Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Flow Blue Mosaic Mirror

flow blue mosaic mirror
Mosaic Mirror
I have loved china since before I picked out a china pattern as a bride many years ago.  This strange love would have me window shopping the china sections of department stores for years after I was married, enjoying the many patterns that were out of my price range, and knowing I would have a hard time choosing just one anyway.  My everyday tableware?  The versatile and hardy "Just White" by Corelle.  I used this daily, for over 20 years... 

I started collecting china at rummage sales.  I would see lone plates and buy them. (I guess I started collecting china for future china hutch displays and table scaping, which I hadn't yet heard of, but at the time I told myself - "Maybe I will use this plate for mosaics."  It gave me an excuse to collect china I liked.)  I would buy teacups and saucers, even though I don't drink tea.  I would buy broken and chipped china and glued together china also, spare saucers without a cup, etc.  After a while, I even went to some antique dealers and arranged to buy broken and chipped china that they wouldn't usually sell.  These dealers, too, had a hard time throwing out beautiful pieces of china.  I got my first pieces of flow blue china as broken plates from an antique dealer.

I made some stepping stones for outside, a couple of trivets, and then I really wanted to use my broken flow blue china, so I made the frame shown.  This mosaic frame square is 10.5" wide x 10.5" high, framing a square 3.5" x 3.5" mirror. (Does anyone else recognize this as an IKEA frame?)  Even the sides of the frame have mosaic china edging.

flow blue mosaic mirror
Mosaic Mirror
I may never have china of this caliber to work with again, which is why this is my favorite mosaic creation to date. This mirror is a delight to my eye - eye candy for the wall.

The china pieces in this mosaic frame include:
"Astoria" Flow Blue pattern (one of my favorites)
"Kelvin" Flow blue pattern
3+ different Blue Willow sources.
A Japanese version of blue onion china.

The Astoria and Kelvin china sources were cracked, chipped or damaged to the point of not being salable by the antique dealers who are my source for great china.  "Faux flow blue blue willow" patterns were also used.  (I like saying that, but my husband doesn't get why that is funny.  Is it funny to any of you blog readers?)

No historically important china pieces were harmed in the creation of this frame, which hangs in my bedroom.    :)

This type of ceramic mosiac work (using china) is sometimes called Pique Assiette, or picassiette.


Click on the images to see them enlarged. 

 

 

 


If you enjoyed this post you might also like:

hutch display
Mosaic Collection - All Posts!

 














 
 
 
 
I am linking up to these memes:
Shabby Chic for Transformation Thur (I was entry 97 of 312).
Colorado Lady for Vintage Thingies Thur (Entry 22 of 53).
Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday 96 (Entry 25 of 101)
Brambleberry Cottage for Time Travel Thur 26 (Entry 3).
Common Gnd for Vintage Inspiration Fri 20 (Entry 4 of 75).
Romantic Home for Show and Tell (Entry 76 of 234)
French Country for Feathered Nest Fri #17 (Entry 41 of 95).
Hills are Living for Favorite Things Friday (Entry 35 of 140).  
A La Carte for Finds Friday (Entry 4 of 29). 
Laurie for Favorite Things Sat (Entry 14 of 30).
Roses for Show off your Cottage Mon (Entry 63 of 63).
Naps on the Porch for Metamorphis Mon 104 (Entry 82 of 314+)
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays 46 (Entry 62 of 131+).
House of Grace for Twice Owned Tuesday 35 (Entry 10 of 58+)
Today's Creative Blog for Get Your Craft On 38 (Entry 396) 
Boogie Board Cottage for Masterpiece Monday 3 (Entry 100)
Mad in Crafts for Mad Skills 37 (Entry 147)
Sew Much Ado for We Did It Wed 18 (Entry 240)
All Things for All Things Inspired 11 (Entry 45)
All Thingz Related for Anything Related 32 (Entry 139)
Uncommon Slice for Tuesdays Treasures 18 (Entry 58)
The Thrifty Home for Penny Pinching Party 69 (Entry 125)
Someday Crafts for What Ever Goes Wed 48 (Entry 297)
Trendy Treehouse for Creative Share Blog Hop 18 (Entry 149)
Today's Creative blog for Get Your Craft On 38 (Entry 396)
My Backyard Eden for Make It Yours No. 50 (Entry 178)

30 comments:

Coloradolady said...

I love the mirror! So pretty. Happy VTT!

~Sues Treasures on the Porch~ said...

Very pretty china and I can see why this would be eye candy. I love mosaic's there is a special charm to pieces when you add beautiful china. I have done mosaic to wood trays and to table tops so much fun you did a great job!

Honey at 2805 said...

Such a pretty mirror and was so relieved to read you footnote that no important pieces were distroyed. Funny...sounds like a commercial. I am a new friend and follower.

Unknown said...

Such a pretty mosaic!

Blessings!
Gail

Vintagesouthernlife said...

I love the mosaic! The blues are just gorgeous. I have always wanted to try this...maybe someday.

Unknown said...

Great job. I have done outside path stones like that. The color for that mirror is beautiful.
QMM

Julie Marie said...

How beautiful!... I too collect blue and white china, my favorite... your mosaic is just gorgeous!... xoxo Julie Marie

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Beautiful mosaic! I love blue and white china! Thanks for joining JFF!

Anna said...

Beautiful project, I love blue china and blue glass. We are also using good old white Corelle plates, durable and practical, for every day. I am lucky to have my great grandmothers transferware, but that only comes out for very special occasions. TFS!

Debra@CommonGround said...

