Mosaic Mom

This is my 1000th blog.

If I’d set a goal at the beginning to write 1000 stories, I’d never have made it. It would have seemed impossible. Yet, here I am.

I am grateful to Mind Escape and Plant Daddy for continued moral and technical support.

I am grateful to Ian for setting me up with a blog. I miss Ian’s blog.

I am grateful that Casey is out there somewhere. If space alien hackers invade my computer, he will know how to remove them.

I am grateful for my two Aunts who read my little essays every day.

The blog itself has made me see the richness in the small details of my daily life.

The blog has made me see the delineation between public and private life. The “let it all hang out” of the 1960’s is so over.

The blog has allowed me to track improvements in my mosaic art with the photographic record.

The blog keeps me interested in technology in general.

It seems to me the average life cycle of a blog is about 2 years. I have beaten the odds. I guess I am a diarist now.

One on my students made this Mosaic Yard Ornament. She fit it with a long flexible stick/pole so that it will sway adding even more interest and motion in her garden.

The weather today was grey and wet and windy and raw.
Florida winter at its worst.

I sat in the house and read a book all afternoon.
It was about homesteading in Alaska in the 1970’s. The setting was the Alaskan wilderness in June.

The weather was grey and wet and windy and raw.
They called it a good summer day!

Many years ago, I read an article in the SAMA newsletter about a group mosaic.

The SAMA members in Texas had organized themselves for a regional meeting. As part of that meeting, every mosaicist who attended brought tesserae in a brown lunch bag.

Then the group made one big composition out of everybody’s contribution.

I would love to do something like that one day. It would be awesome.

Discovery Gardens board asked me to speak in June about Stepping Stones. Try as I might, I could think of little to SAY.

Therefore I planned the session to CREATE stepping stones.

I was going to divide the attendees into groups and give each group a stepping stone. I knew at least 2 other artists would be attending, so design would be easy. I would supply tile and mortar, and I figured I’d take the stones home for grout and sealer.

Later I’d deliver them back to the Gardens for installation.

But I’ve been cancelled. Sigh.

Well, maybe some other group project will turn up this summer.

Having a blog has helped my art immensely. For example, I took this photo for the blog purposes. But immediately I can see one thing on each shoe that needs to be changed. Can you see the mistakes?

Answer: On the Blue Shoe, the black on the underside heel needs to be changed from flat tile to cove.
On the Grass Shoe, the underside heel needs to be changed from light green to white.
Grrr.

I cleaned the studio this morning. Yay!

I photographed the fox squirrel right up by our clothes line, but it was too blurry to post.

The sweater "Dry Clean Only" came out OK after a trip through the wash on delicate cold cycle. Yay!

Kitty Zeus is trying to help me mosaic today. It's resulting in cat hair stuck in all my projects. Grrrr.

I have only inches to go on the blue shoe. Then hours of polishing those glass tesserae.

I bought an outfit last fall and finally got around to wearing it last weekend. It's a self esteem thing; I can't wear nice new clothes. But after 6 months in the closet, they are "old" so I can wear them. Anyway, the tag said "Dry clean only". I washed them on delicate cycle. I'll report the results tomorrow...they don't look shrunk tho, so far so good.

Plant Daddy and Wick went to Gainesville today. They are discussing the Orlando Magic. I say "get rid of Gimpy (Hill)" Play Dwight Howard. Fire Gimpy Limpy!

Today wasn't even a class day, but I ran into three of my mosaic students while I was out and about.

The first lady phoned then drove out to the studio. She needed about 3 sq inches of green tile to finish her project. She also took a flower pot to prep and be ready to tile on Monday.

Next, as I was going in to Publix, I saw the Spanish tile lady going out the exit. I waved but she didn't see me.

Then I saw the third lady in the parking lot. She made the teal pottery mirror. She said she was going to Lowe's to get a large size flower pot to work on.

It is a happy day for me to encounter other people who like mosaics.

This evening I am having a Big Problem with the green shoe. Solved one problem but caused another one. Grrr.

Now I gotta go watch American Idol. I like to sing along!!!

A to Z Handyman came by this morning to effect the repairs on the screen room. Yay!
I would be totally lost with out Alan who knows so well how to fix stuff.

I grouted the majority of the address rock.

The accountant phoned; I dropped everything and went to fetch the tax package. Blech! There are still 5 corporate taxing agencies to be paid and three personal. I hate tax season.

My friend sent me an edited version of a story that will run on this blog on Feb 28th. She is an awesome editor. Watching her write is like watching those Olympic skaters...strong and graceful.

I downloaded a second batch of Palm Writer Group stories to be edited for the March meeting. One of mine is up for critique . Uh Oh.

Deb came by and thank goodness, she is helping me out. I cannot sew. She is a professional. Therefore she is sewing a hem in for me. Yay! She has the softest hands of any person I have ever known. She has to keep her hands really smooth since she handles fine fabrics, silks and satins etc every day.

