My name is Richard and I love all types of crafts but am especially interested in all forms of Mosaic. Most particularly, what I have come to term as Practical Mosaic, where you take a garage sale item like a plain, glass vase you can buy for 50 cents or old tissue box and turn it into something useful for the home, patio or garden. Everyone has tons of this stuff laying around the house and this site will be dedicated to showing you how fun and rewarding it can be to dig it out and what you will need to know to dress it up with colorful tile, marbles or other media.

I support and encourage the undertaking of any craft, particularly one that promotes creativity and that results in a feeling of accomplishment. Mosaic certainly does that for me and a lot more. It is a relaxing, fun and very gratifying hobby. But somewhere along the way I took a wrong turn, gained a lot of weight and could only find solace in the time I spent making things, most likely because the only way I could feel comfortable was in wearing my loose -fitting "hobby" sweats. Mosaic took my mind off my weight problem- but only temporarily. Sooner or later I had to get dressed and go somewhere and street clothes tell no lies. Funny thing about mirrors too, if your clothes are big enough you can convince yourself that you don't look so bad, it's not until you see yourself in a photo that you realize just how far you have fallen. If you are anything like me you have been through the same kinds of things that Dr. Robert C. Atkins describes as the the "weight loss wars" in his book, Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. You name the diet and I tried it; the low-fat diet, the cabbage soup diet, the grapefruit diet, fasting, calorie reduction, portion control and on and on. I always felt hungry and deprived. It wasn't until I discovered the carbohydrate controlled nutritional approach to eating that I was able to emerge from my crafting shell.

The information provided within this site will change your life once and for all and it won't cost you a penny! I can show you how I was able to lose more than 80 lbs and KEEP it off without depriving myself of good tasting food. You can lose weight, increase your energy and gain control of your body again.  And later on I will tell you how I was able to overcome my food demons and become a much happier person in the process. The time I was able spend on my mosaic projects suffered a bit at first because I went out more but that's a small price to pay for what I gained in self-confidence.

Practical Mosaic

I wish I could tell you that I got my inspiration creating these things in a design studio made of glass set on a snow covered mountain in Tibet. Truth is, I live in a small neighborhood in the desert southwest and my view is of the kids playing ball in the park across the street.  I create things in my home, in a 10 X 12 room I call a "studio" that is covered floor to ceiling with little drawers and bookshelves filled with mosaic treasures. It has become my "happy" place and most times it's a total mess - but it's all mine and I have spent many happy hours, ankle -deep in shards, marbles and glue. Everywhere in my home you can find a unique piece of mosaic that I made with my own two hands, a tile chiminea on the hearth, pots full of cactus and succulents in the garden, glass vases covered with shiny marbles and filled with dried flowers in the family room. And my personal favorites: candle holders made with translucent, colored marbles and millefiori. These things are simple and fun to do and you virtually cannot make a mistake! I particularly love to mosaic using bright colors and am always fascinated by the emerging characteristics of random designs. I am a member of SAMA, the Society of American Mosaic Artists and have been practicing this craft for five years.

I consider myself somewhat of an underdog in the mosaic world because I follow a different path, simplicity is my mantra, both in design and method and this style may be considered by some as not adhering to the classic mosaic styles but who cares? That's ok with me because I have a thick skin AND a feeling that there are more folks out there like me who would be willing to try a simpler form of mosaic first - then if they want to attempt to recreate the MONA LISA in micro-mosaic tiles - by all means, have at it! Personally I prefer to be able to complete a project in a matter of hours or days versus months and years - not to mention the costs, special tools and special techniques required. I believe that anyone can be successful using my starter designs and once they discover how easy it can be they will naturally progress to more creative and involved projects. Keep in mind that mosaic materials such as glass, tiles, china and marbles will last a very long time and what you create could end up as a family heirloom. Sign and date your projects- they are likely to be around for a generation or more.

My finished projects are not for sale. When I complete an item it either goes in the garden, on the patio, or is given away to an admirer. I make them to inspire the desire in do-it-yourselfers - people who are not afraid to think outside the box and get their hands dirty. I hope that you decide to find out for yourself how rewarding and fun this craft can be.  As I have said, the method I have adopted for my style of mosaic is what I call; Practical Mosaic. Most of what you will see on these pages are things that were made with readily available and cheap materials and what really appeals to me is that they don't take a lot of time to do. It is my hope that I can convince you that making mosaics doesn't have to be complicated. I reduce it to it's most simplest form so that those new to mosaic will find it easy to get started. Unfortunately, there is an almost universal misconception that mosaic is difficult to do and only practiced by accomplished artists, and it's no wonder, check out what's on the web and most of what you find are mosaicists who seem to prefer trying to recreate great works of art. Ambitious undertakings that can be breathtaking, when finished, however, I for one, do not have the patience required to spend months or years on a single design.

