MY brain has so much energy --- I hope it tells my body to get in gear ! My first plan is to clean my craft room
( for the zillionth time ) I want to be able to access most of my crafts - my paint - my clay & my glass. I'm dreaming of -- spending the winter doing trash to treasure garden stuff - and having a big sale in front of my house in spring. I've been collecting so many ideas.
That's my plans for now ...... *smile*

Hmm. That's a brain stretcher.I get so many good ideas from yall!
I tried to be SLOW and do an abstract design on my chimney tile, but it just isn't in me. I'm going back to my more structured way of doing things. I want to make a sundial to go on top of it too.
I need to take apart the bevel window I just received, and make 2 smaller windows out of it.
I just finished nipping the plates that HRSG sent me, so I need to use those on something too, but now sure at this point what thats gonna be.
I also want to do some mosaic mirrors. We bought a wood band saw about a month ago, but we still haven't gotten it set up yet. Once thats ready to go, watch out!!

Well...I'm still contemplating the background on my GOG Luna Moth picture. And anticipating my trip next Tuesday to Delphi to pick out some glass for it. Anyone know where I can get nickel plated ball-chain?...other than the
ball-chain store online that is...I'd like to see it in person if I can. Other than that, refinishing 2 chairs while waiting to get glass...:o(
Linlee

I just finished several pieces for an auction in oct. Went today and joined a gym since I was told I have osteoporious last week.Used to work out whenI was younger but quit and feel I need to do this to keep from falling etc when I get even older. You never know whats happening inside you BUT I'm going to do my best to keep it from getting worse and hopefully reverse it some.Will take away from my mosaic time but hopefully I'll have more energy and get back to my mosaics on a regular basis again...Annie I'll psot pics next week...not of my bones the MOSAICS LOL

I've been so busy, all I can do is dream up new projects.
I've got 2 tea sets waiting for me get to them. I want to
do one in the black with the floral china. I just have too much sitting and waiting. I have a watering can and BB I
started months ago.

I joined a gym too Annie......and trying to get some Jazzercise classes in, in the mornings too. (That mosaic butt thing!hahaha)

I also got a new puppy, and she has kept me so busy.
I don't know what I was thinking. My little dog died a couple months ago, she was 9, and I really thought I needed
this puppy to help me through it. Now I don't have a minute to myself. All I do follow her around and protect my things!

I really hope when school starts, I will find a way to get back in my studio. I sure miss it! OH THAT LITTLE TURD!!
She just chewed up my shoe while I was typing this!!aaahhh!

Hazie

Just finished my boot (yay!) and have been working on that chimney thing I posted a while back (remember that? I'll post pics when I finish.)
Have two more tables waiting to start.
My sons and I have been doing some terracotta pots for a "family" of tippy pots. Two are ready to grout (younger DSs), two to go(mine and older DS). And one more for DH if I can get him to do one!
I'm DREAMIN' of getting enough done in the next two months to sell at the fall craft show in town, we'll see.

Oh, gee thanks for ths thread NT ;-)
Uh, that cat has a face now, so I get the "cat eye" everytime I walk by it. Mostly I want to finish that, work on my wall (have some glass and two pieces of backer board cut for it) and finish some stepping stones. I want to finish the frame for my friend, oh yeah and another window oane mirror for the shed. Then there are the inside projects... we won't even go there now!!

It's to hot to do anything outside and right now I hate to drag the GEII in the house.

Good luck with that doggie Hazie!!

Maria

Well, I have been canning and freezing-you name the veggie I've been working with it.

Met my oldest sons girlfriend this weekend. First time he EVER brought one of THOSE home. (She was nice, I'm just cautious for him.)

Making hypertufa leaves, rocks for flower bed, playing with ideas for the bathtub DH found. Thinset on the bowling ball to mosaic. (Never done one this way.) Have another bb waiting to become a fountain and go on top of an old flue DH also found in the yard by the old barn. Saw MY idea for this at HomeDepot. Guess I can't claim it was an original, eh?

Still working on that dang lazy susan, or at least looking at it and cussing regularly. Almost finished the flamingo box for my SIL, needs grouting but I wait to do that I have several pieces to do at once. Have a thread going about a Christmas decoration I've had thoughts of lately. Other than that, waiting for school to start!

I just got my own potter's wheel(used off of craigslist) that is sitting out in my studio(in the dark all by its lonesome:) so whatcha think I'm dreaming of...a studio full of freshly thrown pots of course.

But what I am planning...sigh...my classes are finishing up next week and I will be very busy firing class kilns and planning for the next semester that starts on the 20th.

