Great Giveaway from Lampwork Diva-Glass Pearls

I love this blog.  She's got great posts and gorgeous lampwork beads.  And right now she's doing a giveaway of some glass pearls she got from Auntie's Beads.  You don't have to do much to be entered.  Just subscribe to her YouTube channel and blog about it.  So be sure to check it out.  It's Lampwork Diva.
And if you're looking for some great Glass Kreationz for your Home or Garden, be sure to check out my shops, Etsy-KayzKreationz or Artfire-KayzKreationz.  My Glass Kreationz also make great gifts.

Unspoken

This is a great new song by my youngest son. Check it out and see what you think. I miss his guitar playing around the house. He took some lessons, but mainly taught himself. He can hear a song and then just start playing it. But he also likes writing songs of his own.

Total Lunar Eclipse and some Pictures

I wasn't sure I wanted to stay up late enough to see the lunar eclipse last night, but when my phone beeped and woke me up, I figured why not.  Especially since the next one won't be until 2014.  I got my camera out and got a few pictures of it, although with the lateness, they're not as good as I hoped.  Plus, I didn't have a tripod handy.  But it was exciting anyway.  I'd heard it would be red, but I never saw any red.  I may have missed it, since I finally gave up at about 2:00 a.m. and went back to bed.  I figured I'd seen the first half, that was enough.  Anyway, here's my pictures.  In the last one, you have to look really close, but you can see just the last shadow of the moon before it's completely covered.

KayzKreationz is Featured

I recently was contacted by Brandy at Giveaway Blogdom for a feature.  She sent me the questions and I answered them as best I could, hopefully without boring anyone.  If you'd like to read the feature about KayzKreationz, check out Giveaway Blogdom and find out more about me and my Glass Kreationz for your Home and Garden.
If you're looking for something in Glass check out my shop, KayzKreationz.

Thanks all and enjoy.

Etsy Texas Style Treasury-Blue Fused Glass Strip Plate

Another great treasury!  My Blue Fused Glass Strip Plate is in the Etsy Texas Style Treasury!  This little plate makes a great little serving dish, jewelry holder, candy dish, candle holder.  Whatever you need it can be used for.  It's made of 2 different shades of blue and a light mauve glass.  The edges are beveled, and it's slightly slumped for a shallow dish.  Anyone that loves blue would love this dish.  Be sure to check it out in my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz.  You can also check out the Etsy Texas Style Treasury and give it some love, or find some other great items all made by Texans and in Texas shops.

Liquor Bottle Fan/Light Pulls-Cute gifts-In a Treasury

What a nice surprise!  I woke up this a.m. to a message that my Liquor Bottle Light/Fan pulls were featured in a Treasury.  Gifts for Men-Under $20  Check it out and click on the picture of the Liquor Bottles to go right to my shop to purchase one for yourself or someone else.
For other great Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass Kreationz for your Home or Garden you can also check out my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz or my Artfire shop, KayzKreationz.  I know you'll find a Glass Kreationz you can't live without. LOL.

Another Giveaway-Earrings by Frasapeas

Love earrings?  I do.  Seems like I never have enough earrings.  That's why this giveaway is SO Great!  It's not for just one pair, but 2 pairs of earrings by Frasapease!  She's giving away her "Margaret" earrings AND Gold Filled Smoky Quartz Tear Drop earrings!  These are so adorable.  So check out the giveaway and see if you're a winner.  It's at MintGreenWithEnvy.

Plus if you're looking for some great Glass Kreationz for your Home, Garden or as gifts for friends and family, check out my Glass shop, KayzKreationz.  I know you'll find something you just can't live without, like this cute Mosaic Birdhouse Birdfeeder.

