Today was extra hard working under the red shelf. FLAG - next time I talk about working on something that requires working on the ground, w/you come up here and slap some sense into my head, please??? For those of you that are perfectionists, I'm sure you're quivvering, but this is HARD!!! for a 74-year-old, worn out body.
Thursday's progress

Slow, there is nothing worn out about you!!! You are amazing! I've been sittng around moaning and groaning about having hot flashes because of a hysterectomy that I WANTED to have and you're out doing headstands while creating beautiful art! As soon as I get caught up on here, I'm gonna get busy. At least I can be doing something to pretend these "power surges" are from hard work! :0) Love ya for being such an inspiration!

Thanks, GIBS: I'm still tryin' to outrun old age - figure the pain won't go away, so I might as well not sit and whine and give in to it. Got lots to do b/f moving to Heaven. Use those surges, girlie. That oughta give you some interesting names for your work too.

oh HECK, that would be hard for ME! why do you think I built my stair risers on plexi! LOL

I would never think that shelf isn't centered, its perfect! your progress is inspiring!

Photobucket is having trouble...I can't seeeee!

Slow I just love seeing the daily progress and watching it come to LIFE!!!! I tell you Slow I only hope at 70 something I can still do what you do, I just turned 52 but somedays between 2 grandkids, a dog, the house, laundry etc. and trying to get some art done, I feel 82. I thought it was supposed to get easier as you got older....Well I'm still waiting..................LOL.........

Thanks, y'all. I so appreciate y'all's comments. NT - thanks for that - I don't care if it isn't centered. Neither is the right column standing straight either. Nothing I do is perfect, but it pleases me, so I'm not worried. CATH: Don't look at it - outrun it - fast as you can. Only got to work 1 1/2 hrs. today - too much shopping - 50 lbs more mortar was one purchase.
Friday's progress

This sure is giving me ideas for my "Throne" chair!!! Yeehaw!!

I haven't checked in a couple days and WOW what progress you've made!! It's looking so awesome!!

awesome Slow, I love how this is coming along. You gotta come up with a name for this work. Great wall of Slowqueendom???

and, I knew that wasn't a starfish, I was just checking to make sure you knew it was a flower on a stalk. LOL. It's one funky happy flower.

Keep on having fun!!!

Good grief Slow, you are motoring along on this. It is looking so awesome, I'm sure this is going to be a challenge on your body so take it easy. Janie and I were out today and had a great time and we both raved about your latest undertaking.
I'm away for a few days, you'll likely be done by the time I check back in,
Cindy

I finally gotta peek! OMG.......I'd have to have a "lift" to get me up and down...............we need a picture of you working on this......I am picking myself up off the floor...you continue to come up with these unique ideas and then just jump in...............on my third drool rag......I just love this new project.........you are really the mosaic queen..........keep having fun.

Speaking of a "lift", GYPSY, that's exactly what I get every morning when I read y'all's comments. Thank y'all so much. MER: I was wondering last evening as I looked, wondering what today's first move w/be, what to name it. Probably my headstone - She Died Happy. And, My DD says the same thing about the FLOWER - happy. And fun - I'm having it. Yeah, GYPSIE: I sure look like a queen in my getup - old worn out clothes, stained and covered in crud, head rag, ear mufflers, mask, safety glasses, and soaking wet when using the little tile saw I bought from Harbor Freight - really queen-like - that's me.

I love the cup handles...are you using more of them? You are sure ginning right along on this...better than me..lol
I am the queen of do it and don't grout...I put that off as long as I can..
Don't you guys believe a word of it...she looks good all the time...sometimes better that others, depending on if she's goin dancin or not...I will go up there and take a picture for you all...I will have to show up unannounced or she will clean up. As soon as she knows someone is coming she cleans house...me too...lol
Great work Slow, I'm really liking it. You do good work..

Cup handles, FLAG - stay tuned. Oh, don't even speak of grout. Wish I'd taken your suggestion to push and smoosh so I wouldn't have to grout. Oh, you l'il heifer - DON'T YOU DARE SNEAK UP ON ME. If you stick your head over that gate, I'll sic Toby on you, dang it. I look AWFUL at work. Many thanks. Here's today's painful progress.
Saturday's progress

DAH HAAAANG! you are a speed demon! loving those circular patterns.

watch it though. Ronnie's gonna come along and say "hey thats great and all but wouldn't it be better if the spray bottle wasn't so high in the design!!!!" (rolling eyes)LOL

I stand and give you your due Slow. Wonderful job. This will deserve when done, you taking many mornings with a cup of coffee and basking in the beauty. Love what you are doing.

