In The Studio

This week I’ve been doing prep work for 2 cool things happening tonight and tomorrow evening.

Tonight at Keith Valley Middle School in Horsham, PA there is an Open House spotlighting all the classes from the last semester. This is an hour long event giving demos of what was learned. In the past, the highlights have been people who are learning guitar, the clown class students and belly dancers in full costume who all perform. There was dog obedience training and a brief example of what each had learned, water color art displays from beginners and intermediate classes. There are instructors working on their crafts such as beadwork and caning chairs and of course, now, mosaics (that would be me). It was a lively event last year and one hour seemed to be just enough time to see all the interesting classes offered here and to once again be a part of this wonderful community. I love giving my mosaics classes here and hope to continue to do so for as long as they’ll have me. I will be there working on a custom ordered 10×10 inch frame which is used for the intermediate classes and my daughter, Tara who has assisted me in the intermediate class I recently gave here, will be working on 2 coasters for the beginners class. This gives the people who are interested a chance to see how both are made and ask questions about each class. If you live locally and have been thinking about taking a course next time they are offered (they start up again in February 2011) come join us from 8-9pm tonight in the cafeteria. Follow the laughter and you will find us! http://hhaes.org/

Thursday evening starts a new mosaics basics class at MALT in Mt Airy, PA. As of yesterday, the class had 15 students, which is the maximum I allow. This is very exciting news! This is the second time I’ve taught at the art center there and I loved it. I’ve been nipping glass and mirror for a few days to make up the kits I use to give to each student. Splitting the classes up into two sessions, the first kit has all the supplies needed to glue stained glass and mirror onto 2 four inch coasters in two hours. The second and final class has a kit too that includes grout, gloves and felt “feet” for the bottom of each coaster. I will be taking pictures and posting them on Friday. Tara will be assisting me again and I’m so lucky to have her there to help! This is the biggest class I’ve given to date and I think it will be a blessing to have her there. I will post an additional blog entry over the weekend sharing photos and info about how the class went. You all know we’ll have fun! I’ve been scheduled to give another basics class for MALT in March. I’ll keep you updated here. If you live in or near Mt Airy and want to have some fun come join us! http://mtairylearningtree.org/concrete/

On Sunday, November 21st through November 24th, there will be a Home Decor sale in my Etsy shop starting and ending promptly at 6 AM! Those of you interested in saving a little money on some great one-of-a-kind mosaic gifts, each item in that section is 25% off.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/earthmothermosaics

I am still taking custom orders for Christmas until November 30th. The biggest sellers in my shop so far are the stained glass candle holder/vases in the home decor section! I just sold the two I had listed recently (yay!) and hope to get at least one more made before the sale. If you’d like to purchase one and none are listed, let me know and I’ll make one for you. They are really very pretty next to a window during the day and lit with a candle at night.

Enjoy the rest of your week. Make it creative!

☼-EarthMotherMosaics

Etsy Treasury: Holiday Gift Ideas On Sale

I’m always looking for a great bargain or unusual gift for my family and friends in addition to the mosaics I make them each year. Most times when I’m stumped, I spend a little time surfing on one of my favorite sites. Here are a few great ideas and items I found in some of my favorite colors of tangerine, lime, burgundy and blue!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cdfff413c4f8eef7906e066/holiday-gift-ideas-on-sale

In The Studio this week will be a brief description of a new sale starting soon at Etsy.

Look for an additional blog entry about Thursday evenings mosaics basics class which will be posted over the weekend with photos included! The class is filled to its maximum of 15 and I’m very excited about that! Sharing the love of mosaics slowly but surely!

Please Note: There is a correction to a recent post regarding the cost of the new pendants debuting on ArtFire December 1st. I incorrectly mentioned I would be listed them at $30 each. The correct price is $25. My apologies.

Have a wonderfully creative week!

☼-EarthMotherMosaics

In The Studio

As promised, here is Part 2 of the Etsy Treasury for this week. “For The Love Of It All” has featured 16 more items to look over. Enjoy!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cd9e4973fb66d91731c5f79/for-the-love-of-it-all-part-2

There isn’t a whole lot to share from the studio this week. Many things are requiring finishing touches which means there will be a major day or two of grouting happening this week. A few are shown below.

These are silver mosaic butterflies and will be listed for $15 each. Originally I had made two and used them as pendants but they were big and bulky and didn’t feel all that comfortable around my neck. After studying them for a while, I added ribbon and some filament wire and hung them on the wall. I think they look pretty cool alone as well as in a group (photo #2). I’ve made 4 so far (only 3 are shown below). These were made using stained glass, grout, glitter and ribbon.

I’ve got a nice little supply of pendants started, to be added to ArtFire exclusively after Thanksgiving. These will be listed for $30 each once they are all grouted and sealed.

I made a candle holder/vase scrap mosaic and it too needs to be grouted. This will be listed for $40.

I have a few other odds and ends that are waiting for grout that one or more of will most likely be part of an upcoming festival I may be doing the first week in December! Fingers crossed!!

On December 1st, I will be running a month long “What A Great Year CONTEST” here on the blog! This contest will run each week from Wednesday, December 1st through Wednesday, Dec 15th, stopping the week of Christmas and then starting up again on Wednesday, December 29th. Details on how to enter will be posted on December 1st.

