The Home Stretch

I have two more chalk boards waiting to be grouted and I just don't think I'm going to make it down to the basement tonight. I've spoken with other artists about inventory and I think it's a universal feeling to think you never have enough before a show or event. I did get a few things done this week, including this Valentine chalk board.

I used lots of the great stuff I got from my antique mall adventures last weekend.

Including this great plastic vintage figurine. It may be too light to read, but the heart he is holding says, "be mine". I wonder where he came from. What was he carrying around in that heart he's holding?

The red button on the top left came from one of the jars I bought last weekend. Same with the pink, white, and red beaded earring.

Remember these vintage fruit magnets? I think just about everybody had a set of these at one time. They just look like they go in the kitchen, don't they?

I got the orange chalk holder while thrift store shopping with my mom a couple of weekends ago. I almost forgot about it and started to use another chalk holder. Glad I remembered because it fits right in with the rest of the fruit.

A strawberry and an orange.

Of course, I knocked out a few switch plates. Here's a yellow plastic cowboy who looks like he wants to raise some hell.

A plastic blue ram just may be one of the strangest things I've put in a switch plate to date. I said maybe because I'd really have to think about it to know for sure.

More vintage plastic animals. These are cream and there's a piggie, a chicken, and a lamb. More weird mosaics, but I've already used that title in a post.

I can't use this concrete pelican in a mosaic, but I couldn't pass him up. I found him in the Jessie James Antique Mall last weekend and the guy behind me told me I had my work cut out for me to repaint him. I looked at him like, "are you kidding?!" He is perfect just the way he is!! Then, he looked at me like I was very, very strange.

Concrete statues are my new favorite thing. I have a great cherub I got last year from the Curious sofa and I love the concrete head I took a picture of a couple posts down. Donnie at the River Market Antique Mall has some great ones, too. For now, I'm really enjoying my pelican just the way he is, thank you.

Morrissey

I don't usually post random thoughts or feelings, but I am so excited; I just printed out my Morrissey tickets and am going on April 7. When I was 16, I dreamt of having a son someday and naming him Morrissey. I actually ended up having two sons, neither of whom are named Morrissey. This fact, however, does not change the intense love I have for Morrissey and I have already warned my friend Katie that I will be sobbing and screaming through the first three or four songs at least. When I saw him with Brendan in 2007, he told all of his friends that I cried, lip synch and screamed through the entire concert. I think he was exaggerating.

UPDATE: Brendan read this and is wondering why I didn't name him Morrissey. He said that his first legal action as an 18 year old will be to change his name to Morrissey. Hopefully, he will outgrow this thought, just as I outgrew the thought to name him Morrissey in the first place. Stay tuned.

Don't Go Breakin' My Heart

Before heading to St. Joe yesterday to shop, Dawn and I stopped to take some pics of the window at Stuff in Brookside.

I'm super excited about the fact that the window is devoted to the promotional event I'm doing on the 31st. Here's the sign letting customers know that they can order their custom hearts today!

Meet the artist January 31st!! That's ME!!!

Some hearts in the window.

I dropped off more hearts today. Let's just say I got the post-apocalyptic look I was going for here and leave it at that.

A closer shot of "Our love will never die."

I think every girl should have a crustacean on at least one switch plate in her house, don't you?

Sorry these got out of order, but here's another shot of the window at Stuff.

Just one more!

Here's one of the big hearts I dropped off this weekend. This one is 12" long.

I had this Victorian figurine for a really long time and I was excited about using it in this piece.

Here's another 12" heart that says "swim in my ocean" and features some koi fish.

The combination of red, pink, and orange was dictated by the koi fish I used. I may do another one eventually with the fish and a blue background.

I snuck in another little magnet this weekend. I think the next thing I'll work on are some picture frames. Off I go to the basement!

St. Joe Antique Mall Heaven

My friend, Dawn, and I hit some antique malls in St. Joe yesterday. We went to The Rusty Chandelier, Jessie James Antique Mall, and the St. Joe Antique Mall. We were in it for the long haul and we had a total blast.

So many fun and unusual things.

I saw lots and lots of really cool vintage Valentines. I have to force myself to focus on things for my mosaics, but I do like to pause to check out paper-realted stuff sometimes.

Most booths I saw weren't styled particularly well; that is an art in and of itself you know. But there were some great booths with talented dealers who were great at putting it all together.

Love the concrete head.

These bubble framed old pics are fabulous. I would love to have an entire wall of them. I particularly liked this one for the man's wirey beard.

And this is my stash. I had to do some major restocking so I can work like mad this week to build my inventory before my big day Saturday the 31st. Remember, if you're in the KC area, head to Stuff with whatever broken, rusty, tarnished or chipped items you wish to repurpose into a custom mosaic for Valentine's Day!

The plastic dude holding the heart is going into a Valentine-themed chalk board. He is going to make a great chalk holder.

I found lots of great figurines to put in cement, including a couple more very vintage looking deer like I had shown in my last post.

And I love the look of old bottles. The orange alligator will be a chalk holder for a chalk board.

I have to replenish my stash quite frequently. I cram tons of fun stuff into my mosaics, broken dishes are only a part of that. I need lots of buttons, beads, vintage jewelry, and figurines to get the look I'm after. Dawn and I are already staking out our next destination!

Mosaic Machine

Jason got an ipod for Christmas and it has revolutionized the way I do mosaics. I have found that I create my best stuff while listening to podcasts of "This American Life". The Pixies and old Prince also work well. The Velvet Underground usually inspires monocramatic pieces of black or gray. I turn up the volume and submerge myself in the tile adhesive and grout.


This skull toothpick thing came from an antique show mom and I went to last weekend. It doesn't have to be Halloween; skulls are good all year round if you ask me.

The flower in the top left corner is actually a place card holder from the same antique show. The brass tag is fun. I have only four left, so I must use wisely.

Picked up the brooch at Miss Frenchies.

After the antique show, mom and I hit a couple of thrift stores. That's where I found this strange little dear. I am digging the vintage feel. Just a sprinkle of glitter pulls the frame together and furthers that vintage feel.

Mom gave me a weird look when I picked up the dear but she thinks he looks at home on this frame.

And the back of the frame.

Dash helped me out tonight while I grouted some things. He likes the paint and glitter and he's pretty good about steering clear of all the boxes of broken dishes. The basement is not exactly child friendly.

He was making this one for grammy.

I pulled apart an old folding ruler to make the roof of this birdhouse.

And anyone who collects buttons knows that these little plastic white ones accumulate quickly. I was glad to put some of them to use.

Excuse the floor grate. I took these at night and needed all the light I could get. I hate using the flash on the camera. I made this lamp recently and am still looking for the right shade. The cameo brooch is from the Mission Road Antique Mall.

This is a fun pin fashioned after the covered wagon at Southwest Trafficway and Westport Road.

I'll take another pic when I find the right shade. Now, on to the next project!!!