Bits and Pieces

Hair Pins

2012-01-30T18:54:00.000-08:00

Orange Lilies Mosaic Heart - Can be personalized

2012-01-08T19:04:00.000-08:00

This Heart measures roughly 7x 4.5 inches. It can be personalized with a name or names in the oval at the right top side. It has a sawtooth hanger on the back.

Red, White & Green Heart

2012-01-08T18:59:00.000-08:00

This Heart measures roughly 7 x 4.5 inches. It can have a hanger on the back or felt pads for use on a table top.

Michele's Pink Mosaic Heart - Sold

2012-01-06T19:32:00.000-08:00

Tiny Teapots

2011-12-06T15:11:00.000-08:00

Please include your phone number and e-mail with your order so I can contact you about color preferences. Remember each Tiny Teapot Ornament is hand made and no two will ever be exactly alike.

Please visit my artfire site at http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/MM-Fractured-Designs where you will find these and other Tiny Treasures designs available to purchase.

Beloved Mosaic

2011-06-06T20:17:00.000-07:00

This is my current project called "Beloved" It is about 2.5 feet by 4 feet. I still have a long way to go but it is coming along nicely.

I have been posting regular updates on my facebook page. I should probably also post them here.

Examples of my Mosaic Classes

2011-01-28T17:34:00.000-08:00

I put together this book to show examples of some of the kinds of classes that I can offer. I offer these classes at the Pottery Shed in Cheney Washington. I can also do many of them in a home party type setting around your kitchen table. Private instruction works best in my studio which is currently located in down town Spokane.

Open publication - Free publishing - More mosaic classes

Commission - Name Sign

2011-01-13T12:55:00.000-08:00

This is one of my current commission projects.
I am waiting on the couple to set the wedding date and I will paint that and their first names in the hearts and cover them with clear glass. I still have a lot of tan triangle for the background to finish.
Backgrounds on big projects are not nearly as exciting as laying down the main design.
The edges and the heart are from plate edges.
I'm thinking a dark grout would be nice.

A Variety of 2011 Color Predictions

2010-12-28T20:37:00.000-08:00

I was wondering about what this years colors might be. So I got off on a bit of a rabbit trail searching the web to see what the color experts were predicting. I pulled together the sheet to the left with the colors I found at various sites. I did include the sources so you can go directly to them and gain more wisdom from their pages. I put the page together more for my own benefit to use with my photo shop color picker when designing cards or choosing glass for projects in 2011. It seems that the experts are pretty much in agreement about the color trends. It seems to me that the colors across the board are bold but a wee bit muted. I do like the beautiful bright Pantone 2011 color called Honeysuckle. I think I can have fun using some of these colors during 2011.

Mosaic Snowflakes

2010-10-20T16:57:00.000-07:00

Each one is unique like a Snow Flake

Close Up of one of the snowflakes.

Autumn Amber Harvest Gold

2010-10-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

Autumn Amber Harv...

Curated By: MM-Fractured-...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

2010-08-10T20:43:00.003-07:00

Have A Heart

Curated By: MM-Fractured-...

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Paintings

2010-05-04T14:10:00.001-07:00

Emily's Rocking Horse

2010-05-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

This is the rocking horse I have made as a gift for my sisters graduation from veterinary school.
I have done a similar design of waving wheat on each side and then painted the horse body a gloss rich brown and the rocker rails gloss black. The mosaic parts have been grouted with back glitter grout, and high gloss glazed. For finishing touches I added the tan curtain tie reigns complete with little dragon fly charms.
At this point the only thing I might add is a metal plate on the rocker engraved with my sisters name and graduation date. I found this horse at a thrift store it originally had pink rails and the horse was white and had a pink heart on its back hip. This horse has gone from ho hum to high class.

The Watts Towers

2010-01-02T22:47:00.000-08:00

Today I went to the Watts Towers - They are simply amazing. I am on vacation and will have photos to add to this post when I get home. I think what was most astounding to me was that one little guy, Simon Rodia wanted to build something big. He worked a job all day and then came home and spent his evenings and weekends for 30 years building his work of art. Using simple hand tools and wire mesh and coat hanger like wire and cement and steel rods and lots and lots off glass tile and other found materials he worked all by himself to build his towers.

