Ep. 156 ST. JOHN MOSAIC GETS SOME TAIL FEATHERS, PLUS FINISHING FOUR MOSAICS!

Ep. 156 ST. JOHN MOSAIC GETS SOME TAIL FEATHERS, PLUS FINISHING FOUR MOSAICS!
Welcome to my studio! A quick overview of a few projects for the week is the first order of business.
1:27 I show a few mini dozen rose backgrounds. Then I kick off and lay in the light blue base tiles followed by the white at the top. It takes next to no time!
2:38 It is grouting time for my Monarch stepping stone! I am using a polymer admix in the sanded black grout to give it strength and help with water resistance. I also reveal a high fired ceramic stepping stone that is ready for grout.
3:44 I start by taping the edges. Then I spread the grout all over both mosaics with my blue ceramic finishing rubber tool. I wipe off the excess grout, then wait about 20 minutes to give it a final buff. Once that is done, I pull off the tape and clean my tool and hands outside in the hose.
5:11 I give myself a thumbs up for both of these gorgeous mosaic stepping stones. I put the monarch near my marigolds and zinnias! The ceramic stone looks great under the magnolia tree near my ferns and hostas.
6:19 Now I focus on the St. John mosaic. I start by cutting thin strips to finish the scroll and outline it. Then I move to the tail feathers, using a variety of brown stained glass and Laticrete 254 Platinum as my thinset.
8:04 My thinset bag had a blowout! I decide to scoop it directly out of the bag and spread it on the sunflower. SPOILER: I never get back to work on the St. John mosaic.
I use little crab colored tiles near the center and my irridized gold tiles to finish each petal. Then I use Illuminations Plus tiles to fill in the petals in between. Yay! Done piecing!
10:52 The Next Day. I am getting ready to grout my sunflower, and I show my very precise "Eyeballing Tap" method of mixing colorants. I'm going to mix colorants in my thinset for the beads and I want the colors to be close to the grout color. After I add dry grout and mix, I adjust the color until I am satisfied, mixing and "Eyeballing" until I am happy with the grout color.
14:02 While that is slaking, I quickly grout my mini background using a premixed Spectralock I grout in natural gray. I use the mini crowbar tool to clean out the corners of the frame. After it sets up, I will clean it up with a damp sponge. Then it will be good to go.
14:57 I grout both sides of my sunflower stake using my "no tape" method, which means I am careful to apply the grout so it doesn't get on the beads, then wipe it off using strokes away from the beads.
15:51 I prop up my sunflower between two bins of glass and begin by piping colored thinset on the edge and smoothing in place with my mini crowbar tool. Then I dump beads and press in place. Next, I add individual beads using tweezers and tap again before moving to the next section. I find this sunflower is easier to apply, spread and sprinkle if I just hold it in my hand. Then I show the sunflower in my garden with the other one. It looks so bright and happy!
17:33 Back inside, I start on the mini roses in...yellow! I have a piece of textured raku for the vase and start cutting and adding roses. I have three different shades, one of which is textured. I make little curved nips and then cut those down for the petals. I like to build each rose, then add a little puddle of E6000 to an index card and dip the pieces in that before placing them in position on the mosaic. I add leaves in a soft green that complements the raku vase. When I get to the last few roses, I layer them on top along with a few more leaves to give it some nice depth! Then I bring it outside to take a look. Peanut would rather chase squirrels!
20:02 A mosaic recap is in order!
1. Never came back to the sky on the St. John mosaic after my thinset blow-out.
2. The beautiful Monarch stepping stone was finished!
3. The high-fired ceramic stepping stone was finished!
4. I finished one side, grouted and added beads to my two-sided sunflower garden stake.
5. I went from start to finish on the mini roses in yellow! Full disclosure- there are only ELEVEN roses on this one. I just couldn't fit another and have it look balanced.
That's Putting it Together, Ep. 156. Thanks for watching! See you next time!
WATCH NEXT:
Ep. 136 ST. MATTHEW’S MOSAIC GARMENT & 3 MOSAIC SUNFLOWERS!
• Ep. 136 ST. MATTHEW’S ...
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[@diannecrea7090]

Love the edge of the pottery stepping stone, the brilliance of the sunflower and your yellow roses! 🙏💕

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Thanks so much, Dianna! 🌻💐🌻

[@daiagomes6778]

I LOVE the mosaics you make! Congratulations!

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Thank you so much!

[@cindycoleman5196]

Your pieces always turn out great. Nice how you were able to come up with such a soothing design with the random ceramic pieces. Love your stylized roses. Amazing how you cut the glass randomly for the stylized roses and they go together so nicely. Thanks for showing how to mix the colorants to get the desired color. Appreciate all the work you do to post these videos.

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Hi Cindy! I'm trying to cut the pieces with a bit of a curve so they nest together nicely. And I build it as I cut so its not really so random. Since they are so tiny, I adhere them after I've cut one whole rose.

[@carolzutski7739]

wow, those high fired ceramics pieces are amazing! lucky you!!!

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

There are so many that it is overwhelming! They were made specifically for mosaics. Sad the artist couldn't use them, but I'm so happy to have them!

[@petertwining5729]

All your mosaics are beautiful but your two stepping stones looked wonderful finished, loved them both. I laughed at the end when you were holding the sunflower you reminded me of a fairy godmother with a magic wand and how you said see you next time. Lol

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Lol. They are so sparkly and I wanted to show both sides! Thank you Peter.

