Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Valentine's Day Mirror #1 (of 987,00)

I have finally found a way to use large amounts of the vintage jewelry I love to hoard and TO AVOID GROUTING! Voila...

Valentine's Day mirror or frame. Buyer's choice.

I decided to try a bit of china on it (the red and white Woods that I love) just to see if it looked corny or not without grout. It looks fine, actually, so I may mix it up a bit and use china patterns on certain pieces.

Obviously the possibilities for chotzkes to include are unlimited. Many use keys, buttons, funky little memorabilia thingeys...wine corks, matchbooks. I was thinking this morning that to build one around the ID tag of a dead pet (or soldier?) would make a nice memorial.

I just finished my second one and it's drying. The base is RED! Very cool. Photos to come soon.

I've got some mint condition vintage cigar boxes coming. I'll tackle them when I get bored of the mirrors. I've got about 8 mirrors in my head right now, creating themselves.
In the Life is a Circle Game file...my paternal grandmother, Anne (the artist who had a brother named WALTER who had a vacation home in Asheville, NC) made jewelry boxes out of cigar boxes when I was very young. I only remember a very large one that sat on her gorgeous cherry wood dresser in the bedroom. I recall a big, goldtone flower brooch as the focal point, and strands and strands of faux pearls and green and gold beads wrapping all around the lid of the box.
Stay tuned!

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Special Wedding Carafe

For Rebecca and Kaustuv (and Willow!)
February 3, 2008






Saturday, January 5, 2008

Dog Grotto, Sullivan's Island, SC

A welcoming watering hole for thirsty dogs walking by.

Universal Potteries Ballerina Iris pattern and another one with cool leaves and earth tone flowers I do not know the name of.
Vintage and contemporary Fiesta blues and greens, Vintage Bauer (Chinese Yellow), and Bosco eggplant.

Free advice: mix the mortar very thick! It's a real drag to sit there for an extra hour, holding up the shards that keep sliding down the vertical walls.

Mosaic Dawg seal of approval.