Holidays are a wonderful time to catch up on work around the house! Here’s how the mosaic progressed over the past weeks since the grouting…
Progress! If you recall, I had spent a lot of time back-tracking (read: ripping tiles up and re-laying) because the shape wasn’t to my liking. Well, in the past few weeks I have completed this painstaking process (yay!) and begun to move forward again.
This is the stage things were at, and now I’ve started expanding upwards.
Creating shapes. I have again removed a few tiles to suit the modified design. I chiselled out a small v-shaped area on the edge of the pebble circle (at “9 o’clock”): this is where a curved section of contrasting tiles will begin flowing off the circle.
Below left, you can see the v-shape that’s been gouged out, and below right, the grey-brown tiles that form the outline of the next curved section, which will eventually be a solid block of that colour.
Next job. Then I’m going to repeat another curved section at the top of the circle in the salmon tiles (you can see it outlined in chalk). That little brown star-shaped tile that is free-floating in the top right corner, is going to be a shooting star. It’s my daughter’s contribution to the mosaic! It’s going to have a long white tail.
Reflecting. Looking at this photo, I feel I’m around a third to half-way there! I know it’s not going to take another two years to complete, as I’m working much faster now, my techniques are far more efficient, AND I’m keener than ever…
The more work I do on this mosaic, the more I love it, and the more motivated I get. I feel a great sense of achievement as I’m usually a great starter, but a terrible finisher.
At last, and oh so sweetly, my high school dream of renovating houses is finally happening!
Renovators Dream - blog 
I’m jealous that you are now in the season to work on your mosaic while things get colder here and mine waits until spring. You do give me hope though, since yours has taken several years I don’t have to feel badly that I didn’t get mine done this summer.
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It’s funny you should say that: I may only have a fleeting month or two to make some progress before the summer rains come, and it will also get so hot out there soon that I’ll only work in the late afternoon when it’s shady. So, I’m making the most of it in our milder Spring months. Who know’s, we may be in the doldrums together soon: you in mid-winter, me in mid-summer. Opposite climates but the same frustrations! We’ll have to use the slow months to plan, think, and inspire!
Since I had kids, I’ve come to think in time-frames of months and years, rather than days and weeks, when it comes to achieving any goals of my own: there is so little time to devote to one’s own hobbies. It’s definitely a frustration, but I try not to stress (much!) that it’s taking so long. If we don’t give up, we will triumph in the end! 😉
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