What am I doin? I'm trying to score some 4"x4" tile on freecycle that someone offered so I can offer my mosaic students a substrait to build their trivet project on so they don't have to purchase.

The flocks of mosquitoes have ran me out of the yard...I mosaic outside so no mosaicing going on right now.

p

I about fell outta my chair LOL about Hazie's dog chewing her shoe. Preparing for DDs, grands and a friend of GD this weekend thru Tuesday - two birthday celebrations - grandson and DD# 1. Then it w/be full throttle on the rooster, after which Bro/Mo w/come for a visit to pick it up. Then w/begin the other flue for Bro. Might work on another coffee set in between those two projects cuz one of DD's b.d. gifts is my coffee set and I'm gonna miss it when it's gone. Looking forward to acquiring another ironing board to replace the one I sold, cuz I miss it. Let's see, because I'm at the age of not buying green bananas, that's all I have in my immediate future plans.

Slow, you sold one of the Boards? which one? wow congrats.

Hazie, good luck with that puppy. I think Dh and I both are on the same line of thought to put off getting another dog till our kids are older. 2 tea sets huh? what did you decide to do with the 1st one, with the bbs?

Crackpot, yes yes please post some pics of your new items... sorry to hear of your problems but it does sound like you have a proactive plan, good for you.

Linlee... Delphi??? you're killing me! lol

Had to reply again...thanks Nice I won't go down without a fight ha ha...anyway .....
Slow...I loved the green banana's ,that's a good one and one I can certainly appreciate!!!!!!!!!Great saying!!!

NT - sold the one in the guest bedroom, and DD and I both miss it terribly. Have another one spotted at a flea mkt 45 min. away - just no time to go pick it up. Out to mow the lawn now.

Oh my . . .working like mad , dreaming like mad, and planning like mad . . . .

Working on a BUNCH of bowling balls (arrow balls). After my clusterball was auctioned off last month I got a ton of orders for more and have been working feverishly on those. Have also been working on "butt cans" - the little metal pots filled with sand to put out a outdoor cigarette for my smoker friends (uses up all those old tiles). Also started a little child-sized guitar that I scored at a rummage sale.

Cogitating and dreaming about my mannequin (who is currently sitting in my studio scaring me to death every time I turn around). Also dreaming about my French doors and other windows laying about in my studio. Still wondering how I can do mosaic'd cornice boards for my bedroom windows and just now thinking about Christmas presents. . . .

After the last fiasco with mosaic'd Christmas gifts I don't have a clue why I'm thinking about doing it again . . . maybe because money is tight and I'm thinking cheap.

I'm also homeschooling again this year so I have to carve out an area for that out of already limited space.

(sigh) . . . life is short, I better get moving!

my immediate project is to list the names of fuchsias that will be used in my 'floating mosaic' entry.

yesterday, at a ts, I found a few clear bowls, for it..now just need to decide on the design and make a practice bowl.
I'm considering a 'yin-yang' idea.

it's gotta be in colors other than the black and white, obviously, since the flowers are delicate pinks and purples..lol
entry lists are due tomorrow and the judging is on the 18th, at the farmers' market.
I may do more than one...but not too sure.

and, the other project going on, are the little things that I got two of the grandkids to work on.
they were here briefly, yesterday, so I got them up to the kitchen table, took off their shirts and gave them some man-fist-size rocks to paint, with acrylic paints, so they did the base coat. while the rocks dried, I got each of them a birdhouse to prepare.

cute to watch...the 3 year old was so intense, painting his bird house, he was nearly looking cross-eyed at it!..lol
the 6 year old had much more control of the brush.
the little one cried, when his mom came to pick them up..he surely didn't want to leave and he's the one who hardly ever wants to stay..he's a mama's boy!
they'll be back in a day or so, to work some more on them.

Becky .(*_*).

Dreaming of winning the lottery so I can quit work.
Slowing mosaicing a coffee table......went out my box for this one.
So many projects started...it's AADD..need to focus on ONE project at a time....NOT....
Trying to keep up with my veg. garden.
Spending a lot of time with school mates...
Trying to keep this new schnauzer in line.....little nipper.
Trying to get rid of muskrats in the pond.

Great thread, I'm working on making a 4 foot girl figure using the Rianna method, she'll have a skirt and perhaps hat of some sort. Maybe like a ballerina or jester? I've got the armiture about a third started and once I have the rest of her done I will of course do mosaics on her, she'll go out in my garden. I just scored a six paned window so that'll be my next project after her I think.
Cindy

"After the last fiasco with mosaic'd Christmas gifts I don't have a clue why I'm thinking about doing it again . . . maybe because money is tight and I'm thinking cheap."

WENCH: what happened?