My mosaic mom hands are ruined for any delicate work. C'est la vie!

Then I cooked dinner and chatted with sister in law about nephew's wedding. Web site to be posted soon. You gotta love these techie kids!

Now I have made out the grocery list. Plant Daddy says he will not eat marshmellows one more night! He wants tootsie rolls. So tomorrow is Publix day.

I don't need a whole lot of clothes for mosaic art. Old stuff is best anyway since if I wear it in the studio, they will become embedded with PVA or silicone or mortar.

Yet every now and they I go shopping. Sunday I went with Little Mind Escape to Dillards to see the spring colors.

I like everything I see. Especially if it is spring green. It is a magnet color for me. I am attracted to the color and can make no discernment about the style or fit.
That's why I take L.M.E. Her job is to stop me!

She has a great ability to yell, "It's ugly. Don't touch it!" and I have learned to obey. My wardrobe will go to pot if she ever stops shopping with me. I'll be doomed.

We had fun. I bought a BLUE hippie tunic shirt. She got a black polo shirt for work.

Then off to Pier One for more home furnishings for her new apartment.

Today I grouted the bird house, finally finished the door holder and pieced in more of the address rock. I wore navy pedal pushers and a black and white shirt.

On my desk today...2 mosaic shoes, an address rock, a door holder and somewhere around here there's a birdhouse in progress.

I hauled this pot out and planted up the new little yellow squashes. One chore off my list.

I am embarassed to say I did not mop the floor. However Plant Daddy to the rescue! He gave it the once over and we're good to go! Yay PD!

Today I got an early phone call saying I do not have to give a lecture on stepping stones in June. Woo Hoo!

Wit's End Mosaics sent an e mail around today about a grid for patterning micro mini mosaic tiles. But my program wouldn't open it. Grrr. Anyway, micro tiles are a must for mosaics with kids. This avoids sharp edges that can cut little fingers.

Plant Daddy and I went to Lowe's tonight. I got Warm Grey grout, a new bottle os silicone sealer and an 18 gal Rubbermaid tote container to store a bunch of bags of grout that have been sitting around loose all winter. They need to be corralled and sealed before the rainy season.

Then Joy-O-Joy...I bought a Squash plant! I am seeing vast amounts of Zucchini Bread in the near future folks!

Then Yech-O-Yech...I bought a new mop. I hate housework, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

Tomorrow...wash kitchen floor then plant squash while the linoleum dries.

Quick jots...

On the Ides of August, somebody remind me that today I was cold!

The Orlando Sentinel has a contest running. Win $50 if they publish your slice of life story. I wrote up both me and Plant Daddy. If I don't hear from the paper, I'll publish the pieces on the blog.

Last night for Valentine's we had tempura shrimp and hush puppies. Yum!

Publix has eggplant on sale this week! Must go buy some. Can't wait till my own crop comes in. Lost the tomatoes in the freeze. Cauliflower was ok.

I started another mosaic shoe yesterday. There’s something about applying tesserae to the inside of a high heel that I find fascinating. Maybe because it ain’t easy.

First off, it took 2 weeks to get the shoe prep work done. How many people want to commit to that?

During that time I had laid out my color palate and sketched out a design. I thought I was good to go with a ladybug shoe. So yesterday, I started just after lunch.

The inside went quickly. Now that I know what to expect, I can do those insides!

After supper (turkey and pumpkin pie!), I started out across the toe. I was cutting and POLISHING each piece in an opus tessulatum pattern to get the look I wanted. It was georgeous red Bisazza!

Then everything went hay wire.

I had aimed the andemento to align with the inside of the shoe. No! Looked bad. So I took all the tesserae off and re-applied it, aiming the andemento at the toe. Better. I now had 7 hours in application on this shoe. It was 8:PM when I quit for the day.

But it kept gnawing at me. At bedtime, I asked Plant Daddy if the color palette was right.

He said he thought the interior and exterior colors were not pulling together. That’s what I had thought too. I had experimented with a lot of trim, but I knew there was a color clash.

So at 11:30PM, I went out to the studio and took all the tesserae off. I washed the shoe in the sink and I’ll start over today with a new mix.

11:30 PM!!! I'm not a mosaic addict am I?

About a dozen years ago, I was in a church study group, doing the best I could, and the group assistant leader said to me, “Your presence here is a waste of class time.”
It was extraordinarily hurtful and I changed churches over it. That pastor used to say, “People vote with their feet and with their pocketbooks.” And I did.

I got sucker punched by another group of people on Wednesday this past week. I’m thinking over my vote at the moment.

