Turning trash into art

I am not a wasteful person, I try my best to keep my regular trash can empty and my recycle can full. My eco-awareness spills over into my art. If I can find a way to make something new, you can bet I will.

Remember Iris, the old broken clock? Or her offspring...who used to be croquet balls?
My latest art pieces both are an example of upcycling.

"Freckled Legs" came from an old 70's coffee table I found one day while driving down the street. The top couldn't be saved but I salvaged all four legs. A bit of sanding and filling in the holes where the screws once were and they were on their way to a new life. A few coats of black paint finished off with white "freckles" and voila! At the moment they look stunning on my mantle but if you really want them visit my etsy shop they're for sale!
"Thirsty" came from my collection of plastic beverage lids I had started awhile back. I played around with different ideas and designs and decided to go with a simple pattern with a black grout. As one twiiter friend described as "not pop art, but lid art"!
"Thirsty" would look really cool in a modern decor, it's also for sale in my shop.
What's next??? The kids are soon back in school so I'll have more time to create new things in my studio...stay tuned!

Cool Blogs From Cool People-Thanksgiving Edition

Happy Thanksgiving!!! Here are this week's cool blogs!

Thanksgiving is all about family and I found a really cool blog by Stacey Winters full of beautiful photos of family, dogs, and more. Stacey doesn't write much in her posts but she doesn't need to, her pictures say it all! Browse through her posts and don't miss the pie crusts! One of my really cool finds on her blog were the photoscraps that she sells in her Etsy shop!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I searched for some cool blog reads about this glutenous holiday and came across eyepopart's blog . One of the best part's of the Thanksgiving dinner is the "oooh" and "awww" factor as the feast is laid upon the table. Read LeBrie's Felted Thanksgiving Dinner and you'll be blown away at the incredible spread that is completely inedible!
If you read my blog then you already know how much I love make art out of recycled items, and eyepopart is amazing at this! Take a look at For a green Thanksgiving and see the beautiful bowls made from recycled records...so cool!

Old Magazines=New Cards!

While waiting for my mosaic projects to dry I leafed through my favorite Elle magazines for some inspiration...I'm never dissapointed with the beautiful glossy choices to create with! When I spotted this beautiful plum colored page I just knew it would be perfect for my mod tree cards!


Cut into simple spheres, this page became my "Orb notecards". Each one their own color combination but together a beautiful set! Perfect to send a note, a generous 6 1/2 x 5 size with plenty of space to jot your thoughts. Here's an idea from my friend Rita, she loved her handmade card so much she framed it...voila' mini art!

All of these blank notecard sets are now available in my Etsy shop, a perfect gift for your favorite teacher, hostess or friend!

Table Transformations

I'm driving down the street through my neighborhood and out of the corner of my eye I see it...that old discarded table sitting on the curb. Quickly I pop the trunk and send my kids out to heave it into my car...and as I head for home I start thinking of the makeover this table will receive. A little sanding...some paint...and of course a mosaic on the top will make it beautiful!

The thing that attracts me the most about a table are it's legs. I love the funky shapes and styles from the 70's. My recent find had really attractive legs but the table itself was beyond repair. I decided to take the legs and use them for my next project. So I'd like to thank everyone who leaves their old junky tables next to...not inside...their trash cans. You are a mosaic artist's best friend!