Take note: there will be no blog posts the weeks of November 22nd and December 20th.

Enjoy the rest of your week! Make it a creative one.

☼-EarthMotherMosaics

Etsy Treasury: For The Love Of It All

Not so long ago, my Father handed me a small baggie with copper “coins” covered in enamel to possibly use in mosaics. He must have had them since the 50’s. He used a few as eyes for his wooden fish cutting boards that he used to make when I was a little girl. I recognized them immediately, recalling the cutting board my Mom used to use when they would entertain. He told me he had them made specifically for those cutting boards and held onto the coins thinking they’d come in handy one day. I have used a few in my mosaics; one was put into a piece that was recently sold and made me smile to know that his small cooper gift to me has been appreciated by others and helped set the tone for that particular scrap mosaic. Scrap mosaics are what I call the pieces I make using all bits and odds and ends of scrap in stained glass, mirror and other cool objects that are usually sitting on my work table. Putting them all together in a geometric way as a mosaic is one of my favorite things to do!

This week while gathering up scraps for a new mosaic, I found the coins my Dad gave me. That prompted me to do some searching on Etsy for enamel and copper and I found a huge amount of pieces very similar in style to what my Dad gave me and decided to dedicate a Treasury to them. I have found enough to do a new one every day this week, but will try to contain my love and only do two! This is the first one. The second will be posted on Wednesday with a brief look at what’s going on in the studio.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cd6c62cab3a6d91994cd528/for-the-love-of-it-all

Just a friendly reminder: If you’re interested in having a custom order made for yourself or someone for Christmas, I am taking orders up until November 30th. Think about giving a unique, one-of-a-kind gift to a loved one or give a gift to yourself! You deserve it!!  Also, for those who ordered mosaics last year at this time, please note the new policy for custom orders: I require 1/2 to be paid before the mosaic work begins. The balance plus shipping and insurance is due when it is completed. Thanks for understanding!

Have a wonderfully creative week!

☼-EarthMotherMosaics

In The Studio

Not much to share this week from the studio but I have been busy, just the same!

All week I’ve been working on listing sale items on Etsy and making new pendants that will be listed on ArtFire in a few weeks. I have done a little bit of work on a piece of MDF, making a possible Christmas gift, so the photos have been limited just in case the recipient decides to do some snooping! I can’t say for sure where it’s headed and I can’t say for sure it will be a gift, but it has been great fun to work in the studio again after doing all the marketing lately.

I’ve decided to start utilizing the fact that I like cutting small pieces of stained glass and making them into an abstract or design and do those more often. Lately I’ve been allowing larger pieces into my work, bigger space between glass and using more grout. I love using grout and all its color choices and will always use it in most things I make because of that. But the mosaic design, spacing and the glass used is also important. Cutting really small pieces has always been what I like to do. That means I must take my time. There is no downside to this. The joy I feel when I work slowly is so great. I completely get into “the zone” and breath better. It’s a Zen thing with me and most artists who enjoy the creative process. The pieces I’ve done in the past, when I’ve taken my time to cut the glass and used patience, have been some of the most successful. Sometimes, I’m a bit slow at thinking things through, apparently, because if I had realized that before doing a few recent pieces, I’d have been much happier, much sooner!

I will be making another candle holder/vase using the scraps soon because I sold the one listed last week. I love making the abstract designs with scraps – all geometric and way cool! Scrap art is fun!!!

There will be photos of a few things within the next week but many won’t get a debut until after they’ve been given as they will be gifts. I love sharing photos of work-in-progress and will do that with things I can share.

Enjoy the rest of your week! Make it a creative one.

☼-EarthMotherMosaics

Etsy Treasury: Magical Creatures

Dedicated to all who believe in the magic we see around us and the magic we know is there but don’t need to see, this weeks treasury is filled with dragons, fairies, dragonflies and butterflies.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4ccddc8fb0b68eefc93fe567/magical-creatures

Visit the featured shops, leave a comment on the Treasury page or just take a quick look – it’s all always appreciated!

Don’t forget to hop on over to EarthMotherMosaics’ shop to see the Clearance and Half Price SALE items! Buckle bases are still plentiful for those wanting to give them a try either in mosaic form or some fun paper art craft. The half price section has 3 of my mosaic belt buckles and the mosaic rings are on Clearance for $5!! Pendants that were previously listed at full price are heading in the Half Price section soon! Woot!! I LOVE SALES!!!

Mr M and a few other items have just been added and the Dark Side Of The Moon Coasters have already been featured in a Treasury by Gratefulthreads! Pretty cool!!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cca25d5e22e8eef9cb3ca23/blue-monday?index=0

In studio news: I’ve been gathering supplies to start playing a little more with altered art. I did a few pieces a long while back and they will be placed together on top of a mosaic once I make it. I haven’t “landed” on a color/design decision with the mosaic background yet. I truly enjoyed the experience of my first attempt at altered art and can’t wait to try more!

But first, I’m headed to the studio now to start in on something I think may become a Christmas present for a family member! This mosaic will have to stay my secret until the big reveal in December.

I hope everyone is recovered from the Halloween fun and sugar highs! Now we start the count down towards Thanksgiving! Woo-hoo!!

☼-EarthMotherMosaics