Kat

Wow! I absolutely love those circle thingies behind the planter column, they are a masterpiece!
Perfection is WAAAYYYY overrated. If you are happy with it its perfect. you go!

Thanks again, y'all. Very funny about the spray bottle. I was so tired when I took those photos, I didn't even SEE the spray bottle or the dishes spread about. KAT, when I was out last evening, in pjs, drinking 'ritas, I had an idea and had to get up, mix some mortar and stick on some tiles. I'm sick, I tell y'all, SICK. WACKY: Keeping the angles right on those plate shards is impossible down at that level. Yep - perfection w/never catch me.

Stopping early today - the tile saw episode wore me out, cutting plates, then had to nip all the cup handles I put on the niche. If you click full size, you can see the heart-shaped handle - there wasn't room enough for another, so I nipped the heart that was on the same cup. The blue/white border is what I put on last evening when I was in pjs. Can't decide what color to make the heart on top of the niche. Pink???? Help, y'all.
Sunday's progress

Wow, amazing progress everyday!! I love what you did with the cup handles. Maybe I need to start drinking 'ritas!!

This is making me drool more and more....love it. I think the cross on top should be one of your blues..turquoise if I was choosing..

Yea, Slow, i love those cup handles and yep give us that recipe for the ritas , they sure must have stamina and creativity as one of their ingredients!!

You simply amaze me very day I look at what you've finished since the last check in!!

OMG its mindblowing!

****SMILE***** MER - you have to go to the Hacienda to get the recipe. I thought I made good ones b/f, but got the chef's recipe last time, and WHAT a difference.

LOVE IT ALL!!! Guady? would be Proud!!! I really love the black and white border!!! I'm manic these days with my gardening...planted about 240ft of 3ftwide garden beds so far...and now I just scored my inspiration....

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Da-haaannngggg Slow-be-dobie!!!
I'm so glad NT told me you were up to somethin' GRAND!!!
Your backyard is starting to rival Rianna's!! Love the surround. Did you double the mesh on both sides, or is it a single layer? You sure do give me a hankerin' to try something like this!!

Hot diggedy dawg, CALAM - how you come up w/these finds is a mystery to me. That's PERFECT. Where you gonna put Humpty? Love that vignette it's shown in. Man, I'm spent today. Working on the ground is KILLING me. Well, I'll be danged, BAMA - it's sooooo good to see your post here. Thought you'd left us forever. I soooo miss you. Oh, yes, my dear, it's all double painfully layered. It's addictive, and I want to build a garden candelier next to be put in that corner behind the left large planter. I have candles everywhere in the back yard, and it's so beautiful, and I think it only lacks a Riana candlelier on a tall pedestal perhaps w/hangy-down lanterns. Oh, this mind of mind - SHUT IT OFF.
Tuesday's progress

What can I add? More awesomeness!!

Love the turquoise? heart!! And those vine flowers are awesome, love their background! Mr Humpty Dumpty came into the Thriftstore I work at, just at closing time and I scooped that puppy up right away(Happy dance!)lol!!! I find my mind wondering and imagining how's he's gonna come together!!! He'll have his own brick wall too!!!
BAMA! Good to hear from you!!

Slow, I have one question for you... do you ever sleep?

OMG LOVE THOSE FLOWERS!!! its just keeps going further over the top than I could fathom!!!!

'mornin' y'all. Didn't get much done yesterday cuz I reclaimed the front walkway from being overgrown w/grass/weeds. The neglect was starting to really show, so I tore into it like a bulldozer, and didn't save much energy for mosaics. EMT: to answer your question - very little - been half awake since 1:30 am., and gave up at 4:30 and got up - mind won't quit thinking/creating. Thanks, y'all for rootin' me on. DAISEYME: Didja get my email, I sent day b/f yesterday thru the GW?

Slow this is amazing. So far I have enjoyed every step of this little corner of your fountain area. You are getting along fairly fast. When I saw the latest pic this AM, well all I could say was,isn't that my backyard?? LOL Be too heavy to ship to TN. Is there a site that gives pix and detail for working with the diamond mesh to make forms?

Know what you mean Slow. It's 2:50a and I've been up for over an hour. It's been raining the last couple of days and I've cleaned all I can now it's time to have some fun. Gonna start on my headboard tomorrow morning. Wish I already had it cut so I could work on it right now. I hate being awake with nothing to do.

