From Beginning To End...

Here in my part of the world... we are pretty much snowed in... A long weekend and then a couple of snow days away from school has given me the perfect opportunity to get some much needed work done on my inventory for this next summer!!! And because I love everything that has to do with birds... I thought I would start with some new bird baths!
When I told a friend what I was working on... She asked if I would show my work... "From Beginning To End"... so here goes!

Actually... if you saw where I worked... you would have a big laugh!!!! ;-D 
Until the Studio is built... I am working in my office/den/library/sewing room combo.. ;-).

 Will you look at all this happy chaos!  Sometimes I sit here and I wonder what the inside of my head must look like!!!! What is really funny is that the bulk of my materials are out side under at least a foot or more of snow (long story)... So I had to go scrounging through what I had on hand to start working...

Not... that I do not have enough stuff... to get started... ;-) 


For me... one of the first things that I do is sit... Sit and look at the piles of plates...their colors... textures... The vessels... the size... shapes... the curve of the glass... How best to capture... that look... How to put it all together...

A lot of times... as I start to put the different plates and vessels together... I will remember a particular focal... (which I know is somewhere in this room)  And because of lack of space... I will have to unwrap focal after focal... to find just what I am looking for.  And what fun... It's like Christmas... unwrapping presents... and finding the most delightful little birds and frogs and delicate little clumps of flowers... 
                                                                                                                                                                                 Once I have decided on the materials... it is time to sit again...and think about how I want this to look...  These plates are especially pretty... At this point I am not sure if I will use them all or  in what combination...

But I do know that this little bird is going to be sitting somewhere on the bird bath!  Isn't she thee sweetest???  I wish
I had bought more... 
 

Now it is a matter of putting it all together... I start with the outside rim... and I see that I will need more than one plate to fill in the rim...

I have chosen the sweet bird pattern and the spring plaid for the rim.  From there I work my way around the entire rim... leaving a spot for the little bird!  I do not glue the bird on yet... I will do that at the very end... but I do want to have an idea of where she will sit!  I draw around her with a marker... And as of yet...I do not know if I will use the green or the yellow bird!

Now that I have decided that the bird will sit on the rim instead of in the center... I have decided to use the beautiful focal  on the plaid plate!  As I cut the plaid plate for the rim... I save the pieces of the focal... Once the focal is cut out... I will trim it and center it in the middle of the dish.

                                                          

I'll tell you... You really have to pay attention to what you      are doing when you try to put this back together again! Also do you notice the opening I left for the little bird?  I am now getting a better idea of what this is going to look like when it is finished.  

Next... there is the curve in the plate to think about... I have decided to use the little yellow... green and dark blue flower plates...  I will trim them down and tape them while they dry... 

         

This is really coming together now... What do you think???   Now...to finish the bottom!!!

  Again... I had to do some sitting and thinking... I found another sweet plate with leaves... and decided to add it to the mix... In between the leaves... I have laid just plain white pieces of left over plate... and I cut out several of the little blue flowers to sprinkle through out to tie together the rim and the bottom!  

OK... now time to grout!   I will use white grout to finish this piece and then seal it... so it can be used out doors... Grouting is not my favorite thing to do... I always put it off... But as a good friend always says to me... "When in doubt...GROUT"!!!! ;-) 

 I mix the grout with water... let it sit for about 10 minutes... and then I spread it all over the piece with my hand.  I do use gloves as grout is really hard on your skin!  I also use a sponge... wash cloth... toothbrush... paint brush and anything else that will help me put it on... and then take it off! 

I'm all done... and I have to say... I am really please with how it turned out!  What do you think??? While I was at it... I grouted some other pieces... that I have been working on... they are at the end of this tutorial...   I would love to hear your comments...

So there you have it... From Beginning To End... Ready for some one to put in their Garden! 

Check out a couple of other pieces I made this week!
As Always... Grateful to the End...
Candace
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