I thought it was funny when I was asked where I would like to go that some of my relative laughed that I would want to go see the Watts Towers. My dad and his wife were very gracious to take me on this little adventure. I was not sure what we would find. Some thought the place had been torn down. I wondered if we would find the place in shambles. I was so pleased to find the towers not only being preserved but a art center had been build near by with galleries, artists in residence, class rooms, a community garden. What one man spent year building all by him self has been maintained by many people through the years who have fought to preserve and support the towers.

I often think about people who speak long after their days on this earth are finished. Musicians, and writers, artists, people who were part of making great changes. Today I met another such person in Simon Rodia. He was an Italian immigrant, who did not have and abundance of money.
He worked all day as a cement finisher and tile maker and came home and worked on his project. Little by little day by day, year after year he created. He did not come home and watch tv or play on his computer - he worked on his art. He had no great advantage of position, power, family, or even training. He worked his way across the country as a young man and learned to work with cement and tile at his jobs. He worked hard. Its not just a collection of random stuff. There is remarkable beauty and design. It is hard to find the words to express the impact that it had on me today as I walked around in the completed vision of a fellow mosaic artist.
What legacy will I have to leave? When Simon started his work he was about my age. What will I accomplish of lasting value in the next 30 years?

This is truly a treasure that one really should experience first hand. I will post photos but they will not do justice to this remarkable work of art.

Mini Mosaic Birdhouse Project Kit

2009-09-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

Most folks can do this in about an hour to place and glue the glass + about an hour for grouting and finishing on another day. All the glass is pre cut and there is plenty of extra for you to make your own variation to the design. Glass does have rough edges and children should be supervised by an adult. Click here for the free project sheet.

Each kit costs $10 + shipping use the buttons above or you may contact me through my web site At my web site use the contact box to let me know how many kits you want and I will e-mail or call you the total price including shipping. I use USPS $4.95 small flat rate boxes for shipping.
I can get up to 4 kits in one small flat rate box and the shipping price remains the same.
I hand make each of these kits and I only have a total of 8 of this kit available.
So - don't delay - order yours today!

Mini Bird House Kit and Video

2009-09-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

This is a mini bird house project I did. Price is $10.00 + shipping
It has the wood back ground the glass and plate edges, glue, grout, a finger clot, grout, a stir stick and glitter sealer. This project requires no glass cutting.
If you go to this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CNjuumE2Zw you will find a video that walks you through this project. This video is walks you through the basic steps of grouting and is a good example no matter what small project you are working on.

Marin's Memoral Wall

2009-08-08T18:11:00.000-07:00

I recently received an e-mail from Jody Mangue all the way in Costa Rica. She had visited my mosaic site and wrote me a nice note with some questions about a mirror she wants to make. In her letter she shared about the mosaic memorial that was made as a tribute to her daughter Marin who died at the age of 16. The mural was made by Marin's friend Emily Easton. Jody writes in her note to me "In the afternoon when the sun sets, the light hits my house which is a gold and stucco colored and that reflects in the mirrors on the mural, so it is as if the mural lights up, we did not account for that."
Jody's e-mails touched my heart and I wanted to share a bit of it with you. Life is so precious and none of us really knows the length of our days or the number of days we will share with those we love. Marin has a memorial web-site as well www.marin-ebel.memory-of.com
Thank you Jody for writing me and sharing Marin's Memoral Wall.

Don't know what to call this one

2009-08-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

This piece is bordered with hand nipped plate edges. There is a glass heart hung on a string of pink millefiori. The rest is hand nipped stained glass.
I can't decide what to name this one. Angel with flower, Angel Girl, Beauty and Grace,

Hummingbirds

2009-08-07T12:01:00.001-07:00

The humming birds that grace my feeders each day have been the inspiration for a number of hummingbird mosaics this summer.

Delphi $5 Off Coupon

2009-06-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

Chinese Checkers

2009-03-19T22:19:00.000-07:00

This is the Chinese Checkers game board that I finished recently. There are baby dragons in each corners surrounded by flowers. It is roughly 2 feet by 2 feet.

Dragon Flies

2009-01-27T15:18:00.000-08:00

Mosaic Dragon Flies

As I look out my window at a world covered with snow, dragonflies seem as like a dream from a different time.

Dragonflies are such interesting creatures. I had fun making both of these. In the one with the flowers I was trying to express the tie between the flowers of the field and this unique insect. The other I was enjoying the color and the use of various shapes to denote the very prismatic way light seems to glisten on the body and wings of a dragon fly.