God sent me a really happy day yesterday. All these wonderful things began to flood into my life and I got really grateful and joyous. Here’s how I got happy:

1. Aunt Jo sent me a calendar with pictures of classical mosaics.
2. Sister Jean sent a thank you note for a little Christmas present and said she was keeping me in her prayers.
3. On a cold and windy day, I got the first parking slot at the mall.
4. When I got out of my car, there was an aluminum can. I nabbed it.
5. I needed a book plate. Books a million had one package left! It had a religious message.
6. Plant Daddy loves Rice Krispy treats, so I bought him one from Books a Million.
7. When I got back to the car, I found a penny with the “In God We Trust” side up. I nabbed it.
8. A book I sold on Amazon.com went for $35.00!!!
9. After I picked up John to go to the Writer’s Group, I figured we’d be forever getting out of his driveway onto 441 into 5:15 rush hour traffic. Angels must have cleared the path because there was absolutely no traffic in either direction for that moment!
10. Newcomers added a nice new balance to the writers group. We’re set to sail now.
11. Bridgette showed me a photo of the Bisazza Mini car.
12. PD and I ate chicken and rice for dinner.

I WANT IT!!!!

See more Mini's mosaiced with Bisazza

What do you know about Mosaic Mom? Here are the answers to a quiz my friend sent...

Four Jobs I’ve had:
1. Florist assistant
2. Horse Manure Salesman
3. Music store clerk


Four Movies I could watch over and over:
1. My Dinner with Andre
2. Monty Python’s Flying Circus
3. Field of Dreams


Four Places I have Vacationed:
1. Callaway Gardens
2. Sawgrass
3. Oregon


Four of My Favorite Dishes:
1. Anything eggplant- moussaka, parmesan, Sri Lankan, fried, casserole
2. Smoked and pickled fish- lox, herring, gefiltefish, sushi,mullet
3. Pasta


Four Places I would rather be:
1. In Canada near a glacier in August
2. Carradale Scotland in August
3. Alaska in August


Four Sites I visit Daily:
1. Plant Daddy
2. Absolutely Write
3. The Dilbert Blog

The Bissazza glass tiles look perfect with the leaf colors of this Ficus/ Rubber Tree Bonsai!
Bonus: The Mapei Sahara Beige grout color matches the tree bark perfectly, too.

As soon as the weather warms up, this plant needs a major pruning!

Here is where mosaic class is held. It is a perfect location! Parking is close...not too far to tote materials. And No Stairs!

Mosaics class is at one end of the room and Watercolors runs concurrently at the other end. Here is my friend Deb working on her watercolors!

Class will meet this evening. My goals are 1: to get photos! and 2: to check each student personally. I especially want to talk to my pot ladies before they start adhesives. And I had one beginner who needed to make a decision about a border before she goes any farther. Bottom line: I can't wait for class! What a fun experience.

I took parsley, mint and onions over to DiFiori's on Saturday after the rain stopped. He told me a secret! It's about CFB! Woo Hoo! This is hot stuff as far as Mom here is concerned! I was up half the night designing a project based on this new information!!! I can't wait till I have a little block of time to experiment with this.

The rest of the night I was up because I ate a ham and sauerkraut sandwich with wasabi sauce. I guess I am stupid, but it tasted good. Plant Daddy did call me "Wasabi Breath" all through the Super Bowl.

Thanks to Little Mind Escape...who breaks her Mother's heart by not blogging anymore...the poster for the art event at Discovery Gardens looks great. Hope the ladies of the committee give it approval to run!

The weather has been absolutely perfect for peas. We grew sugar pods. At first we stir fried them but now we are eating shuched peas. It takes about a week to get enough for a meal, so Saturday night is pea night.

Peas, mashed potatoes and hamburgers. Mmmmm!



Since it was rainy the last few days, I could not grout. But I will have the Bisazza bowl and a door holder up for grout tomorrow.

Yesterday I made a Herculean effort and got another big chunk of tax work done. All but two (out of nine!) of the business taxes are complete and mailed out of here. Little Mind Escape is almost ready. As for me and Plant Daddy...not even started. Sigh!

Today was a run to post office (see above), run to Bank (see above) run to Publix. The weather is lousy today but had to go. Absolutely no food left in the house...and there's good sales on beer and pizza since it's Super Bowl Sunday.

I had a nice interview with the lady in charge of artists for the Discovery Gardens event in April...where I will be showing my work. We will direct buzz along the lines of...Discover your Muse in our Gardens. Brilliant, don't you think?

Poor Mt Dora Art Festival really struggling against the bad weather. Sunday should be clear but today and tomorrow are the pits.

I yanked a ficus bonsai out of its bowl this morning and thought I could mosaic this bowl and have the plant "home" by suppertime.

Oh, way wrong!

It took me an hour and a half to do 2 rows of this Bisazza on here. The surface was a steeper curve than I calculated. Grrr!

Now I'm under pressure to finish up before the plant root ball dries out and I lose a 5 year old Bonsai!


The phones are a mess today but at least a Sprint truck has appeared!
I vacuumed the pool, Early spring has meant oak leaves a droppin'.
Anything even house work a welcome diversion from getting started on the taxes. Yech.