I'm always in awe of how fast Slow cranks out stuff ! I'm surprised I'm going this fast on the mannequin . (I'm obsessed ) I sit in front of the TV snipping glass with my wheeled mosaic cutters .While my DH is at work - I can do all the crafts I want . I have one of those brains that doesn't have an off switch - ideas keep coming and coming and coming ........ that's why I get sidetracked so easily .......

Oh Annie...I feel your pain regarding the black grout...which seems to be my grout of choice on a lot of things.....I always start out wearing rubber gloves, but by the time I'm finished, I've trashed the gloves....I have to "feel" it..just like gardening...I have to feel the dirt!My fingernails are ruined......etc..and it takes a really good 2 days to get rid of the mess on nails...washing hair helps some! You don't know how many times I have apologized to strangers for my nails......they just respond that my hands are of a "hard working woman!" I am not a foo foo girl, so that is a positive! I cut the stained glass for SusyQ. I buy it from a local stained glass shop in sheets......and if you look closely, not all straight cuts, not all the same size......it is spectrum glass that I used on her legs and shoulders...it is cheaper to cut yourself..I am thinking about ordering something to enable me to make straight cuts......most of my mosaics is not perfect..and not perfect is perfect to me!~I have in the past ordered precut stained glass, and it is more costly........100 small pieces for bucks, and then postage...I cut my own stained glass now...black grout is the most messy of all colors...and I have it slung everywhere by the time I've finished......you can order the spectrum glass off ebay........or probably any of the mosaic supply forums. I am lucky to have a gal close by..however, she's trying to sell out..then I dunno what I'll do other than order off the net! I've ordered some colorants now to use in my grout, so I've very anxious to mix up a plum color to use!

gypsy and toomuch...both your mannequins are gorgeous..i have a really weird one i've had for years...she has both sides but back is arched..i mean really arched enouh to look like a cheerleader or gymnist doing a back flip she is torso only..i had a weird idea of trying to drill holes in her and mount something to put glass on top to make a coffee table and do her as a dallas cowboy cheerleader and try to sell her to one of the crazy texas football junkies..lollll not sur how i can do that tho but my dh is great at helping me out on that kind of stuff.i'll ask for help when i ever get around to her...gypsy..i start with gloves but they never stay on i have to feel too thanks annie

LOL, ohhhh I feel for you really - big hugs.

me, I like to buy sheets of glass just to have more options on sizes and shapes to cut. I do get some tiles and will nip those too. cutting seems to go pretty quick for me. When I decide my next color or colors, I tend not to put much thought into what shape/size where and just do some various width strips, and nip some into square and then some of those into triangles, my shapes and sizes are always irregular - I use a ruler as a straight edge but never measure anything, just eyeball it. My fingers and nails are perpetually stained and I just don't give a dang, I keep my nails shorts and my calluses thick - life of a professional landscaper, never pretty and just don't care about such things.

Agree 100% with you nicethyme! Sounds like we work the same way! Oh, and it took me a whole summer and fall to finally finish her. In between having to stop working on her because of burnout, working at my real job, and doing other projects in between...she was a long process that I finally finished the last of Nov. I think? But it was a lot of stopping and starting.........I've learned to live with ugly hands/fingernails! LOL

Well, I still haven't got my pot grouted. Work season is upon me, and I am busy writing up lecture materials and getting a heavier teaching schedule in place. Then getting sick doesn't help. It takes a lot of strength to chop up those heavy plates, and I just can't do it! It's pathetic, but this flu/cold thing going around will knock ya out.
Some of have more time to work on projects that others, some of us I'm sure it just depends on the time of the year!!

GGG

I buy a pretty good amount of vitreous and stained glass tiles. I'm trying to get better at cutting glass so I can use the sheets. It doesn't take that long to cut, really.

My hands, well they haven't lookd good since I started in the PO. I don't even explain anymore ;-)

Maria

I buy sheets of glass and cut in strips - not so straight - then nip into squares and triangles. The only precut glass are the glass tiles that I've bought. I do like the glass tiles and want to order the ones with gold streaks and irridized but those are quite pricey.

I used black grout yesterday for the first time. And, yes, I started out with gloves but that didn't last long. I'm just like a kindergartner, need to get my hands right in there.

I spend a lot of time playing and thinking about what I want to do and how I want to do it before I start glueing. I never have a complete plan, just an idea before I start.

Annie, I have a box of stained glass scraps from my Mom. The bigger pieces I do like d3bbi & cut in strips & then nip the strips with my wheeled nippers. I love my wheeled nippers! I get different sizes & shapes this way & then I fit them like puzzle pieces. Most of the time I actually don't want all the pieces the same size. I've used black grout on most of my pieces so far & I have had good luck with gloves. Just keep trying different things & you'll see what works for you best. BTW, please don't type in all caps, it's harder to read & on the net it's considered shouting. Thanks!!
Virginia

o.k. sorry i didn't know about the shouting....i usually use all small caps so guess i have been whispering lollll.thanks for letting me know annie

Here's a quick tip that helps some with the black grout stains: rinse off what you can with plain water, then liberally coat your hands with hand lotion and rub vigorously together, using a toothbrush around nails - you'll almost have a lather of the lotion. Then add a little powdered laundry or dishwasher detergent and rub vigorously again. Rinse with clear water, continuing to rub hands together all the while. Repeat if needed and follow with LOADS of lotion to replenish the skin moisture.

HTH,
Pat

Pat, I will try your remedy next time I use black grout. Boy that stuff sure hangs on the nails! Someone also mentioned lemon juice to me but I don't have any on hand.