I drew several sketches to make the wooden base cut out. You can see that the two are flipped versions of the same pattern. I may try to make the point where the wings join the body thinner next time.

Mosaic Greeting Cards

2008-02-27T13:39:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to have my mosaics in the form of greeting cards. I have written the verses on the cards and put them together on photo shop.
You can click on the widget to the right to get to my shop. As of today I have about 30 beautiful cards and I am adding more about every day.

Dragon Fly Game Board #2 - Detail of Dragon Fly

2008-02-15T17:00:00.001-08:00

So here is a detail of one of the two dragon fly corners. You can see the clusters of white beads in this photo.

Dragon Fly Game Board #2

2008-02-15T16:52:00.000-08:00

Here is my second Wahoo -Dragon Fly Game Board. I used glass, lady bugs, glass pebbles, squiggles and metal washers and some beads.

Marble Solitare Game

2008-02-01T11:55:00.000-08:00

This is your clasic jump a peg or marble game. There is one empty hole and you jump marbles trying to leave just one. This is a nice gift idea for those folks who have everything. These games are one of a kind each mosaic is unique. I have this one photographed with some Brown "Mummy" marbles but it looks very nice with green or yellow or orange mables.
This game is priced at $25.oo and includes the marbles shown unless you request an alternate color. I can always a make similar style game using your color choices.

Nine Mens Morris - Marble Game Board

2008-02-01T11:33:00.001-08:00

This is a game called "Nine Mens Morris" or "Mill".
Having played it quite regularly with my youngest son, it is simple to see why it has stood the test of time. The game can be traced back to ancient Egypt.

I have yet to grout this board - can't quite decide what color to use. On one hand I don't want to loose the detail or make it too busy looking.

The object of the game is to create Mills (3 marbles in a row) Each time you do you capture one of the other guys marbles. Very fun - takes a bit of strategy to win.

Dragon fly Game Board - detail

2008-02-01T11:09:00.000-08:00

This is the dragon fly detail. I love how the lady bugs and flower add a little texture to the board. The four corners are grouted with black sanded grout and the center is grouted with butter cream white. I love how the game boards have a functional or fun aspect to them while still being a beautiful art converstaion piece that is beautiful on the dining room table, or a coffe table. Let me know if you have a game idea or would like to have me do a commissioned mosaic game board for your home or office.
Please visit my web site at www-mm-fractured-designs.com
You will find a contact box that you can let me know your contact information and I would be happy to call or e-mail you regarding your ideas and prices.

Marble Game Board - Dragon Fly Revenge

2008-02-01T10:14:00.000-08:00

This is my first game board, I like to call this one Dragon Fly Revenge. My children had played this game during the summer. They had simply called it "The Marble Game" As I researced it on line it seems that it is actually a game called Wahoo that had a number of popular spin offs through the years. Some of the more popular names are Aggrevation, Parcheesi, Sorry.

We have it sitting on our coffee table and everyone loves playing a quick game. So this is the game that got me started making game boards. One game has led to another and another. My youngest son has a great love for strategy games and delights in generally beating the rest of us. He also enjoys helping me try out new games and game ideas. We like games with a bit of challenge that play fast so you can play a second game if you want to play longer. I will post some of our other games as they are completed. I have about 12 in various stages of completion.

Grandma's Tea Cup #2

2007-12-15T19:36:00.001-08:00

Again this is a tea cup that belonged to my grandmother. I was so thrilled to find her china still existed in my mother's storage. There were a few pieces that had cracks and chips - darn-
Well you know I could not resist using them for a mosaic or two. This one still needs to be grouted - I just have to decide which color will make it look the best. It is amazing how the grout color changes things. This one uses more of my familiar style of mosaic glass work using the bits of china as accent pieces.
I like the word love at the top and will have to try this tecnique with some other words on future pieces. Well I am back to my studio to start Tea Cup #3 and #4. I have 4 frames after all.

Grandma's Tea Cup #1

2007-12-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

This frame is using my grandmother's china, and stained glass. I still need to grout it - I am thinking I will uses either green or mauve grout.

I have been so busy with moving and getting settled that it has been nearly 2 months since I have felt inspired to do any new new work. So I am excited to share this piece called Grandma's Tea Cup #1 I took one plate and 1 tea cup to do this design. I will probably put my grandmothers photo in it when it is grouted. I will be sure to post the complete photo soon.

I would be happy to do simmilar commision pieces using your special china for a tea cup memorial.

