Mosaic Jewelry

These are heirloom gifts that any mother would treasure. More will be shown in late February and March. Order early; last year these sold quickly.

These pieces are made by nipping American art pottery shards into tiny pieces, and then cutting them even smaller to a thickness that can be thinner than egg shells. I incorporate small pieces of jewelry and antique rhinestone pieces, as well as other found objects. These pieces are glued on to a wooden base, and then grouted with my hand-colored grout to bring out the colors of the shards. The grout is wiped back to reveal the shards and jewels, giving them an unburied-treasure look. After a slow drying and curing process, any sharp edges are ground down and the shards polished. The piece is then sealed for extra durability and stain-resistance. One pin might contain pieces from up to 8 dishes. My china is obtained from the damaged lots from a network of antique dealers in the Midwest. My favorite colors to use are from pottery factories such as Red Wing, Shawnee, & McCoy. I also use the petals of old damaged Capodimonte flower pieces. My work is my passion, and I spend hours each day creating jewelry, picture frames, boxes, mirrors, guitars…and just about anything else I see that needs decorating.