Oh, that mosaic'd birdhouse Christmas gift story is long and emotional . . I'll condense as best I can.

Made 12 usable (not just decorative) mosaic birdhouses for friends and family one year. Ended up with severe tennis elbow from all the cutting and gluing, too, but I digress.

One family member opened hers in front of me and said "damn - I was hoping it would be a bowling ball." So I took back the birdhouse and she chose from my bowling ball stash - all of which had been promised to others so I had to make a new one for someone . . . .

The other 11 were never used to my knowledge (I never saw them) and one actually ended up on my neighbor's rummage sale table the summer after I gave it to her. I know, because I paid the $2 she was asking and bought it back . . . I don't think she even remembered I made it for her!

After re-telling that story I may just go "gift card" this year . . . . .

Wench-sorry to read that story. That really stinks! I personally would love to get something made with a little tlc, some serious creativity and a little ingenuity than anything you can buy in a store! Feel free to send all your work my way! I would love to have it and I would brag to everyone about it!! If I had the money I would be buying up all ya'll's pieces left and right!

Geez. How ungrateful. Made gifts are always better imo. Especially from you!!
Sorry you had to go through all that. I wouldn't blame you for doing giftcards.

Linlee, where are you coming from to go to Delphi's? It's only about and hour and 15 minutes from me and there are also 2 Hobby Lobby's in that area you could check out!

Oh Hazie, when we got our dog 2-1/2 years ago it was our first and I had no idea how much work it was going to be. We had gates up to confine her in the family room and kitchen and if I stepped over them to go to the bathroom she would whine and cry and carry on something awful!!!! My son would get home from school and I would tell him through clenched teeth that it was his turn to watch her, I couldn't take it anymore. The first few months were really rough and there were MANY, MANY times I wondered why the heck I gave in and got my son a dog for his birthday. But, after a couple of months, things finally started clicking and now I am so attached to her and I wonder how we ever got along without a dog so hang in there and things WILL get better!!!!!

Slow...green bananas...LOL...you just crack me up!!!!

Wench, I am so sorry about your experience giving your gifts to people who do not appreciate them! I am fortunate that my family does appreciate anything I make for them!

As far as projects go, I mosaiced a penny ball and some other BB's and of course, more birdhouses. My DD and I started to mosaic stepping stones we got from Home Depot but as Maria said, it has been too hot and humid to work outside to finish them.

I got a handmade silverware chest from a GS for a quarter. The finish was pretty banged up on it so I painted it and now I am kicking around the idea of making it into a memorial box. My cousin died last Christmas and I'd like to make the box and give it to her DD this Christmas.
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

I also have some wooden shelves and tables, plus some wooden Halloween decorations to cover in mosaic, Christmas gifts...sigh, so much to do, so little time...

Barb

Hey shrty! if you give that cat a mouth - it's gonna start screaming "FINISH ME!" just don't store your new TBMs near the cat or it's likely to clue them in to what's in store for their futures! LOL

Wench, put a sheet over your headless man and give him a toe tag! lol sorry to hear of your bad gifting experience, but now I understand why you fear that pottery made with your ashes would end up at the rummage table! lol

. . . sorry to hear of your bad gifting experience, but now I understand why you fear that pottery made with your ashes would end up at the rummage table! lol

I fear my SON would put me on the rummage table since he's the one that will get everything after I'm gone.

If you can't make loud music with my remains or play video games with them, then out they go!

And I can't believe you remembered me writing that!!!

I had to laugh... several of you mentioned having more time when 'school starts.' Well... I've REALLY enjoyed the summer and am not so thrilled to be going back to school (teacher) next week! Actually I do enjoy it... but now that my little cubby-workshop area is calling with mosaic idea it's not very appealing!

I hope to make a couple of Christmas gifts. My almost SIL has made a wonderful rock circled pond at their house. I hope to mosaic a lizard on a rock to sit by his pond. Bought a couple of small, metal end tables that are waiting for mosaic tops. They will be on the porch.. and if they work well.. may be a gift, too.
Hmmmmm.... may have to retire again to get the stuff done! :)

Loved reading everyone's plans!
Katie

Oh yeah, I forgot..I was gonna do a lizard stone too for my pond! Dang it, list is getting longer.

Wench, your son sounds like mine... he'll throw everything out. My only hope is that he marries a sentimental pack-rat LOL!!

Nicethyme- ok you shamed me into putting a few more pieces on the cat LOL. That and I swear it was hissing at me.... It's too the point where I'm filling in and I can't keep turning it over. In case you wonder why I only did a FEW

Maria

Barb, I'm in the Novi/Northville area. I was visiting my son at
State most of last year before I realized that Delphi was right down the street! doh!
Linlee

Hey Maria, we have another one that lives close to us!!!

