2nd HAND SHOP HAUL.....

Went shopping for some inspirational stuff to smash and cut up.  The store is fantastic for colors and shapes to incorporate into Mosaic projects.  I have been spurred along by pinterest boards on line.  There are some amazing pieces to inspire you and make your brain go into overdrive. ...ideas abound.

And I finally grouted this project, after much procrastination on what colour to use.  There is a mosaic group on Facebook that I have joined.  The members there are so forth coming with help and advice - a truly welcoming place and they do some fantastic work as well.  Some of the members suggested pink grout, so I had a go...and it is still growing on me....                                                            

AND....Look what caught my eye on the way out of the 2nd hand store.....yep! had to have - can not wait to smash and reconstruct this vibrant red platter.......wonder what it will emerge into????stay tuned..brain already thinking....cheers

CELEBRATING AGAIN...

Yep!....I'm happy to celebrate again - have over 8000 visitors to my blog. To me that is amazing as I haven't been traveling anywhere of interest.  It is getting colder here so venturing out of our cosy warm abode is not so desirable.   So bottoms up and thank you to all who ventured here.....think this drink will last through a lot of celebrating. ..LOL

So I have little to tell - and my brain has been occupied with mosaic thoughts of late....

One of my latest creations that started as a curved line, then evolved - mixed beads and mirror tiles...
Couple of additions.....then grouting

I am constructing this blog on my tablet - so we will see how it goes...cheers

GUESS WHAT?...

YEP! my fingers have been busy cutting, gluing and grouting......and I have neglected my blogging posts.  I have still made time to read all your exploits and comment here and there....

Happy how this turned out.......

It is getting colder now and I am finding it tooooo cold to be on the back deck doing my thing....I even crept to Hubbies back shed to grout the other day - out of the wind - don't think he approved, but it is big enough for 100 folks to be grouting LOL...

Love the black grout .....very effective

Now the Winter has moved closer I may have to adapt an inside craftie thingie - but I have "been there done that" with beading......and don't think I need to go there again, even though I still have heaps of beads....Might incorporate more into Mosaics.....

Certainly have more than enough....LOL Think I may have a compulsory disorder......

UTE......

For Contessa......Ute ..green vehicle with trailer load of gravel...

This is the Ute - great vehicle, with loads of uses...think u guys call them trucks?
 
And this is what we call a Truck.(bit like..this is a knife - LOL)..MD our departed dog sitting next to the Mack Bulldog....

 It is a Semi-Tipper and Hubbie used to cart sand and gravel when we had a concrete business....then when we sold that -  kept the trucks and carted wheat.....which I might add by this time he was supposed to be retired...but what can you do with a workaholic....but gladly he has since sold to a farmer.

SEE YA!.....

NOTHING......

NOTHING.....That about sums it up..aside from cooking, cleaning, shopping etc..etc...not much has been happening.  I haven't even started a new mosaic project.  It has started to get cold and we have fired up our gas central heating.  I have checked out some you tube bloggers that live full time in RV's or vans they have fitted out....What an interesting bunch they are....LOL at present there seems to be loads of fore and against e-begging????? Well I finally worked it out...they sort of ask for donations - so they can live their lives and travel....taking videos to upload free parking  places, how to do stuff, how they fitted out their vans...(some interesting and inventive living spaces) etc. etc. and justifying e-begging....most are young blokes and they take turns to rubbish each other or help each other.....so funny and entertaining. 

Photo just because - I like it....

Stray is still being the independent dog that he is.  If he happens to escape the yard - no amount of whistling or calling will bring him back...he will stop look back at you and "off like a speeding bullet" he goes.  At first Hubbie would get in the ute and go look for him.  But now we know he will be back in his own good time.  He sits at the front door until we notice him and let him in.

Well that about does it for me at the moment - thought I should let folks know I'm still here....and I do keep up with all your blogs....along with u-tube now LOL

ROUND THINGS. ....