KayzKreationz talks about a Soft-Flex Wire Giveaway

If you love craft wire, you'll love this giveaway by Soft-Flex on Andrew Thornton's blog.  He's giving away 6 spools of their craft wire this Tuesday.  It is peel and scratch resistant and also is clear coated to prevent tarnishing.  They have over 20 colors of craft wire, plus bare copper and vintage bronze.  This wire is great if you have metal allergies, too, since it is lead and nickel free.  And, it's made in the USA!  So check out this giveaway.  But don't leave too many comments, because I'd really like to win those 6 spools. LOL

Bud Lite Beer Bottle Windchime-Recycled

I love making these windchimes.  They're made out of Beer Bottles-Recycled.  I take the labels off, clean the bottles well, fire them slowly in my kiln with wire fused in them for hanging.  Once they've cooled, I take them out, clean them and decoupage the labels back on with a decoupage glue.  Then I hang them from a piece of driftwood from our small Texas ranch with strong fishing line and then use screw eyes and chain to hang the entire windchime.  Everybody seems to have a favorite.  And these seem to be a favorite with my customers.  I even did one this summer for a lady here in Texas.  It had a Coors Lite, Miller Lite and Bud Lite bottle for her "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" area in her home.  These make great gifts and look great hanging either in your home or outside on your deck/porch.  But, I have to warn you, they make LOTS of noise. LOL.  Also, if you're hanging them outside, you may want to seal the tops of the bottles so water doesn't get down in them and freeze and break your bottles. (I learned this the hard way.  The man I bought my first set from didn't tell me that.)  The Bud Lite Beer Bottle Windchime-Recycled can be purchased in my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz.  I'm currently also working on a Corona Beer Bottle windchime.
And for more Glass Kreationz for your Home or Garden, check out my shop, KayzKreationz.

Will that Be Paper, Plastic, Canvas...Treasury

I love Etsy Treasuries! I was convoed last night that my Blue Fused Glass Striped Plate was in an Etsy Treasury, Will that Be Paper, Plastic, Canvas, etc. There's some great things in that treasury.  Why not check it out and maybe you'll find something you just can't live without.  Or you may find a great gift for yourself or someone else. 
If you're looking for some great Glass Kreationz for your Home or Garden, you can check out my Blue Fused Glass Striped Plate in the treasury or other glass in my shop, KayzKreationz.  Enjoy!

Andrews Reclaimed Giveaway

I love this shop, Andrews Reclaimed.  He makes mason bee nests, wooden seed trays, painting panels, dog feeders, and much more from eco-friendly repurposed wood.  I've gotten a couple of things from him and love them.  And right now he's holding his first ever giveaway on his blog.  You can win a $50 credit in his Etsy shop by entering.  It's very easy.  So check out his giveaway on his blog by clicking on the title to this post.  Or check out his shop Andrews Reclaimed.  You'll love his things too.
And for Glass Kreationz for your Home and Garden, check out my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz for Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass Kreationz.  They make great gifts for yourself and your friends and loved ones.
Be sure to follow my blog for more great Glass Kreationz ideas, interviews on other Etsy shops, our Texas ranch wildlife management and more.

Liquor Bottle Fan/Light Pulls-Cute gifts

I love these little liquor bottle fan/light pulls. It's hard to find miniature liquor bottles that are glass though. But I finally found some while we were in South Texas.  And after "having" to drink the liquor that was in them, I was able to wash the bottles, soak the labels off and fire them in my kiln with a piece of brass ball chain in them to make the fan/light pulls. After they're fired, I have to put the labels back on them.  That is sometimes difficult to do and make them look good. But I think these turned out pretty good.  There's 3 different types of Tequila bottles and a Brandy bottle.  So if you're looking for something unique for your own home or for a unique gift, these are just the ticket.
If you're looking for something for your Home or Garden, I also make Stained Glass, Mosaic and other Fused Glass Kreationz for your Home and Garden, that are listed in my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz.  Be sure to check it out.

