I LOVE seeing this progression! I already think they are just precious with just the painting! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the cameo! This will be waaaaay better than some sappy crap written on a card!

Great paint job on both Nice! With those colors I can only imagine the fun colors the tiles will be!

Hazie

Wonderful is right on!!!!

thank you all! I got half the gentleman's ceiling done before I had to go get DD from school... so i picked her up and we went on a Future floor wax hunt... it's been rebranded as "Pledge with Future shine". I guess SC Johnson is playing on the pledge name recognition to improve sales. So I've got it and am gonna start coating all my clay now...

I made those cameos by first taking an impression and creating a mold... very fun!

I printed up Chickee's poem (checks in the mail! lol) and a few other things and made tiles with clear glass..

I really can't wait to start figuring placements and what glass to use where... these are really pleasing me!!!!!

What fun to read through this thread, NT... and to see your pictures! Your tiles are GREAT! I like words in other people's work... and to make letters and words yourself is the best! PRETTY colors on your shrines! Looking forward to the mosaic part! Fun stuff!!!

These are so nice, and I can't wait to see what else you're going to do to them. Love the word tiles!

Wow Nice the cameo came out so great. It is looking really really good..Hey I read something today that might interest you. When your working with polymer clay w/o a past a machine you can add a few drops of mineral oil to the clay to help it soften better. I knew we did this when were mixing our glazing for the leaded glass but I didnt know it would work for polymer. Maybe that will help make it easier to work with. Unless you have an old food processor to help soften it in? I've read that works too!!

Your shrines are coming out great...cant wait to see more!!!

sounds like a handy tip, thanks Chickee

here's the blue one, ungrouted. It will be done in charcoal... cause that's what I got! LOL

{{!gwi}}

bad picture - the things that appear black are actually cobalt SG and mirror....

Wow!!! That is really great Nice!
So tell us what the sappy stuff says......

Hazie

Very Nice, NICE! Good luck with the grouting!!!

COOL! That is just so WONDERFUL! Be sure and take a picture of their jaws dropping when they get such an awesome, heartfelt, beautiful gift! And I'm with Hazie...what's the sappy crap say?

Cool Looks great!! Funny how computer are, everything looks blue on mine!!

Maria

I have a tile in the top left that reads "made for my mom 2008, Candace Clough"

then the big one is Chickeemama's Poem
I made this gift for you from my heart and my hands
its my way to say the things that only my heart understands
Often I dont share what I hold so close and dear so I hope this helps you see my love over distances and through the

This shrine will is call Beloved, that is the only clay tile not repeated in the other one

Precious! If that doesn't bring tears to her eyes.....!
Your tiles add that heartfelt touch...get out the tissues! Beautiful job!!!

You have talent as a painter also! I love the green one - can't wait to see what you do. All of you and the poly clay, it's all I can do to walk by it in Hobby Lobby - especially when they put it in the same aisle!

Well, little girl - looking at this tribute, sometimes called shrines, no one would believe all the chatter in the first part of this thread about lack of warmth and feelings. This w/touch your mom's heart immensely. Oh, BTW - if you click on full size, then click again on the image, you can read the tile in the upper and almost the poem. Very good work, NT. This is just beautiful. Makes me wanna make another one.

Beautiful Nice....what are the tiny little people on it?Close up please..

Annie, that was an old pin I found in a jewelry lot, it has some missing enamel. I'll try to get a closer pic after I grout because the flash is causing too much glare right now.

here's the green one ready for grout. This is for my sister. It reads, "Mothers give you roots and wings, Sisters share the same root system."

{{!gwi}}

Wow nice those turned out stunning!!!!! I love all the polymer tiles and glass globs and WELL EVERYTHING!!!

Cant wait to see it grouted!!! I love how you use stuff "cause thats what you've got"!!! I have never seen anything you have done that didnt look GREAT with using just what you had on hand...you have such a talent for that!!!!

You will have to let us know how your family likes them...I cant see how they wouldnt like them!!!

Oh and on my monitor the cobalt looks cobalt and it is awesome!!!

Oooooooooooooh, I like the green one too!!

Maria

geez, I sure have alot to masking, before I can grout... here I was pleased to have a use for that thick textured green milk glass vase, but it's gonna have to be covered with weldbond as will alot of the jewelry. I'll tape of all the clay tiles too... fun fun

Chickee, I really find that I design more creatively when I'm forced to work with what I got. That's really why I'm so geared towards building a stash.

oh, I forgot to explain about the significance of these...
My mom had 2 girls, my sister had 2 girls and I had 2 girls. This is something we all share.... but of course my mother is an empty nester now and my sister's oldest has graduated and is moving out of state to go to school (kills my sister) while my 2 are still just babes at 10 and 6... so we're all at different stages of the mother, daughter, sister thing. anyway, that's why these are so similar in the words and styles...

