Mosaic Inspiration

Every once in awhile, I complete a piece that I fall madly in love with! Don’t get me wrong I adore all my pretty little pieces, as a matter of fact there hasn't been one I didn't like.  Yah, I may have changed a color or two, or perhaps done it a bit differently, but I've never said HOLY CRAP (or some other choice word) what was I thinking.  So, I have different categories of “like” and this piece is in the “Iabsolutelyfreakingloveyou” section. Now, you may be thinking, “Mary…that’s so conceded!” Please, know I don’t mean it to be, I mean, you don’t have to love it (secretly I’m hoping you do), but I get jazzed when colors and patterns come together to make a really cool piece of art.

Okay…so, here we go…

I had found this piece of furniture on Pinterest a long time ago and pinned it to my inspiration board called Painted Furniture for future use. I tried to find the original designer, to give them credit, but it just kept taking me to BING and thousands of pictures of painted furniture.  I couldn't even find this particular piece among the others anymore anyway.  All I had was this picture on my pin board.  Armed with that inspiration I set out on a mission to create something similar. See, the original designer of this piece had actually created their table from tiles. Although, I’ve tried mosaics I must admit, I don’t have the patience to create my own, then put them together, grout them and then paint! I mean really, I’d rather sit hunched over with a tiny paintbrush and tediously paint in squares! For real!

During a trip to my favorite unfinished wood shop I found this table on sale. Thinking I would be able to make my money back, I spent a little more then I usually do, and purchased it.  I liked it because it had the same lines, (so to speak) as my inspiration piece, yet it wasn't completely the same, which worked in making it my own.

I started by laying out the “tiles” and proceeded to color each section in with different colors.  Then I just started building on it from there.  It almost became like an obsession, to keep building on each piece, adding colors and shapes, finally creating small little abstract designs within one large cohesive piece.

I also admired how the top started taking on a quilt like effect.  Quilts are some of my biggest inspirational motivators for pattern. I’m infatuated with quilts! It’s one creative thing that I just can’t seem to do and have always wished I could.  I practically worship the talent of quilt makers.  Anyhow…that’s what the final product reminded me of, a really cool quilt.

Now, because the top and drawers (the front) were so manic, I didn't want the other parts to be too busy as well, so the sides, the back and bottom were pretty much big chunks of color, balancing the frenzied top.

The final piece looked like this.

  

Oh ya, and that money I thought I’d make back on this piece…ummm…ya, NOPE! I decided I loved it so much, that it was staying with me-a sort of belated Christmas present to myself!

Thanks for sticking with me this year. I for one am glad to be saying good-bye to 2012.  I’m really praying, hoping, wishing for an awesome 2013.  Cheers to all of you! See you next week! HOORAY!

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