I have been baffled by sticking tiles and things on round pots - they kept sliding out of position and you could only do one small section at a time  - let it dry - then move on around the pot.....not good for an impatient person, who likes to see quick results....

BUT....TAA DAAA......
I found this.....
It is thicker than the other adhesive I have been using.   Whilst it does not dry clear, it makes the job  more enjoyable and satisfying.  Not to mention:- no repositioning of tiles.... 

This is one I have grouted and finished.....using the new Adhesive....

AND this is a round project I preferred doing......

So at least I found a solution to keeping mosaic tiles on round pots.....Which goes to prove "where there's a will there's a way". And never give up - you know all those things......LOL

See Ya...!!!

MAPLE SYRUP. .??

My interest and attention was recently grabbed by  bloggers Kevin and Ruth along with George when they mentioned Maple Syrup.    Read about it here HOW MAPLE SYRUP COMES TO OUR TABLES..

And George drove past some trees that had buckets attached to them

CLICK BELOW:-  GEORGE & SUZIE'S SITE...Thanks for the Pic..George - Hope you don't mind...

Or perhaps they weren't buckets at a second look LOL - Bit like taping rubber trees Eh!

So on my last visit to the Grocery Store....eagle eyes found this...as I had never tasted it - It was time...I had heard about Maple syrup and pancakes. 

Taste test--- It is like what we call treacle.  Seems very runny and thin - It was on special for AUS$8.75.  I only tasted on a spoon so really have to do the pancake thing.

So I guess it all comes down to tastes we were raised on and became used to.  Take Aussie Vegemite.....We all had it as babies on toast...grew up with it...love it....take it overseas with us. LOL - I know for sure you can get it in New Zealand, and probable other countries as well....

No Aussie household is without a jar of Vegemite....I have it mostly for Breakie on toast - and sometimes with cheese as well....Overseas visitors think it is vile, and pull some funny faces when asked to taste it....There you go.  I learnt something about where and how Maple syrup  evolves from.....Thank you Bloggers - I am forever learning - and THATS A GOOD THING....

see ya!!!!

OUT WITH THE OLD MAIL SERVICE..........

I wrote about this some time back and now the time has arrived  READ ABOUT IT HERE...CLICK our tiny village no longer has a Post Office..We had all been warned via letters from the Mail Exchange in Town.  We were advised to apply for a Post Office Mail Box OR put up a Mail Box out the front of our homes...Some folks have erected theirs already to the specifications supplied.  They are going to deliver mail around the village...

We have no worries as we have had a mail box in town for years, so that will continue.  I was a frequent user of the Village Post Office.   I have a good relationship with the Postmistress and often enjoyed a yarn.  This will continue as they live out the back of the business, and we will enjoy a coffee or walk together.  I also found it very convenient with e-bay deliveries and internet shopping being delivered so close to home...(up around the corner) 

 A lot of the locals are very annoyed...they will be inconvenienced.  It was so easy to park and pick up their mail on the way home from work.   I am sad that it is finished...but everything moves on, and technology is the prime example of that....leaps and bounds is the order of the day with everything these days..... 

FROM THIS.....

 

TO THIS

AND BACK AGAIN....................GOODBYE POST OFFICE.....

SEE YA!!!

NEW IDEAS.....

While researching on youtube....I came across a mosaic that used formed leaves etc......SLIPPING MY THINKING CAP ON!....more research.  -  Bingo !!! cook-in-oven clay.  Yep that's what I want to have a go at....as I love clay modeling anyhow.  Went to the store in town that has a lot of hobbie stuff.  I really didn't think I would find it in our country town store.... But Yep! I did - saves me shopping on eBay.  and I can get straight into it.

WORK OUT A LAY OUT....REMEMBER THIS IS A TRIAL.....

COOKED LEAVES ETC....

and while at the store I came across Styrofoam stuff in all sorts of shapes.....Another bright Idea forming.....wonder how mosaic will go on that....????

All finished.....and what I learned......