Oh yeah, your sappy....you just don't want to admit it. Those are fantastic! Any mother or sister would be touched.

Just read (most of) this whole thread...VERY cool stuff! I am wanting to make some word tiles now! No plans to use them right now, just want to MAKE them! I may have missed it...did you paint them before or after you baked them? Guess I need to get that Laurie Mika book I see mentioned over and over...Or kiss up to LINLEE! :)

NT- well being confined to what you have on hand DEFINITELY works for you!!! I like having that kind of challenge sometimes too...not often but once in a while!!!

Your shrine will be fantastic...even more so now that we know a little of the history behind it!!!

Da-hanngg NT!
You better go ahead and buy some of them little klenex tissues packs to go along with these! I think you may actually have a little bit of that sugar and spice in ya after all!
This is WAY better than the precious moments fridge magnet.

Both are really great.......You have done a beautiful job on these........what a wonderful work of art you have done for your mother and sister! I can't wait to hear their responses!!!!!!!!

Speaking of the book (no kissing up necessary ;) I posted it today...should be in your hands on Thursday. Could have been there Wednesday
but I had the tail end of the dreaded flubug so it's a day late. achoo...

oh oh... a reason to leave the house! I have to go to the P O! WOO HOOOOO!!!!

Ronnie, I got the colorant instructions from Hazie in her post about clay tiles - she explains it for me. She said she got it from the Mika book.

Alright you guys... I can be sappy when no one is looking. LOL

Ramona, I tried like h#ll to work in "YO" somehow but couldn't make it work! But the thought of making a clay tile with the word "crap" gave me the giggles!

Oh Nice they both are so beautiful and I know they will be treasured or they better be right girl's.You did such a beautiful job on them..I still don't know wher you get the stamps tho??

They both turned out terrific! They are going to love them.

Annie, I have 2 sets like these. Everything else I'm just doing by making impressions off costume jewelry. Hazie got hard rubber stamps for her celtic knots at hobby lobby and Micheals in the scrap booking sections

Here is a link that might be useful: letter stamps

They both are very charming and meaningful, NT. They w/be very touched by your efforts. Be sure and let us know how they are received.

Thanks Nice I know nothing about clay and such.

They are both so GREAT! Your tiles turned out so good!
Really beautiful work nice. The sappy crap is great too!
I think it would be really cool to have a signature stamp made. I used to have one from the
bank. That would be a great way to sign a piece.

Can't wait to see them grouted.

Hazie

WOW NICE! Those are awesome! I love the sentiment, the colors, EVERYTHING!!

I contacted a stamp maker for a signature stamp...it was around $48 for 2. Wish I could find the name of the site...

Very Nice NT!!! I love the tiles you have made and I am sure your Mom and Sis will be very pleased.

Chris

Grouted and done... sans hinges (still need to get some)

Wow, those are beautiful!! Love the vibrant colors!! You did good NT!! They'll love them

Maria

No less than wonderful - it's what I expect from you. You really pulled this experiment off well. What next? Staying w/clay for awhile?

How wonderful those are...I can't believe that you did the foundation, the tiles, everything. They will love them (and get all choked up like I did).

Those are wonderful!!!...sappy, but wonderful!!! :)

Holy dawg snot. I mean really NT. You are quite the artiste.
I know they will love them. You are a shrine goddess. (with 2 d's).LOL

Nice that is so awesome...they look beautiful with the grout. You taped up your tiles great. Wow...cant wait to play with my clay again...Im gonna make some word tiles. I've had the letter stamps forever from a stepping stone kit and never did know what to do with them!!!!

I have a question...on the green one above the word strength there is a piece of glass that looks like it has white writing on it..does it? and what does it say??

These are just WONDERFUL! So beautifully and thoughtfully created Just amazing gifts! Be sure to let us hear the reactions! "One day.." I want to try some letter tiles also... this is such an inspiration!

whew... hinges are on, CAN THEY MAKE THOSE SCREWS ANY SMALLER - GEEZZZZ!

Slow, next up is my swap ball. I don't think I'll play with clay again for a while at least until I can get a pasta machine to do the work! I would love to play at making milifiori canes...

Chickee, you are seeing a plate shard and it does read "Belief" it was part of the plate that yielded "enthusiasm" for my wall planter, there are 2 other words left in blue and red I think - can't remember what they say. I was just on a searcg for all things green when I accidentally found that again!

Thank you all for the compliments, I'm really excited about these and can't wait to get them sent off!

This is a real departure from your usual projects. They're very special, meaningful shrines for special people in your life. Well done NT.

These are absolutely amazing! Your mom & sis are so lucky.

Barb

If they don't bust out crying and calling you up to tell you how wonderful your artwork is and how proud they are that you thought so well of them and how fabulous it is to be remembered in such a wonderful way....well there's just no hope for 'em! Quite frankly I have no doubt the shrines will be greatly appreciated!!! Wonderful and thoughtful work!!