[@timeenuf4200]

Love everything but the mini frames with roses are amazing. Thank you for sharing.

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Thanks for watching! Cheers!

[@carolhellmers465]

Just love those minis! And what a gift to have received! Those ceramic pieces are just gorgeous and you made such a beautiful stepping stone. Great fan of your work!

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

There are so many ceramic pieces! My head is exploding with ideas. I will be focusing on St. John next week!

[@rupashukla5916]

Julie the new colour grouted sunflower, the mini and the stepping stones are fantastic 🎉 St.John 🙏🙏🙏

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Thanks so much Rupa! Cheers!

[@rupashukla5916]

Julie in fact there's a lot to say but I think you being the creator will be bored with us 😬 also I am going to watch this again as there was a lot of distraction yesterday on my side 🙂

[@kathypalmer8612]

Oh my gosh I love the stepping stones❣️❣️❣️ Your work is just amazing 😊

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Thanks so much Kathy! 🌻

[@pmanzano4474]

I really love your mini roses. That’s my goal when I have had more practice.

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

I have plans to make more in the future. Sort of like everything else!!! I need to buy a few more mini frames first.

[@kathypalmer8612]

I ordered some mesh so I’m going to try and make a sunflower for my daughter in law’s memorial garden❣️wish me luck😊 I think the one you just did is my favorite so far😃

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Thanks for watching and good luck! 🌻🌻🌻

[@kathypalmer8612]

Thanks! I’ll need it😂

[@arlenebain5678]

Gorgeous steppingstone! Love it!! I have ordered some metal stakes to make a flower plant stake. Thanks for sharing your expertise! Love the minis!! Beautiful! ❤

[@arlenebain5678]

By the way, on the minis, are you using little frames? So cute!

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Thanks for watching, Arlene!

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Yes! I get those little frames at Michael's. They are usually on an endcap near the frames.

[@arlenebain5678]

@@mazzonimosaics8222 I will check them out! They are so cute! I have never tried making roses, but you do them so beautifully! You make me want to try!

[@diannecrea7090]

Very envious of the hand made ceramic pieces! Also, I tend to get my students to coat the whole stepping stone with our polymer here, called Davco 4 in 1 Grout additive, because I do not purchase the most expensive thinset or grout products, before they mosaic and then get then to grout the who, four sides!

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

I'll have to try that some time! We've been using stone/grout sealant and it is pricey. Coating with polymer additive and then using it in the grout might be the way to go.

[@diannecrea7090]

@@mazzonimosaics8222 Laticrete adhesive/thinset is available in Australia, but hard to purchase and very expensive. I love how you use it. I have been using a product by Dunlop in Australia, which is a cement based adhesive /thinset, but which has a rubber compound. It says to mix with water, but my very first Mosaic Teacher, mixed it with Davco and I have always followed her instruction. Most of what I create is for the garden. I came up with the idea to use disposable piping bags to make it easier to use. It can be quite messy and is not suitable to tint but affordable to keep costs down for my classes. I teach at two Community Centres close to home. More like a Volunteer with benefits. 😄 I love it though.

[@diannecrea7090]

@@mazzonimosaics8222 your Laticrete products have the polymers included I think?

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

I'm not sure. They have so many products. The data sheets are available online with all that info.

[@tonyaschade301]

Those stepping stones and little flower arrangements just make me happy to look at. Thank you! I’m all caught up on your videos and am so excited when a new one comes out. I discovered you back in March so that’s some serious binge watching!😁

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Lol. Now you need to tell all your friends! Thanks for watching! Cheers!

[@lisaclancy3372]

I too have been trying to binge watch your videos- so much good info. What is the liquid you added to your grout to make it more water resistant? Thanks. Wish you were in my area - I’d be signed up for classes !

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

It is a polymer additive called Mortar Admix.

[@victoriapostolit9112]

Thank you very much for sharing ! All your mosaic art looks wonderful and gives a lot of inspirations ideas, What brand of grout do you use in black color? Do you use black colorant?

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

Not sure as I didn't label my bin. But I usually use Polyblend Plus from Home Depot or Mapei. I bought black sanded grout and did not tint it.

[@marylamb855]

Are the stepping stones just for visual pleasure or can they actually be used to step on as a stone path walkway? They are beautiful! Also, why is St. John represented as a bird?

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

They are mostly visual although I use them to step into the beds to take care of the plants. I'm sure they are slippery when wet and all that. I have a little pathway to my neighbor's house and we use them to go back and forth too. None of us are wearing stilettos so I think we'll be OK.

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

And the St. John mosaic is a commission for a church. They requested the symbolic representation, which is an eagle. You can google Four Evangelists Symbols and there is more information.

[@debbiezito6199]

I really enjoyed your video. I created mosaics for many years until I discovered fusible glass. You’re amazing how easy you make using thin set for your tesserae. Your sense of creative style is amazing. I love your use of different varieties of tesserae, especially on your double sided sunflower. The seed beads for the edging takes it to the next level. I can imagine how beautiful in your garden with sun reflecting from them. You’ve inspired me today. Thank you for sharing your talent. I loved everything you’ve made. I look forward to seeing more of your videos. Happy mosaicing! DZ

[@mazzonimosaics8222]

I bought a kiln last fall and have been dabbling with it. Right now fusing is my hobby that I barely have time for! Thanks so much for watching!