1.     The clay leaves are terrific....can make other shapes....cooks up great.  Interesting addition.

 
2.     Tiles are easy to glue to Styrofoam - placement a bit trickier, but manageable..tweezers help.

                 

 3.     NOW.. grouting :- went as per most other  projects...BUT..because the moisture in the

                          grout is easily sucked-up by the Styrofoam,  it dries out too quickly and needs                                to be sprayed often with water during the curing period....So lesson learned.  

All in all, it was a very successful trial - with random stuff I came across - now if I can just stick tiles on round objects without them slipping and sliding......Thats another trial - and thinking, thinking....researching.......If anyone knows how to do that....please tell me..

SEE YA!

GIVE UP.......

It is getting close to Easter....and now is the time to contemplate one of the big changes I have made.....And why Easter????? - well it will be 12 months since I gave up smoking....yippeeeee!!!!!

I had tried before - like all smokers - even given up for 1 month or two....don't ask why it didn't work then....I cant remember - but like all smokers  excuses, excuses, excuses really don't hold water....now, I did enjoy it especially after a meal or while socialising.  Those were the days when you weren't meant to feel like a criminal because of smoking....even smoked at work (school - can you believe).  Then the criminal aspect crept into it - the rules and regulations were being enforced with a vengeance.  No smoking on school grounds.....(kids still did it in the toilets  LOL) but the staff went outside the gate under the "smokers tree" where the friendship and gossip was rife....

O.K. times up and ..........

I have my daughter Gai to thank really - she was home at Easter last year and arrived with this....

She worked with some guys that were using the e-cigarette and were having success.  We had spoken about it on the phone.  My kids had harped on me for years - along with Hubbie (ex-smoker) and I always went outside to smoke in my home as well as where I visited....Now I was retired (wrong time to give up - too  much time on my hands) I think the:- "you can have a puff anytime",  aspect was a help....I still have a puff now & then - but for the most part ciggies are a thing of the past....and in Australia, it is UNLAWFUL to  sell the Nicotine juice stuff you put in them ...Not permitted at all...so you can only get flavored stuff - The law makers are thinking about banning the whole thing - because you can get flavors like bubblegum, coffee etc. etc...and they reckon they will encourage kids to smoke...I, BTW was a menthol smoker.

AND ......I SAVE MONEY.....

So honestly speaking I am glad it is over - It is hard - I still like the smell when someone lights up - I love saving the over $10 per packet (bet they have gone up in the last year) Keeping the hands busy is a great help (hence mosaic) because hands are a part of the habit I reckon.....Good job ME - Great Job GAI....THANK YOU 
 

SEE YA.........

WAY TOO COOL.....

Could not resist taking pic of this unit in supermarket car park.......  

HAVE VAN WILL TRAVEL......

Probably way in the bush.....reminded me of drovers  that were once prevalent on the country roads in drought times....but they had horses......

BLACK GROUTING......

I have been dabbling in different grout colours.....mainly by adding colour to my light grey grout powder....but to be more adventurous, I purchased some black grout powder and away I went..... 

This is my second project.....because I loved the Black grout effect, I made it out of all white tiles.......Before grouting......

AND after grouting.........

This is my first Black grout attempt.....and I liked it so much -  hence the above all white tile, black grout project....

more additions.......

MOSAIC UPDATE...

Well I finally tackled a round object...and!!!!! DAM what a process..there has to be a quicker way..I always cut and glue the pieces on first..OK during the course of this the pieces were sliding away because of the glue...too much? - not enough? ...anyhow I continued, small sections at a time - waiting for the glue to dry and tackling the next bit.....so that took several days....I might mention here - I do have a very limited tolerance level....bit of a bull at a gate style....think about it for some time then BAM into it.....

This mirror was certainly easier to cut and glue......

And I love how it turned out......at present hanging in the courtyard....but I reckon it is a gift with someones name on it.........

Courtyard Mosaic Gallery starting to fill up......

This is the outside of the courtyard.....wonder if Hubbie would notice if I started to hang Mosaics on the outside...????   LOL

SEE YA!....