I started with a kit from IKEA. It came in many pieces. Here are the illustrations:

I love the bottom. If you get frustrated, call IKEA.

After assembling it the box looked like this:


I looked online at my favorite website http://www.colourlovers.com and found the perfect colors to work with.


I used acrylic paints and watered them down to a very thin consistency in order to create a wash. I started with the orange. After drying I covered it in the blue-green color and used a piece of styrofoam I cut with a decorative scissors to scrape some of the blue off to reveal the orange. I then used that same piece to create the red dot pattern. The drawers started out orange as well. I used a red wash over that and then the blue. I wanted the inside drawers to each be a different color.




I am very pleased with the outcome. I went into this without a real plan b/c thats not really how I work. For me, one step inspres the next.

That is very beautiful. It reminds me so much of those fur shawls they used to wear in the 30's that was an actual animal. (see photo below). I thought you had derived it from that before I read you made it based on your friends drawing. Great job!

I'm new to mosaics thanks to this really great book I got from Crafters Choice, "Mosaics, Ceramics and Glasswear". I took the first project from the book and made my first initial as a practice piece to learn the materials. It came out pretty good.



Anyone have any tips on grout? Such as what is the ratio of water and grout to mix? I use sanded grout and find after it dries a lot of sand comes off the piece. I wasn't sure if that was supposed to happen or if eventually that stops rubbing off.

Thanks for your input.

[Alligator: front and back]

I wanted to start off my first photo post with a few pics of what I do for part of my living. I make these hats at home for a boutique in my city but they do get sold to boutiques all over the Midwest. I just think they are so adorable. I have included 3 designs but there are many more variations. Most are still in progress. I wanted to show the steps I go through to make them.

Alligator: front and back


Doggy: front and back


Flapper