Seattle (which are imported from Indonesia.) I try not to use the polished stones as they will loose their shine and some are actually coated and will peel. The Mexican beach pebbles are my favorite. You might call around to some stoneyards in your area and see if they carry them. I also used my tile saw and grinder to cut pieces of limestone and granite for the fish fins, tree trunk, Celtic knot, etc...

I would love to do another one someday. I've always thought a pathway which looked like a winding snake would be great made from rock! :)
sunnyca_gw
13 years ago
Lots of talent went into your Irish saying & rest of the piece. 18 ft is huge!, Like a patio but i would be afraid to walk on it. What a centerpiece for decorating rest of your yard. I see an Irish flower garden somewhere there nearby. Is 1 in the works? Welcome & welcome to the other newbies too, we've had a lot lately!! Jan
soonergirl1968
Original Author
13 years ago
Sunny - I hadn't thought of an Irish garden but may have to look into that now! :) It's soooo beautiful over there but unfortunately I can't grown many of the things they have (i.e. Gunnera - LOVE that plant!)
Calamity_J
13 years ago
O.V.E.R. The T.O.P. Gorgeous!!!! WOW!!! How inspiring! I want to incorporate some pebble mosaics on a front patio/entryway slate project, so thanks for the heads up on the coated pebbles!!! I used some pebbles on my castle project and they are already popping off when I moved it out to the pond(got em at a dollar store).
excessfroufrou
13 years ago
Lady, you sure know how to make an entry. That is spectacular. Welcome to the forum. We will be waiting for your next project, you sure have set the bar high.
Frou
soonergirl1968
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks again everyone!! You're all so sweet.

Calamity - One thing about pebbles... you have to place them on their edge to make them stay in place. If you lay them flat they will and do pop off. I haven't seen your castle project but will go find it now! :) If I do have a stone that pops out for some reason, I usually just glue it back in with a construction adhesive.
cait1
13 years ago
My mouth is hanging open.

You are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMGoodness. I'm speechless... and that's just not something that happens to me!

Welcome to the forum! Can't wait to see what else you can do!
Purplemoon
13 years ago
Welcome Sooner (and also Donna-devon). I'm including link to our GJ albums if you haven't found them yet.

Sooner, that mosaic is mindboggling....awesome...gorgeous...
and if you can make Cait speechless, with all her talent, then you've really rocked it!! LOL.

hugs, Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: GJ Inspiration Albums
luna_llena_feliz
13 years ago
soonergirl, your mosiac was well worth all the effort you and our dad put into it! I think Maggie Howarth has some serious competition! Great use of color and shapes. If you can do this with stones, I can't wait to see what you do with your thrift store finds! Glad to see you on our forum!
concretenprimroses
13 years ago
Welcome! Your pebble mosaic is amazing. you should also share it with the stained glass and mosaic forum (under the home forums) if you haven't already. they would love to see it.
Can't wait to see what else you come up with.
Kathy
soonergirl1968
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks, Concretenprimroses!! I didn't realize there WAS a mosaic forum! Oh boy!! Another forum to find more projects I need to do!! LOL :)

I just discovered this forum... WOW!

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