Wow Linlee, you live right by me. I live in Livonia...I used to clean an office building in Northville and we bought our puppy at Petland in Novi.

That's so funny that you missed out going to Delphi all those times you visited your son at State.

If you are interested in meeting sometime you can e-mail me at OneBigDave@sbcglobal.net

Barb

I am digging up almost a 1/4 acre of my yard!! Redesigning it to be more accessable and enjoyable. I also have no projects going right now, not even one!!! Weird, so I'm living vicariously thru all of you right now!!! I'm having trouble with my magic fence right now(the nieghbor leaves garden produce on my fence so I call it my magic fence!lol) Ya, so the magic fence seems to be stuck on zucchini right now and EVERY DAY, oh, there's another zucchini!!! hee hee! My neighbor is 85yrs old and I LOVE him!
Good thing I love banana zucchini nut bread!ha! So my plans are to get to work on a project for my friend, she has a bay window type area that holds her umpteen violets and she would like it tiles so I'm gonna do that for her, she's dropping off the tiles tommorow and I will cut them down to about 4inch rectangles from 13x10inch tiles, and design something for this weird shaped area. She is a very conservative Martha Stewart type and wouldn't go with anything but Plain Jane. She has(oops, I should mention she does have a wonderful Hubby!) They have a ton of my stained glass stuff and garden art as every occasion that's what they get from me, poor guys, it's starting to add up!!!heh heh! And I'm contemplating getting that peacock done! I've opened my mind and decided I will finish it as I see fit, which may or may not be exactly like the pattern! Ahhh, it feels good to say that out loud! It has solidified my decision to do so!!! Thanks for listening! Oh the thereapy this forum provides!!! Think outside of the box!(pattern!)

OMG - I so enjoyed reading everyone's plans.

Klinger! I'm so excited about your project. Will you Pleeeaaassssee take lots of pictures for us? I can hardly wait to see this coming along. I've wanted to do something like that, but fear I don't have the talent to pull it off. But I know that YOU do! I've wanted a mosaic'd girl for the garden ever since I saw one on HGTV - she was standing in the middle of a garden, had a very full skirt and a big hat - she was so cool.

SHRTY - I've followed your "cat" with interest - since I have one waiting in the wings...can hardly wait to see it finished.

Annie - sorry to hear about the osteoporosis...but it sounds like you're gonna do everything you should. And you CAN keep it from getting worse,and even reverse it...like you said. My sister did. You'll do it - you have the right attitude! :)

As for me....my list is soooooo long...but right now I'm getting ready to start another pot - a little smaller than my last, with the same china but a little different design, and I have some more concrete mushrooms curing - gonna do some for my sister. And I have an idea for a pedestal - using a used pool filter! I'll keep you posted on that...should be interesting.

Okay, this morning I was wondering about and decided that my Riana tree will be a bonsai type , so about 3ft high, and will have a base shaped like a bonsai container, I saw the bottles I'll use to smash and make leaves that dangle, so it'll look like those kind of trees you get that are made in from china. Except bigger....hmmmm more drilling of glass or maybe not, I could cut a notch with the glass saw and wrap the wire around the leaf! Ya! That way it doesn't have to be dangling! More percolating is needed!!!

Watcha doin'- Getting my new classroom ready for 22 fifth graders who are ready, willing, and able to destroy it next Thursday.
Watcha plan'n- I'm planning to teach DH to kind of mosaic. He wants to do a St. Louis Cardinals stepping stone. (Maybe it will help them win! LOL) I'm also planning to make some pretty mosaiced flower vases out of larger wine bottles.
Watcha dream'n of- RETIREMENT!!! (only twenty-seven more years to go!)

My little room is getting too crowded with "future projects". I just bought the coolest table, it's wrought iron(sort of) with a round glass top and it's lighted from underneath. I'll post a pic when I get time. I've got 2 frogs, a turtle, and a snail waiting in line. Want to do a GOG big window, got some nice china to break for ?? I promised DH I wouldn't "drag" (his words) anything more home until I work on some of the things I already have, so you know what that means.....drag and hide!!

HA HA HA HA!!! Squirrelly! Hey, is that what your name is about? squirrelling away stuff!heh heh!
Kelly: 27yrs! Too Funny! 5th Graders, I feel for ya! God Bless Teachers!!!!

Was at my parents' two weekends ago (3 hours away) and went to my favourite TS from when I was growing up. Spotted the frame of a beautiful wrought iron coffee table which measures 46" by 46". Glass top was missing, so they were selling it for $15.00. Couldn't fit it in my car, so my DB got it to my parents' home this week. Will be going down this weekend and I'm going to try and strap it to the top of the car to make the trip back.

