Dremel has a tool I think specifically to remove grout, I think there may be one for a regular drill. Can you scrape it at all?? You only need to remove the top layer, not all of it, then put a layer over what is left

Maria

You can get rid of the charcoal grout with ALOT of patience. There is a smallish hand scraping tool called a grout saw made for use on floor/wall tile, but it will be a challenge to use on mosaics since you're not running down straight lines very much. Another option is an old fashioned can/bottle opener - the sort often called a "church key". It has a curved pointy end that you can use to at least scrape the majority of it out and then re-grout over the remainder.

Post a pic, maybe someone can come up with other ideas from seing it.

HTH,
Pat

Here are some pics of the stones I'm talking about:

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z183/ICheer/ernie.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z183/ICheer/froggie.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z183/ICheer/Sunflower.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z183/ICheer/tigger.jpg

Suggestions welcome :-)

ERNIE ROCKS!!!! I like em the way they are but I always am a big fan of charcoal! Aren't these for your deck?

They're all really cute!! Frankly, the only one I would think about re-doing is froggie - maybe go over the grout with a lighter grey color wash first, then go more drastic after seeing those results. Got another question - on the froggie, are the background pieces charcoal grey as well as the grout or is the background solid grout without tesserae? Only asking coz my silly pc is making it hard to see pics today....

Pat

These aren't for my home, they're for the children's therapy center where I work. We're hoping to get corporations to "sponsor" each one for $100, sort of like an adopt-a-brick program. We're a non-profit and our big fund raiser for the year fell short. This is just a small way I hope to raise a few pennies :-) These stepping stones are located in a small sitting garden near our playground.

Froggie - variety of green colored glass for froggie's body and the background is solid charcoal grout with no glass.

I'm working with donated scrap glass and after seeing how much of the amber glass Ernie took up when I filled in the entire stepping stone I thought I'd conserve and just do a grout background. Alternate suggestions are welcome though :-)

Any suggestions on how to make these look more polished and professional?

Those are FABULOUS!!! wow, they look terrific as they are! I think that's Bert and not Ernie though... I could be wrong

OK, solid grout backgrounds are a bit beyond anything I have tried, but I will hazzard a guess that the grout by itself on the stine won't hold up to foot traffic. Anyone have any suggestions or knowledge that'll help icheer?

I think I remember that you're in Louisiana - what part? Wondering if you're close enough to any of us so we could share our stash with you for such a worthwhile project. (I worked at a children's non-profit for 19 yrs and did alot of the fundraising, so I understand what you're up against when a fundraiser doesn't come thru like you need.)

Pat

Of course you're right - that's Bert! Hope my granddaughter doesn't know that Grandma goofed :-)

Pat, that's very generous of you - and much appreciated! I work for www.mcmainscdc.org, which is a non-profit United Way agency offering physical, occupational, speech, educational, and psychological evaluations and treatment for kids from all economic backgrounds. We're in Baton Rouge, LA and treat children with cerebral palsy, developmental delays, Down syndrome, etc and no one is turned away for lack of money. It's an incredible place and I feel so blessed to be even a small part of the miracles that happen there daily. Whew, got carried away there, didn't I? Sorry for the mini-commercial ... it's easy to get passionate about those kids though!

Back to the stepping stones ... I don't think the foot traffic will be heavy so I'm not terribly concerned about them in that respect. The seating area is a bit out of the way. Are there other concerns with larger, relatively thin areas of grout that I should be concerned about that perhaps I haven't considered? Will sealing them help prevent grout erosion?

Any and all suggestions welcome. Even though this is a small effort, I'd like to do it correctly, ya know? Thanks again :-)

the only way I think it would hold up would be to use thinset to grout, instead of grout. Actually, you could use the thinset to glue your stuff on the stone, too.

I'm using thinset to set the glass on the stone and then topping with grout. Thinset is such a pain in the rear to scrape off the glass that I'd really like to avoid using it for grout also unless absolutely necessary. I like you're train of thought though :-)

Can't come up with better idea's than what are here.
Love Curbs bottle opener idea! will use that in the future.

The stones are really cute. My daughter went nuts for the tigger one. Maybe that one might make her get her hands dirty! Thanks for sharing those.

Hazie

If you use thinset, couldn't you just smooth a layer over the whole stone first, then you wouldn't have to grout the background of the stone, just your design.

BTW...I do have some scrap glass...it's little bits and pieces, I could send you if you like.

Barb

Me, too! I would be glad to send you a flat rate box of it - wonder what the PO would think....a box of glass that rattles coz it's supposed to? Can you imagine the looks?? LOL!

Pat

Personally, I like your stones as they are. You might also find they will fade in the sun. On my birdbath that I grouted with black grout last year, I believe has faded to a charcoal gray.
My only thought to make the grout a little stronger on the edges is to border them with some tile or glass tiles - maybe you could get some donated??

Sounds like a great fundraiser. I hope you find success with it.

I just realized I forgot to share cookie monster!

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z183/ICheer/cookiemonster.jpg

I'll happily accept any glass scraps or doodads ya'll would like to share for this project. Our mailing address is on our website and I'll share it here also. We'll be happy to provide a letter acknowledging your glass donation and if you'd like the glass to double as a tax write-off, just guesstimate the value of it and include that in the package. We'll note that on the letter for tax purposes as well.

McMains Children's Developmental Center
Attention: Cherie
1805 College Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808

The first phase of the stepping stone project includes 40 stones, with more to follow if it takes off as successfully as I pray it will.

Thank you all so much for your advice, insight, and offer to share glass :-)

(BTW - Our next newsletter should be published in the next few weeks and the stepping stone project will be mentioned in it. If you'd like to check back on the website link and follow it to the newsletter link you'll see the blurb :-)

LOL Curb...just mark it "rattle ok". We like to shake those cuz we think it says ok to rattle.....hey, the job is BORING..what can I say!!

I'll see what I have for you,too

Maria

Love every one of those wonderfully, and lovingly made stones just as they are. You surely get a lot of detailed expressions into each piece, like painting w/glass. Well done, ICHEER.

Cherie,
I just packed up a box of glass scraps for you and it will be picked up tomorrow morning and sent priority!

Barb

Thank you very much :-) I'll be sure to post pictures of the stone(s) created with your glass :-)

Those are amazing! Did you draw the designs? They are really fun for the place they will be used! Good for you! Jennie

Just want to thank Barb and Maria very much for your glass and tile donations. We've received them and I'm so excited about working it into beautimous stepping stones.

Everyone at work is so excited about this project, seeing the stones come to life (I'm lucky enough to be able to work on these at my desk during my free time - how cool is that! A job I love AND I get to play with glass :-)

Thanks again ladies - I'll update with pictures as I get them finished!

Cherie/ICheer

I'm glad you like what I sent and I think it is so cool that you can work on the stepping stones when you aren't busy at work. I can't wait to see what you do with them!

Barb

Hey, No big deal. Hop some of it is useful!

Maria