WooHoo! 200 Followers-Giveaway between 250-300 followers

Wow! When I checked in on my blog tonight, I realized I had finally hit 200 followers! I did a little happy dance.  I've been trying to get to 200 followers for quite a while.  I love blogging about my Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass Kreationz for Home and Garden.  Plus I really like blogging about our small Texas ranch and the wildlife management we do.  I was just waiting to get to 200 followers so I could announce that somewhere between 250 and 300 followers I'm going to do a Glass or Bead giveaway.  So if you want your chance to win either a glass piece or a beaded piece, just keep following my blog and checking in.  I'd especially like it if you leave a comment on any post you really enjoy.

Meanwhile, you can check out some of my Glass Kreationz for your Home or Garden in my shop, KayzKreationz on Etsy or KayzKreationz on Artfire.  You may find something you can't live without right now.  Here's a couple of pics of some other glass I've gotten done and just need to list.  Enjoy.

If you're interested in either one of these before I get them listed, leave me a comment with a way to contact you and I can let you know price and shipping.  They'd love to find a new home.  The first is a lovely little Fused Glass windchime on a piece of driftwood from our ranch.  And the second is a small Purple Fused Glass vase/tealight candle holder.

Treasuries!

In a thread in the forums on Etsy tonight, someone explained that you could go to "Treasury" and put your name in the search box to see if you'd been listed in any Treasuries.  Since I hadn't heard that I'd been put in any, I decided to search.  And I was tickled to see that in the last few weeks my glass had been put in 2 different treasuries! Yay! The first is for the "Handmade Artist Forum Twitter Ring".  This is a team I belong to, and we've formed a twitter ring to tweet about other Handmade Artist's shops and such.  The curator of this treasury put my Stained Glass Mosaic Birdhouse feeder in this one.  I love making Glass Kreationz for Home and Garden, so this is one of my favorite items.  If you're looking for something for a friend or family member that loves gardening and feeding the birds, this is just the ticket for you.
The second Treasury is "Poinsettia" and the curator put my Stained Glass Poinsettia panel in it.  If you love Poinsettia's, the color red, or Stained Glass, this panel is for you.  It would look great adorning your wall or window.

If you're looking for something else for your Home or Garden, be sure to check out my shop, KayzKreationz.  I also do some beading and wire work and have some jewelry, pendants listed.  Thanks again to those that included my glass in their treasuries.

The Turkeys are Back!

I was so excited.  While getting some work done around, in, and outside the house we heard our turkeys gobbling out back.  Went to look out the window and there they were!  Somewhere between 8 and 10 of them in the pasture behind the house.  We hear them quite often, but this is only about the 3rd time or so we've been able to get some pictures of them.  The deer were not sure they liked the turkeys being out in "their" pasture.  LOL  And I don't think they quite knew what they were and what was going on.  Or that they trusted them.  But my hubby was able to get some pretty good pictures of them in the pasture. 
We do wildlife managment on our small 30 acre ranch and it is so exciting and gratifying to see that our efforts are paying off.  We have to plant grasses, seeds, plants and other food supplies.  Plus provide water and shelter to attract the wildlife. Since we have a small acreage, we mainly manage for small wildlife, butterflies, birds, etc.  Although we have lots of deer, they don't consider our acreage large enough to manage for them.  But they've never been trying to drive down my drive in the evening and watching the 10-15 deer that are ALWAYS along the road and in the pasture on either side of the drive.
Hope you can see them and enjoy the pictures.

Working in the Yard-Finally!

After being gone for so long, my yard really went to pot.  Most of the plants died and everything grew over.  Since I've been back, I've been working mainly in the house, trying to get it back in shape.  But I finally couldn't stand it anymore.  And even though the temps been 100 and over and the heat index has been anywhere from 105-110, I braved the sun and heat to go work in the yard.  My first project was to get the bed around my miniature crepe myrtle all weeded out, the fire ants gone (got bit several times for that effort), plastic down around everything and remulched.  Then I found a great RED Lantana and my little pot from Mexico that lays on it's side, which I planted with some Blue Daze and Rose Moss.  Finally, got my hubby to go with me to the Landfill, which now has compost and mulch for sale and got a load on the trailer to bring home and mulch everything.  And Voila!  At least one bed is done.  Now to get the rest of the 1-acre yard redone!  But I love it.  Hope you enjoy the pics.

