i have journaled for alot of my life and have to say it is a great way for processing most anything including art projects. it seems once i put the thoughts on paper all sorts of creative ideas follow along with the original thought. i usually have several creative projects going at a time. most recently i have been working on a mosaic stained glass window to go above the breezeway door. the method is really fun and simple to do. i started by cutting pieces of stained glass in all the different colors i had on hand–which was many. i cut the pieces in irregular shapes, but within a half inch to an inch. the smaller they were the more control i had over the design. then i put them in my rock tumbler with a bit of sand and tumbled the glass for 24 hours–this roughs up the edges and makes the glass look like beach glass. i haven’t told you yet that i live by the beach, so i collect beach glass on a regular basis–i love it.
after i got the glass rinsed and dryed, i started laying my design out on the clear piece of glass that i had cut to fit the window opening above the door. i knew that the edges wouldn’t show due to the framing to hold the piece secure. so i put some less than pretty pieces around the edges and worked from the center out. my glass was 36″ x 9″, if i do this again with this large of piece, i would pay extra to get a thicker clear glass for my base. the design i chose was dragonflies with rainbow type background. i glued the bits of glass down with a clear craft glue. after the glass was all glued, i let it dry for a couple of days. yesterday i grouted the piece with a dark blue grout and it is just outstanding. photos will follow in a day or so.
i want to do this same method with some 5×6 picture frames. the technique would be the same except you would already have your frame handy for installation.
i belong to an art group called eclectic artz. we are several women who love creating,, but you always have the problem of what to do with the art you create. so 2 times a year we get together and have an art show at debra’s studio. i bring small art quilts and handmade tiles and whatever else i have been playing with in my studio. one gal does pottery another does soaps. we have a fuzed glass artist and quilter and someone who works with seaweed and another who works with fimo. it’s a nice mix of folks and we have a nice following of people and friends who support our efforts. i hope to get some of thes stained glass window frames done for the show the first week in december,, so i will keep you posted and hopefully get some photos together for you to look at.
wow, this has been fun, just like my son said it would be once i started. looking forward to more. bari