A Change of Atmosphere

September is my favorite month. It’s the beginning of a new season, it’s my mom’s birthday month and everyone and everything seems to get back to a routine. Oh, the temps are still hot in Tucson but the earth has a subtle change in degrees, with longer shadows and slightly cooler evenings. I anticipate the fall from a distance with pumpkin everything. There is a change in the atmosphere in more ways than one. As an artist in business for over 33 years I go through patterns of change, then comfort then change again. Just when I think I have…

Outdoor Decor

As we are discovering this year, folks are relocating in large numbers to Arizona, many are choosing Tucson to settle. I say to all the newbies, Welcome to Tucson. There are 10 good months of pleasant weather here and outdoor living is what we have become accustom to. So, it’s no surprise that folks want to find art that suits their home but also their courtyard, patios, and pool sides. I’m your gal and happy to oblige. Here are two new mosaic panels that are suited for outdoor decor. They are 3-d sculpted tile features mixed with flat piece handmade…

The Color of Grout

Grouting is my least favorite task when making a mosaic piece. It’s labor intensive, it’s messy and there is a lot of clean up afterwards. I especially hate not being able to take a break and come back to it when I feel like it. Grout has a life of it’s own….

March is Make Something Beautiful Month.

There is nothing like spring weather to inspire you to get out in nature, put out the patio furniture, plant a garden and make something beautiful….

Adjust, Flow and Grow

I am so excited about new things happening this year.  I’m still adjusting to how business practices are changing….many are shopping on line.   My beloved Stein Mart is no more.  Gosh, I just loved that store.  Such cute things for ladies my age.   But Alas… no more.   I am old school. I like to shop in person, I like to talk on the phone.  I prefer meeting in person. With the exception of a doctor appt.  I love video chat for dr. appointments.  But I’m not crazy about zoom.   I’m still making art the way I have always been making…

The push, the pull….

When you plan for a getaway,  do you begin to tell yourself, ” I’m running out of time… I can’t go,… my house, my pets, my plants…. need me everyday”? Yes?  No?   I do. I always feel a push to get business tasks out of the way and a (constant) pull of tasks that seemingly need to be repeated.    So, before I take a much needed time off, I get very stressed trying to cover all my bases.  Somehow it all seems to work out.  But getting to the finish line can be exasperating. My nine year old granddaughter,…

Birthday Month

The smell of lilacs, fresh cut grass, giant lollipops and laughter in the air are whispers of long ago.  Those are happy memories of my birthday. 

Tile Garden Bench, Welcome and Install

Tiled garden bench awaits you.

Mosaic Mural; Corrales, New Mexico Style

  A finished mosaic back splash is a perfect touch to a custom home, Corrales, New Mexico style.  Incorporating handmade tiles of barrel cactus, flowering Yucca, flowering agave, and flowering aloe, along with a Jack Rabbit, butterflies, purple cactus, a family of quail,gecko, hummingbirds, and the sun peaking through the clouds. The project took two days to install.  The owners were so gracious to me as well as their 6 well behaved cats.  Since I never got around to Go Pro-ing the installation,  here are some still shots of the process.               My travels…

My New Mexico Trip

My trip  to Corrales, New Mexico is fast approaching. I have been hired to install a tile mural in a residence.  The tile is pretty much completed…fired and laid out. Even though it’s a fairly small size mural, only 48″ x 24″ tall, the challenge is getting it to fit in an intermittent concave niche, sight unseen.  That means allowing for slight design changes.  I am positive it will all work out beautifully. This is the basic tile layout with an aloe garden and hummers, flowering fence post cactus and blooming yuccas and blackbirds.  This is all handmade tile, glazed…