And if you're looking for some great Glass Kreationz for your Home or Garden be sure to check out KayzKreationz for that unique addition.

New Blog Background

Some of you may have noticed my background has changed.  I'm still trying to decide if this is the one I want to keep or another one I really liked.  The problem with the other one is, I'm not sure if all my posts would show up properly with the colors in it.  So I may switch back and forth for a little while and see which one seems to get more comments, yay or nay.  Anyway, "the cutest blog on the block" moved all their backgrounds to another site and sent out notices that we would be losing our backgrounds last week or before.  I was gone and couldn't get around to checking them out.  But I finally did last night and made the choice to change completely and chose between this one and one other for 3-Column backgrounds.  I hope you like it. Keep checking back.  You may see a different one before long or like I said, they may switch back and forth.
And if you're looking for some great Glass Kreationz for your home or garden, check out my shop, KayzKreationz.  Thanks.

"It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" Beer Bottle windchime

Woohoo! I got my first Custom request. A customer on Etsy convo'd my shop, KayzKreationz, and asked about a custom Beer Bottle windchime. She has a "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" area on her back porch/deck and wanted a beer bottle windchime, like the Miller Lite one I had listed some time back. But she wanted a Miller Lite, Bud Lite, and Coors Lite bottle on it. (One of each) I got the bottles fired fairly quick, but it took me a while to find a suitable piece of "driftwood" from off our small Texas ranch to hang it from. I finally got it finished today and listed for her. She loves it. So if you're interested in something similar, just post here, convo me on Etsy or tweet me: KayzKreationz and I'll be glad to make you your own Custom Beer Bottle windchime. (If I have the bottles, since I'm not a big beer drinker.) :) Here's a pic or two and a link if you want to check it out. Enjoy.

And for more Glass Kreationz for your home or garden be sure to check out my Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass in my shop, KayzKreationz.

A Greenie Bead Giveaway

I just found this great giveaway for beads from JenJuddRocks blog.  Click on the title or here to get there.  She's got a great one going.  After mentioning great features in some magazines, she's offering a giveaway for 2 people of some great beads.  So be sure to check it out.
And if you're looking for some already finished jewelry (mainly wire-wrapped) or some great Glass Kreationz for your home or garden, check out my shop, KayzKreationz to find something you just can't live without.  I feature Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass items, plus some jewelry.  Thanks for stopping by.

Turquoise Copper wire-wrapped Donut Pendant

Well, I was trying to list this pendant last night for sale in my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz. But evidently Etsy was having issues. And this is the pendant I was going to feature for Saturday Blog Shopping this week. So I'm featuring it today anyway for the Shopping event and if Etsy gets over it's issues, I'll get it listed today or tomorrow. It's a great Turquoise Donut pendant that's been wire-wrapped with copper wire and glass beads. It makes a fun, funky piece of jewelry for the adventurous person. The copper wire swirls, coils, vines and wraps all around the turquoise donut to make a unique pendant. The Turquoise isn't real, as far as I know, but it's a really nice donut pendant anyway. You'll love this pendant. If you're interested in it and it's not listed in my shop, yet, leave me a comment here or convo me and as soon as Etsy is over it's issues, I'll set up a listing for you.  It's going to be priced at $30.00 with $6.50 shipping for the U.S. and $8.00 for Everywhere Else.
And while you're at it, be sure to check out my Glass Kreationz for your home and garden. Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass items really set off your home and your garden. They're all at KayzKreationz.

