OMG...you got me foaming at the mouth! Drooling all over myself!

Beautiful can't wait to see them created into something!

I found this pic to show my soffits if anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about. See that yellow thing on the upper left? That's what I have going all around the top of my cabinets (same color, too, btw). So maybe after the backsplash is done, I'll work on those, too!!! Yeee haaa!!!

First pic is of the soffits, and the second pic is nearly identical to the area I'll be working on ('cept mine has about 6" on either side of the window.)

Soffits:

Backsplash area:

{{!gwi}}

For the record, see where that light fixture is in the 2nd pic? I also have a lowered soffit thing there, too. I wanted the (canned) lighting closer to the raised bar, so I had them put one in there. Looks very much like a giant "block" on the ceiling, but it goes with the room. More mosaic space!!!!!

I love your stash of plates! I saw a few of those at Ross,
had no idea what I could do with just one. Can't wait to see what you do with all those.

Hazie

What an ambitious project and I love the plates. Have you tried looking for dishes at Big Lots? You can get 4 place settings for about $7-13 and they did have sime nice dishes. You do have to look at the dishes in the box though...I've found the picture on the box is a lot brighter than some of them actually are. Also try Home Goods Store...they have some nice stuff and I found some plates that had chips in the clearance aisle for $2.00.

Barb

OMG! how wonderful!!! have you seen Klinger's backsplash? its in the favoirite projects thread and ya know she had alot going on and no real tieing item or color but it totally ROCKS love you colection and can't wait to see you develop this

OHGOODGRIEF. I've NEVER seen such an array of color. Were those at TJMax very expensive? I hate paying five bucks for a plate - not too stingy to pay $1.00 at the dollar store but theirs are so danged hard to break - even w/the hammer. Your kitchen project sounds wonderful. This w/be fun to watch progress.

OH those are so pretty. I would have a hard time smashing that green one!! I am so into green. I think your project is going to be wonderful!! Your kitchen is just beautiful.

The fish one makes me smile and I am not even a fish person. It is just so cute. good shopping job!

Chris

Looks like you've got a great stash there!!! Great colors!
I DO like that fish! And the rooster, too!
I've not tried broken plate mosaics yet.... just tried some glass. I've not figured out how to deal with plate bases...curves, etc. since I don't have a grinder. That will be another day's adventure.
It will be fun to watch your progress on this!
K.

I like the rooster plate! Looks like you got a good start on your stash.

Here's a couple pix...this is my REAL kitchen...but I'd LIKE to have that gorgeous granite counter up there- LOL!

I see now that I probably should do something with that tiny area above the window. Pardon the mess...there's tonight's dinner dishes, my 'tumbling' pickle jar, the trowel (what, doesn't EVERYONE have a trowel in their kitchen???), and some persian shield cuttings, and a trade box going out the door...

Oh, and GRINDER?! I need a GRINDER?!!! Someone please explain this before I (ruin) another one of these plates! (The rooster came out ok, but there's the curves, base and horrible edges that came with using the nipper this time and not the 'whack-a-mole' method.)

HELP!!!

{{!gwi}}

And here's stash #2...see how there's a lot of 'activity' in this batch? Obviously I was in a totally different mood today than the other day. Some of these may go back...especially the "Farmer" cutsie plates that really have no place in my original 'plan.'

{{!gwi}}

mmqchdygg- Your plates are awesome. I love the farm ones and the cat cup...well I guess all of them!!! Welcome to our group!! Glad you decided to start posting. Your project sounds like it will be a wonderful challenge (I mean that in the best possible way!!!) Your kitchen is very lovely..even with the lived in look!!!

I haven't gotten to do anything with plates yet but I believe the gals grind the edges of the plate or use a tumbler after nipping the pieces to the desired size. I'm sure some of the other gals who have done that process will explain way better than I did!