I've been dreaming of several things to do once I get the glass top for it... I can even see myself working in the basement with the wood stove going this winter, cat beside me, snow just blowing outside. I plan on GOG, but might change my mind. I'm actually looking forward to winter this year. Lots to do!

What a great score! You could even get a piece of plywood and mosaic that.
Sounds like you're a true northerner with that last paragraph!
We lived in Ohio for 1 year. The winter about sent me over the edge. Folks at work were laughing at me when it first started snowing. I couldn't stop watching it. I told them they didn't appreciate their snow. It was a totally different story after the first week of it.
I guess once a southerner, always a southerner..

Kelly- I made an old English D for my son last Christmas, not a stepping stone, but on wood!

Tiffy your project sounds great, but could we not think about snow yet??? ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful:

Tiffy, I picked up a table that sounds just like yours! I've got it stored at work, no room here. Haven't checked the price of a glass top yet, have a feeling it might be pricey. I eventually want it to go outside so I think it should be glass. I already found a pattern, now I need the time! I'd like something similar to this.
{{!gwi}}

Wow! That's beautiful, Squirrlley! Love the colors...and the pattern! I've been collecting mosaic table top pictures, too. Hope to get to making a small table soon.

Kelly: Those 27 years will FLY by!!! Especially during the summers! :) I retired after 23 years teaching... but decided to go back. Am working on a 2nd retirement. Hmmmm... but now that I'm REALLY having fun with the mosaics.. might want to stop earlier. OH... forgot about the $$$ involved. Oh well!!! :)

Meanwhile... went to my favorite little TS yesterday... bought a couple of plates to crack... but on the way out saw an OLD skateboard. It was a $1.00. So... I grabbed it up, paid, and put it with the TBM stuff. My daughter's almost step-son is an avid skate boarder so I'm planning to mosaic it for him for Christmas. More added to the list!
Katie

WOW! That pattern is very inspiring!!! Love it, the colors and the whole pattern, veeery nice!!!!

oh, squirrelly - that table is absolutely beautiful! Wow!! And you would totally do a perfect job of that - I'm still drooling over your fabulous stepping stones!!

katie - I've been collecting table top pictures, too!! Have a folder full of them. Some day!! I have a ton of "mosaic inspiration" pictures - and love looking back through them.

Squirrelly - That design is absolutely beautiful!! I also like the fact that there's just three simple 'colour' choices for it. I guess you could add more, but the simplicity makes it stunning.

For a table top, I was thinking of using plexiglass. Any thoughts? I know you can get the stuff custom cut at a windshield repair store (Speedy Auto Glass will do it here), but not sure of the price. Bought some 3'x4' sheets in the past, but that was over 20 years ago and I can't remember what the cost was. :O)

Bamasusanna, Yes, I love our winters, but a lot of it has to do with where we now live. It's so peaceful and a fresh snowfall can make me stare at the forest on one side of the house and the bay on the other side for hours on end. But then again, spring, summer, and fall make me do that too.

Squirrely: Thanks for posting that photo. We just cleaned out our garage (after shifting garden related stuff to the new shed) and found a round glass top used to protect our dining room table. The leaf is in it now so the round glass is useless. Instead of getting rid of it I think I'll do a design. BTW, the shed is finished inside--everything is hung in its place. The outside is primed but it's too hot in east Tx to be painting so I'm waiting for a break in the weather to finish.

I have so much "stuff" sitting around waiting for me to get my butt in gear. 3 bb's, clocks, cake covers, trays, coffee pot, ironing board, mannequins, flower pots for outside, boxes and I'd have to walk out to my studio to see what else is hiding in the corners.

Hey, Wench, we homeschool too...it's not easy finding a place for my glass stuff when there are books and papers spread out everywhere. This is why I've been trying to get it all out of my system as much as I can this summer. I hardly find time during our school year.

I have a table, mirror, windows and a something something for my girls' room to do. AND never enough time!

BEAUTIFUL design/colors, SQUIRRELLY: Just reading this forum makes me want to work faster, but seems I'm slowing down lately.

I loved reading everyone's plans and dreams. I've missed you all! My computer got a real nasty virus - well actually 3 of them - so I was down for a couple of weeks. I've been skeptical of going on the internet much since then but just loved reading all your ideas.

I've been mosaicing - heat and all. My 'to do list' consists of photo frames for a friends that wants them for her bridal attendants, 2 birdbaths, and mushrooms for me. So much to do and now a hurricane brewing - that thing better stay away.