Adorable Girl Accessories

Recently on the Saturday Blog Shopping network, one of the great Etsy shops, was offering a giveaway for her special and I won!  ChiggerHillCottage makes the most adorable little girl accessories.  Although she is closed for the summer, you can check out her shop and sign up to be notified when she returns so you too can get in on the exciting accessories she has for little girls.  And although I don't have any little girls of my own, I knew exactly who I was going to give my winnings to.  It was an adorable bow holder, made to look like a little girl with pigtails.  You just clip your girl's bows and clips onto the braids/pigtails and keep them all in one place.  But she also sent an out of this world, very professionally made bow along with the holder as an "extra".  By now I was wishing I wore bows in my hair!  LOL.  But they made great gifts for 2 little girls that are very special to me.  To get a peek at her fantastic accessories, here's a pic of the 2 great things I won.  And be sure to sign up for her notification that she's open again.
In the meantime, if you're looking for some great Glass Kreationz for your home or garden, be sure to check out my shop for your newest Stained Glass, Mosaics or Fused Glass home/garden decor, KayzKreationz.

Recycled Wine Bottle Serving Dish in "Stop Whining" Treasury

Woohoo!  It's been a while since any of my glass got featured in a treasury.  But I got a surprise convo this a.m. that my Recycled Wine Bottle Serving Dish was being featured in the "Stop Whining" treasury.  Here's a small peek at what the treasury looks like, but if you're really interested, click on the title of this post and it will take you right to the treasury to see some other great wine themed items.  You'll love them.  And if you're interested, the recycled Wine Bottle serving dish is the only one I have right now, so if you've been dying for one of these, you better hurry and order it.  And for other great Glass Kreationz for your home and garden, check out my shop, KayzKreationz.  Have fun.

Special for this weekend-Saturday Blog Shopping

Things have been so busy, I haven't had much time this last week or so to get anything new listed.  So this weekend, I'm offering 10% off of the jewelry on my site.  You can check out Mom's jewelry/bracelet here, my Dichroic glass pendants here, or my Jasper and Copper wire wrapped pendant here.  If you're interested, just convo me about the piece you'd like with the code: SBS and I'll either re-price the piece for you or send you a new invoice.

And for more Glass Kreationz for your home or garden be sure to check out the rest of KayzKreationz for unique Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass Kreationz.   

And be sure to check back later this weekend or early next week for a fun, new wire-wrapped pendant.  Have fun.

One more great giveaway to check out

Be sure to check out this great giveaway.  She's having a sale in her Etsy shop, too, LiciaBeadsVault.  You'll love her supplies.  She has some fantastic jasper focals as well as lots of other great beads.  You could get lost in there. LOL  Giveaway ends tonight, so you'd better hurry.
And for some great wire-wrapped jewelry with shells, stones, copper wire and such, be sure to check out my shop, KayzKreationz.

Win 4 Bars of Cranberry Glycerin and Coconut Oil Soap.

Check out this blog for a great giveaway.   She's giving away 4 bars of her Cranberry Glycerin and Coconut Oil Soap.  The giveaway only lasts until July 5th, so hurry.  I love handmade soap, and you will too if you win this great giveaway.
And while you're at it, my little red fused glass bowl would make a great little soap holder for your new soaps if you win.  You can check it out at KayzKreationz.

Best Bead Giveaway!

Wow, this is a great giveaway!  If you love to bead or are just getting started with beading like I am, be sure to check out her great bead giveaway.  It has over $350.00 worth of beads in the stash.  You can click on the title link or here.  You do have to be a resident of the U.S., though.  Enjoy.

And if you're looking for a great gift for your home, check out my Stained Glass, Mosaics, Fused Glass shop with gifts for your home and garden, KayzKreationz.