'morning, y'all. Thanks for your morning lift. I hope to start grouting that corner today. Want to set the fountain part back up and get it running. I miss hearing the water flow, even though I have the nice trickle from the sink. Gotta go to FLAG's area first today - to a city-wide garage sale, then do the obligatory weeding for an hr. Might not get anything done today on the magnet that pulls ever-so-hard. KAT - no site for instructions. I took the course from Riana in PV three yrs. ago. All you do is cut, and shape your sculpture, using darts where you need to fine-tune it, stitch it together w/18/19 guage wire, and do it again - has to be double layers to hold the mortar. Then, if you want to make your own mortar, use three parts sand to one part Portland cement. I made it easier on myself this time, and used mortar mix - just add water. Cover and let your sculpture dry overnight, and it's ready to mosaic, stain or paint. It's an easy process. CATH: When I used to sew, making my own clothes, purses, etc. I w/get an idea in the middle of the night, get up and start on it. Not anymore - just too worn out.

City wide garage sale...OHHH!!!! You GOTTA post what goodies you find!!! Have Fun!!!

Janey Bo- this sale is supposed to be 350 miles long along US Hwy 82 beginning in my town. Slow and I went to some here, spent $3.99 and decided we could do more at home. I am still recovering from the flu and wasn't up to it. Slow can run circles around me. So I am at home trying to recuperate and I bet she's working on the Great Wall..

I didn't spend a dime until I got to Lowes and Taco Bell. Didn't make much progress - back gave out. If y'all w/check back to where there are shadows on this pocket planter, I just followed the details in those shadows. The bottom black w/supposed to be his beard, but it doesn't come across. Might have to change that. NOT TODAY. Thanks, y'all.
Friday's Progress

This is SO cool! I've been following your pics from the start and have lots of questions....like what is the wire? Chicken wire? And what is the compound you put on the wire?...cement? This is so awesome....I've never seen anything like it and can't wait to see the finished project with plants and all! Are you for hire?....lol I'm in Oklahoma, where are you? sorry to be so nosey...I promise I won't stalk you...lol

Addiesue

Very nice m'lady. I like the pot man...he is pretty handsome and the flowers from the plate centers and a very original idea. I must get up there and see all this in person....

It just keeps getting better and better. !! You are my idol
I can just see your passion coming out of this great wall. This is going to be the fastest great wall of SLOW you have ever built and also the most unique and beautiful!!

Smile, smile, smiling here. FLAG - get on up here. Sitting outside last evening I couldn't stand his goatee, so knocked it off. ADDIE: The wire is diamond mesh lathe, bought in sheets at Lowes. It took almost 12 sheets to double layer everything. The mixture I used this time is Quickcrete Mortar Mix. When I took the workshop in Puerto Vallarta from Riana three yrs. ago, we mixed our own mortar - three parts sand to one part cement. Not for hire - I'm 74 yrs. and don't have enough time left to make the things swirling in my head. In Texarkana, TX. Come see me and I'll show you how it's done. Got 10 Oriental Lily bulbs in yesterday's mail, so I'll be playing head gardner today. Don't know if I'll be able to mosaic too.

I Love Him!!! Perfect Slow!!! I'm practically manic now..trying to finish planting so I can PLAY!!! Cindy has been helping me plan my Humpty Dumpty and she offered a great idea for his body...clothes stuffed, then cemented over!!! I've seen teddy bears done like that!!! Now I got Another project to do...a head planter...thanks Slow!!!

I bet you can't stand it, I bet you are already working on the wall...?

Hi slow, I have been commenting here and there on your PB page because this thread is getting too danged long! LOL
I have seen tons of your pieces and lady, this is the best so far! That candleabra sounds awesome too!

Hey, WACKY - I agree that this thread takes too long, and w/start a new one w/the next picture. Didn't work on it at all yesterday - spent too much energy in the garden. BTW - I can't figure out what "PB page" is. Am I missing something here?

Wow, just WOW!

I'm just wishing I could see it in person, you're so talented.

Slow... this is amazing!!!
I've seen the link several times but not been able to contact because I was at work (lunch time fun. :)
Are you grouting with thinset on this?
I used your thinset method on a couple of stepping stones that had combination of tiles and pebbles... but the new one I'm doing is all tiles and stuff... no pebbles.
I can't see any difference in the look... and maybe the thinset will hold up better than the grout....? Or not?
Can't decide which way to go.
Again... your work is such a huge inspiration! Thank you! :)
Katie

I bow in thanks again, y'all. PANTHER: I welcome you to come visit. You can see it all and FLAG's wonderful world too, so plan a trip. FIDDLE: Where have you been? Been missing you!!! While thinset is a little more difficult to clean up, and mixing it w/grout makes it dry faster, I'll use half black grout and half thinset (UltraFlex II) on this, just to ensure adhesion on places I might have missed, and to get my charcoal color I like to use on everything. Don't want to have to worry w/mixing a colorant into thinset on this large scale project.