I have a Glastar grinder and I cut the pieces up small enough so I can grind, grind, grind the footers off the plates. It can be very tediuos work and some of those plates are really hard to grind!
Slow has a grinder that she can lift off the grinding head and there is a disk underneath which is a lot easier to use to grind off the footers. If I had to buy a grinder, this would be the kind I would buy. I'm sure she will be checking in and she can tell you what kind she has.

Barb

Wow great stash!! somehow I missed the first batch LOL!!
Oh heck, keep those farmer plates you'll use them for something ( those are the keep 'em take 'em back smilies!!)

Only a trowel in your kitchen LOL My DH doesn't know it, but our kitchen is going to be my workshop this winter!( the part we don't use - the table)

Maria

I would say -----------
YOU ARE HOOKED !!!

LOL

I hope they have another one of those cat mugs...my DS claimed it as his own. DOH! I like the style of the drawing and the deep purple coloring...which was the only reason I got it...for "interesting tiles" not a real mug!!! LOL!

I have never put any plates in a tumbler ,nor do I grind them. I have ground the foot on the back down some with my husbands big grinder but usually just nip my plates .I also cut them in strips with my wet saw to save time then nip them to the size I use.some plates at ross and Marshalls are really thick and hard to work with.good luck!Also they are handpainted and a tumbler would chip the edges I think,but since i don't have a tumbler not sure of this some of the others could tell you better on that.

Yes, the edges chip if I shake my pickle jar too vigorously, I've quickly found. Thinking of this WL of "tools" I'm making that the next items on the 'have to have' list will be a wet-saw, a wheel nipper, and some sort of Dremel-type-product. My 12" nippers (maybe 10) are making pretty ugly cuts. Useable, but ugly.

You have the most colorful array of dishes I've ever seen. I'll bet they cost more than I'm willing to pay, though. My grinder is the Diamond MAX. It has the grinding wheel on top and lift off top to a 5 1/2" grinding wheel. That sucker w/take the footer off a plate in seconds. POWERFUL. I never use it but now that it's cool enough to work outside I am gearing up to start using my tools, wet saw, ring saw and the grinder, as soon as the garden is finished w/the fall cleanup.

No, really...I must stay out of TJ Maxx...

I returned items from Batch 2: Pointsettia, Lg Pear, Roses (4), Farmers, and returned with one round "Polish Pottery" style design plate (google it; pretty much identical in style), two other huge square plates of a very similar, but different pattern, and a large brick-red pointsettia plate (this one is not a 'painted' pointsettia, but it's all one color plate with an embedded raised pointsettia & some other swirlies that'll be good texture.
Picture later.

If you had a ring or wet saw, those pear plates and the roses would REALLY be nice to cut up. I can see the footers on the rose plates ground off and them set right into your backsplash. However, they look a teensy bit deep; perhaps that wouldn't work, but I'll bet I could MAKE them work - just w/the saw, cut into the area w/the rose to save the middle. The pear plates - cut the middle out to use as is and cut those borders into pieces. Do yourself a favor and go to Lowes and get yourself a tile wet saw. WONDERFUL tool.

How much will this set me back, slow?

New pieces added, some returned.

Returned these ones ("X"):
{{gwi:11746}}

Exchanged for these ones (I love the textures in the red one. Actually the squares are also very raised. I hope I don't lose that border color after reading the cutting tutorial that was just posted...sigh. I bought them specifically for the two diff't color borders. Crud.

{{!gwi}}

All is not lost, M&M. You can still use those areas. I use footers in my stuff all the time. Granted, some of my things are pretty textural, but nothing is wasted, so don't feel bad - you'll find a use for them. Those are wonderful plates. Wish we could find that kind of stuff here.

Well, the actual foot is at the edge of the center section, and that border color is part of the edge of the plate (almost as though there are two separate edge sections). I might very well be able to salvage it after the foot is shaved down. We'll see very soon! <::>

I have drooled all over my keyboard! Gonna have to check out TJ Maxx!! Love those plates!!