Purple Baroque Etched Flower Stained Glass Panel-Saturday Blog Shopping

It's that time again.  And this week I'm featuring a brand new Stained Glass panel just listed in my shop, KayzKreationz.  It is Purple Baroque Glass with an Etched Flower Bevel right in the center of the panel.  It ties in with my love for flowers and gardening.  And purple is such a royal color.  The center has decorative soldering around the Flower Etched Bevel.  And the edge is brass ball chain soldered to the edge and then patinad to match the rest of the soldering.  If you love flowers, stained glass or just want a unique gift for yourself or a loved one be sure to check this one out. 
And don't forget to check the rest of the Blogs participating in our Saturday Blog Shopping network by clicking on the button to the right.

"Roses" Fused Glass Garden marker-Saturday Blog Shoppers feature

In honor of Spring/Summer, my feature this week for the Saturday Blog Shoppers is my newest listing.  It's my "Roses" Fused Glass Garden marker.  It's an adorable little pink rose fused glass oval that can be hung from a hook or stake of some kind to mark the roses, either in your garden, or in a pot, if you have one of those miniature roses.  The hook that's fused in it has been dressed up a little with a green ribbon to hide the hook.  If you love gardening and plants, this is a cute addition to either your garden or your potted plants.  You can check it out here or in my shop, KayzKreationz, with the rest of my glass kreationz/creations for your home and garden.
And for some more great handcrafted items check out the other blogs in the Saturday Blog Shoppers group by clicking on the button to the right.
Happy Shopping.

Dichroic Glass Wire Wrapped Pendants-Saturday Blog Shoppers

For this Saturday I'm featuring my Dichroic Glass Pendants.  I love Dichroic Glass.  The shimmer and shine just really add to your bling.  These are Dichroic Glass Donut Cabs.  They have been wire-wrapped in a black wire so as not to take away from the Bling of the Glass.  One is Black and the other is a Pinkish  Purple.  You'll love wearing one of these.  So check out these Wire-Wrapped Dichroic Glass Donut Cabs or my shop KayzKreationz for other great Glass Kreationz for your Home or Garden.  And check out the other great Saturday Blog Shoppers blogs for some great gifts by clicking on the link to the right.  And for this weekend only, if you convo me with SBS (for Saturday Blog Shoppers) I'll give you 10% off!  But wait for me to send you a revised invoice or change the listing for you.  Thanks.

Check out this great Giveaway

Solange from JewelrybySolange & BeadieandThings has decided to do a dual feature on both Latonya from Face Splash Makeup & Cheri from Orglamix on her blog. They have both decided to give away 2 very amazing prizes. Come check it out & enter for your chance to win @ http://JewelrybySolange.blogspot.com/ The giveaway is opened WORLDWIDE / All Ages and will end May 28, 2010 @ 12:00 noon Est Time.*

Saturday Blog Shoppers Deals

Since it's spring and so many of us are doing things to spruce up our yards and gardens for spring, I thought I'd have my little Ladybug plant stake as this Saturday's Blog Shoppers Deal.  They look so cute sitting in the pot with your plants.  They really dress them up.  The only one left is the orange transparent one.  You can check it out here in KayzKreationz.  And remember this is the only one left, so hurry and get your ladybug before it flies away!  LOL
And for more Stained Glass, Mosaics and Fused Glass for your home check out the rest of my shop.  Hopefully I'll be getting a bunch more things listed in the next week or two, so either sign up for my newsletter on the left or keep watching my blog and shop for new items.
"Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home..."  to your home that is.  Be sure to get yours.

Texas Wildflower Mosaic Table, Plantstand

I love this little table.  It's called "Texas Wildflower Mosaic Table".  It can also be used as a plantstand, candle holder, whatever you like.  It has different Texas wildflowers on it.  It's got Bluebonnet's, Paintbrush, Mexican Hat, and little Yellow Daisies.  Plus a little butterfly to go with them.  My problem is, for the life of me I can't figure out how to package this thing for shipping so I can list it in my Etsy shop.  So far, none of the boxes I've tried are big enough to allow extra room for all the extra wrapping and bubble wrap it would need to not only protect the table part, but also the Mosaic top and the grout.  I'm afraid if it's not done really well, the grout would get chipped on the edges. And of course, then there would be the issue of weight to ship it also.  So for now, it sits in my studio looking at me, begging me to be sent to a new home.  And I have to keep disappointing it. :(  So if anyone has any good ideas about how to package and ship this thing, please feel free to leave a comment and let me know.  I'd love to send it to your new loving home.  :)  Meanwhile for anything else Glass to decorate your home, yard or garden feel free to check out KayzKreationz.