My New Studio

2007-11-25T18:31:00.001-08:00

This is my new studio. You can see my bulletin boards to hang all my little bits of glass that I've cut. There are also many jars of glass at various levels of being processed into shapes and sizes that I often use in projects.
I have a nice "L" shaped work space with my cutting tools to the side under the jars of glass. My studio is in our family room so I can work while the family watches movies.
I'm looking forward to having time to work. Most of what I have done for the past month has been moving.

On the snow chains - they got to go back to the store. We by the grace of God when through the passes between snow storms.

Snow Tire Chain Project

2007-11-02T17:32:00.000-07:00

Well packing is coming along pretty well. I keep thinking at least one room ought to be empty but everywhere there are boxes and disassembled stuff. I am looking forward to loading the truck on November 12th. Actually I am looking forward to being done with un loading and having stuff put away and being able to think about the holidays.

I found out today that the truck company does not supply snow chains required by law for crossing the mountain passes. So I am buying snow chains and if they are un opened I can return them. If I have to open them I am going to have to find some creative way to use them. They would be strong enough to hold a heavy mosaic... Lets all pray for good weather so the chains can go back to the store.

Still hoping to grout those pieces that I did while on vacation. I also want to pack up my studio tomorrow. That should be fun as well as incentive to get the grouting completed.

My Portable Studio

2007-10-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

I actually got quite a lot done while on vacation. My portable studio worked out very well. I had enough bits and pieces of glass with me and I was able to find a number of interesting objects at thrift stores and during the community fair that I had plenty to work on. Now if you add to that we learned while on vacation that we would be moving. I find I have had no time to work on anything except loading boxes, packing and cleaning. I look forward to getting settled in our new home and having time to work. It is amazing how moving kind of brings everything to a screeching halt. Anyway I have a number of pieces that need to be grouted. Maybe this Saturday I will have finished enough cleaning and packing to take some time out to grout before I pack my studio in boxes to be moved to its new location.

The Gift Makes The Way for the Giver...

2007-10-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

Yeasterday I boxed up all my completed mosaics to give to Elizabeth from the new Earth Artisin Gallary in Tenino, Wa. She will not open untill early November but is in the process of gathering everyones work. I am very excited to have a place to display and sell my work where it is possible for people to see it on a regular basis. I have been praying about this for quite a while- and basicly trusting that when the time was right - doors would begin to open. I believe strongly that "the gift makes the way for the giver even ushering them before kings". My gift is making a way for me it will be interesting to see where it takes me over the course of time.

Today we leave on vacation and I have my traveling glass studio with me - I have about 12 small reflective abstract pieces that I would like to complete while I am away. Plus there is always mindless cutting of tear drops, leaves and little rectangles and triangles that seem to be the main shapes I use. This is a great activity while my family is watching movies. With my home made glass cutting box I can cut just about anywhere with out making a mess.

Delphi Prizes

2007-10-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

These are the prizes I recieved from Delphi Glass.
I won 3 place in thier 2007 Glass Festival in the mosaic catagory.

Waiting Angel

2007-10-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

Angel Wins 3rd Place in Delphi Glass Festival. You can visit the winners page at the following link. http://www.delphiglass.com/index.cfm?page=agf_winners.
You can see more pictures of this angel in my mosaic gallery.

Wedding Gift

2007-10-04T14:21:00.000-07:00

I used a beveled oval mirror and painted the words directly on the mirror. I then covered the mirror with clear mosaic glass. The flowers were similar to the ones on the Wedding invitation. I wanted it to be a beautiful personalized mosaic keepsake.

If you would like to commission a similar project please visit my web site at http://mm-fractured-designs.com
and use the contact box to send me an e-mail with your contact information and ideas.

A project like this would cost about $75.00

Angel of Restoration

2007-10-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

This is a mosaic that I have done for my friends at TMTL (Truly Motivated Transitional Living).
A ministry where Men from all walks of life and various degrees of addiction choose to make TMTL their home. The truth of recovery and God's love is being taught and lived in the TMTL houses.

Welcome

2007-10-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Bits and Pieces, my mosaic blog. I have been trying to make it easier to regularly up date the blogs listed on my website www.mm-fractured-designs. I think this is going to make it much easier to post photos and share about my thoughts regarding the mosaic process, and some of the lessons I have learned about how God can take our broken pieces and put them together in a whole new way.