I assume that you mean before the tile is permanently set in place, not when (or if) there is a dry run so to speak to see how the pattern will fit into the space(?) Correct. Would an experienced professional even need to lay out the tiles ahead of time or would they typically proceed directly from prep to installation? Yes and no. Some WILL actually lay them out dry. I've got my own thoughts on that, but however they do it, so long as they show some kind of forethought instead of just finding a corner and starting, they're ahead of the game. What I'll normally do is take several tiles and measure to see what the coursing (one grout joint and one tile) measures. I'll then make a cheat sheet of coursing that comes out somewhere around 2 feet (whether that be 4 6x6, 2 12x12, etc), and then I'll measure around the area, to see how the tile is going to fall. it's from there that I'll decide if I can center the layout, or if there might be a better way, taking into consideration how the tile will hit several different surfaces, and which ones are most obvious in the room. (did you get all that? LOL) With an agreed upon layout in hand, would most experienced installers be able to anticipate potential issues around niches and other elements that could require partial tiles so that you could have a discussion ahead of time as to how they would be handled? before the very first tile gets set, a good installer will know exactly how the tile is going to hit any obstruction in the layout. In fact, I'll grid out the area with chalk lines, and then all my cuts will be made before I set the first piece of tile. but even before the cutting starts, I'll know how big all my cuts will be. Just curious... Do you find that it's best if the homeowner stay available or stay away while you're completing your work? Doesn't matter to me either way. I'd prefer that the customer be available in case of questions that come up, but if they'd like to watch (and I HAVE had several that did) the whole time, they're most welcome to watch. I LOVE playing to an audience!! That's when they see that all this stuff doesn't exactly happen just by "luck"! I know alot of installers who'd rather the customer weren't around, though-- too many questions. Funny thing is, I welcome the questions. To me, the internet has given us the one thing this industry has really needed-- an educated consumer. Not so many fly by nights getting away with their BS any more. And Bill G-- yes-- that's just the labor cost. the retail is MUCH more. Based on 12x12 tyile, a 25 pound bag of grout should grout about 150 sq. feet, for about 15.00- 25.00, depending on the grout. For epoxy, a unit will do about 75 sq. feet, for about 80.00.

Thanks anicee, that's exactly the way I was thinking of doing it. I tried a live trap and he wouldn't' go near it. It's kind of a weird thing with this cat. Back when we had a dog, I knew he was around but he made himself very scarce and I just got a few glimpses of him. He was marking my boxwood foundation shrubs and seemed to hang around there. After I couldn't catch him, I finally cut the boxwoods down, hoping he would just go away. He was pretty ragged looking at that time, with scabs and sometimes a swollen eye. I guess he either learned to fight better or stay away from those situations because after our dog died, I noticed he was looking a bit better and didn't always run away when I spotted him in the bushes. Then one day he meowed at me but kept his distance. I guess I missed having a pet to talk to all day, but I started feeding him and talking to him, and he began warming to me. But he wasn't here all the time. Then new neighbors moved in and one day I went to meet them and there he was on their porch! They have an indoor cat and had been feeding this stray too. So she feeds him in the morning and I feed him in the evening, or whenever he shows up. I told her I would catch him & take him to the vet but like you said, there is no way he is going in a carrier he's never seen before. Then it started raining and it got cold and I haven't seen him. He has chosen to stay at the other house, and she told me she made him a bed in the garage, so I guess he is her cat now. If she can get him in a carrier, I'll take him to get his shots and if she can get him to stay in the garage with the door shut without freaking out, she'll get him fixed. So as it stands, I guess my neighbor is in control of his capture. She just had a baby and has an older child so I hope she is concerned about his shot status, but she doesn't seem to be. I wouldn't want my kids around a cat that lashes out unexpectedly. Anyway, if he can be trained not to scratch, I'll keep feeding him, but if he can't, I'll stop feeding him and hope he stays over there.

I sell many pieces. If I didn't, then my house would soon become over-crowded, and besides, I need the money in order to finance my mosaic addiction. I do not like the pricing process and I don't really enjoy commissioned pieces; I like to come up with the work myself and then have a stranger come along and appreciate it. However, often when I do a commission, then it opens up a whole new concept for me. For example, as a birthday gift, a group of women ordered a birdhouse for a co-worker who loves martinis. That was fun! I found plates that had martini pictures in the center and the word martini around the edges, and then I found glass drink stirrers with a stuffed olive on the end to use as the perch. Back to pricing, too many artists and crafters practically give their stuff away. Too often people expect you to. At festival booths, many times we hear comments from one shopper to another, such as ''Why you can go to Michaels and buy the stuff and do it yourself!'' We don't get drawn into those discussions. Hahaha. Yep, go buy the nippers and grinders and ring saws and grout and glue and sealers and storage shelves and see how quickly your outlay adds up. One thing we have done at festivals is, if a piece doesn't sell, we mark it UP and often then it does sell. The ''cost of materials'' formulas for pricing don't work well for us. For example, if one buys an ugly little thingie for 50 cents and embellishes it with a broken plate that cost 50 cents, and creates a beautiful unique item, then how can one apply a formula such as cost of materials times 2 or 3 or even 5 to come up with a price? Same with paintings; it's impossible to apply a ''cost of materials plus'' pricing formula there as well. The only formula that I can think of that might work in most cases is the ''so much a square foot'' formula. That would work for larger mosaic items like fireplaces, counter tops, backsplashes, etc. and would also work for paintings. For smaller items, you could apply that formula and then add extra cost for the difficulty involved.

I have some Dahlias coming and I chose shorter growers to place in pots. I also have 2 in the ground that have come back for a few years now They are taller and need staking. I dont dig mine up in southern Oregon. Survival of the fittest. The ones in the ground were from the grocery store so inexpensive. But, they have been very nice Dahlias. I have heard that Dahlias like a lot of compost so I am going to try adding more to the pots.