Saturday Blog Shoppers Deals

Just a quick post today for Saturday Blog Shoppers.  I've been so busy I didn't get anything new listed.  But in honor of my Birdie getting Lunch tutorial just below, I'm featuring my other birdfeeder again, until I get this newest one listed.  The birdfeeder in the tutorial below will be listed for sale in my Etsy shop KayzKreationz for $45.00 as soon as I can find a shipping box big enough for it to fit and be protected for shipping.  Until then (hopefully this week) enjoy my Birdhouse Birdfeeder in your yard.  And be sure to check out the other great shops participating in Saturday Blog Shoppers by clicking on the link to the right.  For any other Stained Glass, Glass Mosaics or Fused Glass for your home or garden be sure to check out KayzKreationz.

And to try making your own birdfeeder, check out my tutorial in the post below.  It's great fun.

Tutorial-Mosaic Fish Bead Birdfeeder

When I first applied for the set of fish beads from sbsupply on Etsy, she wanted some ideas about how you might use them to make her choice as to who received them. I knew immediately that I wanted to do a mosaic birdfeeder. After all, fish and birds just go together, right? So now the problem was, what did I want my birdfeeder to look like. While waiting to see whether I was chosen to receive a set of beads, I mulled it over and started making some rough drawings of what I wanted. I can’t draw, but at least I got an idea of how I wanted it to look. Finally I got the news I was chosen and got to pick which set/color of fish beads I wanted. When I got them, they are adorable. Now to get to work, getting my final picture drawn out, although it may change as I start applying the glass, but it’s basically what I want. Here’s a picture of how I want it to look, more or less.

Next, I needed to decide what size clay saucer to use as the base for my birdfeeder. I decided for everything I wanted and to look right, it needed to be a 10” clay saucer. So here’s a photo of all the supplies you would need to make a mosaic birdfeeder out of a clay saucer. There’s:


1. Clay Saucer

2. Fish Beads (from sbsupply at Etsy)

3. Miscellaneous glass to use to fill in. (These are all scraps from my stained glass projects.) Plus on this project, I will be using Glass Globs to glue around the sides of the saucer, to decorate.


4. Glass cutter for the more precise pieces, like the bird and clouds. Breaking pliers to break off the pieces of glass you’ve cut.


5. Glue to glue everything. I use E-6000.

6. Grout to fill in when all the glass is attached. And masking tape to tape off the top edges to keep from getting grout on them. I will also use it to tape off the half I’m not grouting, if I decide to use 2 colors of grout. Something to mix the grout in, a rubber spatula to mix with and scoop out on the feeder and a sponge to wipe off excess. Also a soft cloth to polish off the haze of the grout.


7. And finally some sealer to seal the grout and protect everything with once it’s good and dry. I use a general all-purpose sealer from Wal-Mart or Lowe’s.


So, I’ve got my drawing, the saucer and I start gluing the fish beads down. I want to place them first, so I know where to start my water pieces. I then draw off my pattern for the bird and the clouds onto my glass and take my glass cutter and cut them out.

Cutting glass takes a little bit of practice. You need to make sure it scores (cuts) well. You can usually tell by the sound. With pieces that have lots of curves, I only cut a little at a time. I break those pieces off and then make another cut and break it. Since I want the bird and the clouds to be more precise, when I’m done cutting them I use my glass grinder to smooth out all the edges, so there’s no sharp edges on them and they have a clean look.