Your mosaic is just lovely. And my thinking is that if something is not usable in one way, then it's fine to make it work in another. Just beautiful work!
Thanks so much for joinging in for VIF!
hugs,
Debra

Blondie's Journal said...

This is absolutely stunning. You did a great job!

XO,
Jane

Diann @ The Thrifty Groove said...

That turned out beautiful! Love the blue and white.

Mare said...

what a charming look and wonderful idea...... I love mosaics:)).....
kisses from croatia:))...
M.....

Susan Freeman said...

Great job!!

Love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo

Bridget said...

Fabulous use of the china pieces in your basement! They look much nicer on the IKEA frame. ;-) Miss you!

Courtney ~ French Country Cottage said...

Hi there- great idea to use those pieces on that mirror- it is beautiful and you did a wonderful job on it. Thanks so much for sharing at Feathered Nest Friday! :)

Lynn said...

Your mirror turned out great! While I've worked with glass, I haven't made any mosaics with china... yet:@)

Cindy said...

That is awesome! Someday I would try a mosaic; it's one thing I really want to do!

Amie {Kitty Cats and Airplanes} said...

Oh gosh, just TODAY I bought a mirror with a huge wooden frame/border around it because I thought it had a lot of potential. THIS is exactly what it needs!
Amie @ kittycatsandairplanes@gmail.com

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Jeanne, that is so pretty. I hope this post will inspire me. I have a box of china pieces in the attic. (In my 42 yrs of marriage, I have broken some china pieces, and I have put them in a box to save them for a mosaic of some type - I always thought I'd do a table top, but that may have just been too daunting for me. I may start with a picture frame now that you've shown me your pretty mirror frame). Thank you for linking to Favorite Things, and thank you for the inspiration. laurie

Cassie Bustamante said...

fabulous! love the colors in the mosaic!

Allison Shops said...

Nice job - love the blue!
Hope you'll come see the picture wall I helped DD2 create for her home.

Allison
Atticmag

My Cottage Charm said...

I too have a thing for china..just can't seem to pass up a pretty plate, even it it is chipped a little. :) (and I don't do mosaics! lol) Your mirror is very lovely, thanks for linking it up to my Treasures and Trinkets Party...you're always welcome to join in. :)
Hugs
missy

Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage said...

You're a woman after my own heart, Jeanne. I love china, too, and cannot bear to throw pieces away when they become chipped or cracked. I starting saving all my broken pieces for mosaic projects, but unlike you, have yet to create my first piece. Your Flow Blue mirror is lovely.

Thanks for joining the party. Hope to see you each week.

Blessings,
Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

MisImpulsive said...

That is SO lovely. Watch it, you'll get me going on another hobby! I'm always getting drawn to blue and white plateware... ooo this is just going to be trouble.

Pamela said...

I would so appreciate you help with mosaics. I have collected my broken china for years with the hope that one day I would use it in a mosaic of some kind. I currently have a birdbath that is patiently waiting for me to 'fix' it. I have all this broken china from when the kids were little that I want to use on it for 'memory' sake' and yet I don't know what glue or what grout to use. PLEASE help me!!!! I would like it to be weather proof.

Thank you for all your help.

Pamela

Upscale Downhome said...

Hi-
Just found your blog from Naps on the Porch. First of all, I love flow blue and the mirror is gorgeous! I made a mosiac mirror a couple of years ago with many different colors of broken china. I love the impact of the monochromatic blue you used. Secondly, I used to live in Mequon for 10 years. I now live in a small town near Appleton. I have just started blogging myself so it's fun to find a fellow Wisconsinite in blogland. I look forward to following your posts.

Armelle said...

I love the mirror you made. Just checking out your posting from a comment you left on mine from my collection of flow blue china. What a great way to us the pieces of broken ones. I have another broken antique china plate( not flow blue), and couln't bare to throw it away- I think I'll try making a mirror too. I did recognize the Ikea frame as I have many of them too.

Armelle at http://lavievintagebleu.blogspot.com

Marianne said...

I have a similar mosaic mirror made from Blue Willow China. Was fun to make.

Harrow Decor said...

Wow, your mosaic mirror frame is absolutely breathtaking! I am genuinely impressed with your creative use of china finds to craft such a beautiful and unique piece of art. Your journey into collecting china from rummage sales and antique dealers truly reflects a passion for preserving the beauty of these delicate pieces.

The idea of using lone plates and teacups without a specific purpose in mind, just because you loved them, is so inspiring. It's amazing how sometimes a simple excuse to collect something you adore can lead to extraordinary artistic endeavors. Your approach to collecting with the possibility of future china hutch displays and table scaping is genius, even before the term "table scaping" became popular!

It's heartwarming to hear that you rescued broken and chipped china, giving these pieces a new lease on life in your stunning mosaic creations. Turning them into stepping stones, trivets, and now this gorgeous mosaic frame showcases your talent and resourcefulness.

The flow blue china you acquired from the antique dealer as broken plates is an absolute gem in this mosaic frame. The delicate patterns and intricate details of flow blue china make it a perfect choice for such a refined and artful piece.

I must say, your attention to detail is commendable. Even the mosaic china edging on the sides of the frame adds a touch of elegance and completes the overall look flawlessly.

I can't help but wonder how many more beautiful creations you have in mind for your cherished china collection. Each piece seems to hold a unique story, and you've given them a new narrative through your artistic vision.

Thank you for sharing this masterpiece with us, and for reminding us all that art can be found in the most unexpected places. Your mosaic mirror frame is not just a mere decorative item; it's a symbol of creativity, passion, and the beauty of giving new life to old treasures.

Wishing you many more successful mosaic projects ahead. I can't wait to see what you come up with next!