Ooooooo - how cook are those?!!! Fabulous, SILVA. I LOVE decoupage. I have a friend here who is doing a large box w/a glass inset on top, She is putting every kind of mixed media she knows in that box, and it's turning out so beautifully. I taught her to heat emboss, use stamps, make paper flowers w/a heavy layer of embossing enamel on the petals and while hot to stamp into it, then use different metallic paints and rub n buff over the stamp. Of course, she's using a bit of mosaics. She's also using modeling paste over stancils, gold leaf. There's a bit of polymer clay too. You name it, this box is gorgeous. I'll take a photo of it and post it here when she's finished.

As you can see it's been a long time since I have been on here..because of illness, surgeries and family crisis I have not felt like physically or mentally doing much of anything. I just wanted to let everyone know that during the time I was participating in the forum I got so many great ideas and advise...Truly couldn't have done it without you! I am posting a link to my kitchen album in photo bucket showing my before and afters if anyone cares to take a look. My kitchen was very small before the reno and remodel.... and still is small but with a partial wall removed it opened up the small den and kitchen and has given us so much more room.... The kitchen is so efficient and such a joy to work in! http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/carolyle7/library/

Problem is most, if not all grout companies, years ago, toned down their black grouts because the black pigment is so fine that it tends to stain any tiles it gets used on. The only grout I can think of off hand that couldn't stain is Laticrete's Spectralock, because the way they color their grout is to use a colored sand, rather than a cement pigment. But I still think you're not going to get a true black. Of course, that's a relative term. :-)

I'm extremely disappointed in Fireclay. Why aren't they forthcoming about appropriate uses for their tile? It's not cheap, I'm willing to pay whatever...but why are they the only manufacturer that says crazing is ok in wet environments? If they had a proprietary improvement in their tile, I'm sure they would share it! I don't think they do. I had a custom tilemaker tell me that their tile is perfectly fine to go into the wet environments...followed 30 minutes later in conversation by saying there likely will be some soap scum in there and to be very careful because the grout will go into the crazing (so don't use contrasting grout). So, to me, that is NOT perfectly fine! Tile - especially at Fireclay's prices - should not have ANY of these issues - and because they will, Fireclay should be forthcoming about the technical specifications and appropriate uses. They even say their tile can go in swimming pools!!! That leads me to believe it's sealed - but then there are these issues with the grout seeping into the crazing, even after sealing upon install, so clearly it's not. Bar Keeper's Friend?! After paying a RIDICULOUS amount for their tiles and WAITING for it to be custom made...not being told the proper technical information, then being told use Bar Keeper's Friend?!!?! Wow. Gosh, Lisa, I'm so sorry. Fireclay's website has a beautiful steam shower with gloss tile with crazing ON THE FLOOR of the shower. Every tile manufacturer and salesperson says not to do that - and common sense agrees - it's gloss and you'll fall on your booty! I tried to research applications on Fireclay's website because I wanted to be assured that the tile is ok. Their new Essentials line - the blog posts are clearly computer generated (same exact bathroom with different color tiles). The tile I wanted in a hotel - couldn't call the hotel because they have no phone number. Shady. Oh, and I Googled "Fireclay complaints" to see if anyone was unhappy with their crazing or the durability of the tile. No consumer complaints, but I did see a settlement with the State of California for violation of environmental regulations (i.e. polluting). That was the cherry on top for me, as SO MUCH of their literature is how good they are for the environment. Fireclay makes a truly beautiful tile. I'm very disappointed that I will not be moving forward with them. I wish they were just honest about proper applications - I'm shocked they wouldn't be. Wouldn't you want happy customers?!?!?! If there wasn't a series of red flags, I would have bought it for the whole house!