Once they’re done to my satisfaction, I glue them in place.

Now I know where to put the water pieces and sand pieces. I take my mosaic cutters, my scraps of glass and start placing the pieces for the water. If the scraps are too big or won’t quite fit where I want them, I can nip off pieces or edges of the glass with the mosaic cutters to get them to fit. This part is basically like a jigsaw puzzle. I just take a piece and put it where it seems to fit or follow the curves/edges of the other glass that’s down. When I’m satisfied with the look, I glue it down. Also, I’ve already glued the little pieces for the bird legs, since I want it to look like the bird is standing in the water and I can glue water pieces around the legs.

Next I glue the pieces in for the sand. I also glue the beak and the final fish down so I can start on the sky pieces. I decided to go ahead and put the branch and leaves in, so they’re next. That way I have them specifically where I want them. And the final part of this process is to start gluing the blue pieces for the sky. I have a few little pieces of a blueish-gray, that I mix in to make it a little more realistic. I also used a little bit of green and blue-green in the water to make it more realistic. Keep in mind while you’re gluing all your pieces down, it will look really bad. You’ll see all the extra glue that squeezes out as you push your pieces down to make sure they’re attached well. (You want them completely glued down so no grout or anything can get under them and lift them later.) Plus it just doesn’t look like much until it’s all filled in with grout. Next I glue the glass nuggets to the sides of the saucer. I use some blue around the water edge and white around the rest of the saucer. This is the tricky part. Since they’re on the sides, they want to slide down. So you have to press them in really hard and then keep going back for about 10 minutes moving them back up into position until they finally start drying enough to hold them in place. Viola! All the glass is in.

Next we tape and grout. Although it’s a lot more work, I’ve decided to go ahead and use 2 colors grout. I’ll use black on the water area and then white on the rest of the birdfeeder. I like my grout to kind of match my glass and blend in (most of the time) so it doesn’t distract from the scene. To tape off the edges, just tear little pieces of your masking tape off and fit it around the edges. Next I’ll tape off the top part of the feeder that will have the white grout so I don’t get any of the black grout in those areas.

Now it’s ready to grout. I just mix my grout basically according to the instructions on the box or bag. You want it to be about the consistency of peanut butter. I do only add a little water at a time and mix to make sure I don’t get it too wet. I scrape the grout on with my rubber spatula and spread/push it down into all the areas between and around the glass. When I’ve got enough spread on, I start scraping off the excess. (It’s good to use rubber gloves if you have them, so the grout won’t stain and dry out your hands.) Once I’ve gotten most of the excess off, I take a damp sponge (damp-because you don’t want to put more water into your grout) and start gently wiping off the excess grout that’s still on your glass. I define the edges of the little fish beads, by wiping a little harder around them so they’ll stand out.

Once I feel I’ve gotten most of the grout off, I let it stand about 10 minutes to start drying out. Then I take an old sock or other soft rag, and start wiping gently and polishing the glass to get the rest of the grout off and shine everything up. (If you knock a little piece of grout off, just take some of the excess you scraped off earlier and refill the spot. This is why you don’t throw your excess grout away until you’re completely done.) You will have to go over it at least 3-4 times to get it polished up and the grout haze off. Now I’ll let it stand for about 24 hours before I retape the bottom part and do the white grout.

           

It’s the same with the white grout as the black. After about 10 minutes or so, carefully pull all the tape off the edges and bottom. When I’m all done, it will set another 24 hours or more and then apply the sealer with a small brush or sponge. Once it’s dry (about 24 hours) you can polish your glass back up with a soft cloth.

Viola! You have a mosaic birdfeeder. Now all you need is a hanger. I make macramé hangers for mine.


(P.S. Sorry if this post is disjointed. I've spent over an hour trying to get my pictures to line up with my posting and it's just not working, but I think you can get the idea.) This birdfeeder will be available in my shop KayzKreationz as soon as I figure out shipping.