Inspiration v1.0: mosaic

My sister and her husband had a beautiful house built on the eastern shore of Maryland a couple of years ago. They spent a lot of time poring over plans beforehand, and the result is a beautiful combination of form and function. It is a lovely, peaceful place to visit, with a river in the front (so you can kayak right out of the front yard) and a frog pond in the back.

This year there was a surprise for us on our annual visit. My sister's friend, an artist, designed a mosaic for their kitchen.

There are two large trees that represent my sister and BIL, and one small tree for each of their three children. (Click on the pictures to see more detail.)


Even the dogs and cat were included. (Can you see them?)

The overall effect is just breathtaking; these pictures can't do it justice. The first floor of the house is almost entirely open, so this mosaic really sets the tone for the living space. All of the mosaic pieces are broken bits of pottery, china, and mirrored glass, with the addition of a few small stones. The uneven surface texture really adds to the piece.

There was also one especially lovely, but unplanned, tie-in. When my sister's friend arrived with all of her supplies, she opened a box filled with bits of broken blue china and said, "Here's the pieces for your sky!" She had them from someone who had a china cabinet disaster as the result of a broken shelf. When my sister looked more closely at the small pieces, she realized that the china was the same pattern as my mother's formal china--and it is not a common pattern at all. So this new creation also includes special bits from the past.

Am I the only one who is tempted to hit some yard sales, and then run out and buy tile snips and grout?