My focus is on using bits and pieces of mixed media and colors to create interesting, attractive and useful designs. I love to take a clay pot and make a mosaic planter for my garden or take a plain glass candle shelter and turn it into a colorful accent for the fireplace mantle. I am of the want-it-now generation of crafters and I like to have several projects going at once so that when I finish one I can move on to the next. I find potential projects at craft stores, thrift shops, garage sales, swap meets and my own attic, anywhere I can pick up something economically (ok, cheap) and make it over in colorful mosaic. Hopefully you will agree that the everyday items that I started with ended up looking like something you might spend your hard-earned money on. If you do it yourself, you won't need to buy anything. Abe Lincoln once said "Chop your own wood, it will warm you twice." He was so right! 

My course of mosaic instruction outlines each step of the process in designing a mosaic, gives you plenty of tips to avoid the possible problems you might encounter, where to look for inspiration for your designs and how to use different media effectively. I will tell you how to find the raw materials, prepare them and apply the media. Have I mentioned?- it's easy too! Usually the things I make can be completed over a weekend or even just an afternoon and you will be amazed at the transformation of a plain item into a masterpiece that will wow your family and friends. "YOU MADE THAT?!"

I am a prolific mosaicist, not a professional one and I  make a lot of candle shelters, candle holders, planters, garden pots, tissue boxes, vases and chininaeas, furniture and unique knick-knacks. I do this because I enjoy it and it's relaxing. The stresses of my day job just seem to melt away after just a few minutes spent working on a project. The media I apply can be just about anything with a flat surface; marbles,  rocks, pennies, beads, milefiori, smalti, beach glass, stained glass, ceramic - you name it and I have done it! I have tried to present a variety of projects within this site - ones that will interest an artist who has already done mosaics and ones for beginners looking for a place to start. I LOVE color and texture and enjoy dressing up my garden, family room or patio with practical and useful mosaic pieces that will provide years of pleasure. Talk about conversation pieces!

 

How I Got Started 

After years of trying crafts of all sorts and never finding anything that could hold my interest for very long, about five years ago I discovered mosaic, took a class and changed my life forever. It was expensive, unessessarily so, in my opinion, but it served it's purpose in getting my attention. My very first project was a simple 6" clay pot but soon after I saw potential in every flat surface in my home. It didn't take me long to start experimenting with mixed media, grout colorants and curved surfaces. The beautiful thing about my style of mosaic is that you don't have to be "artistic" or possess endless patience. Over the years I have discovered short cuts, refined my methods to the point where they are fool-proof and am now ready to share them with you, the budding mosaicist. I don't depend on this for a living (yet) and decided that the best way to spread the word is to make it into a no-brainer kind of purchase. For $6.95 you don't have much to lose.

Over the years I have collected tiles, broken china, beads, colored glass, rocks and thousands of flatbacked marbles. The technique I have refined is my own but once you try a few of these things you will quickly develop your own style. And just like any other craft or hobby there are certain basic rules that you must follow and a few secrets you have to discover in order to be successful. All of that can be found in my Basic Mosaic Course. I invite you to try it - at no cost. I am willing to bet that you will find it as rewarding and fun as I have.

 The Low Carb Lifestlye

The rest of my story as it unfolds within this site contains facts and research that supports what I want to share with you about how you can not only lose weight, but change the way you eat for the rest of your life. I want you to be happier and healthier and stay that way so that you can enjoy mosaic or whatever you do in your spare time - for years to come. That's why all the information in here about the low carb lifestyle, all the resources where I have found great tasting foods (watch for our reviews), the plan that worked for me and the support I needed to succeed - is FREE!

For too many of us, the word diet implies not an approach to eating for a lifetime but an an on -again, off- again, half-hearted attempt to weight loss that will come back to haunt you in the form of adding even more pounds. Been there - done that. I think I have found a way to get around this no-win cycle without the usual problems associated with giving up your favorite foods. I will demonstrate to you that there are only two things, just two measly things that you have to remove from your grocery list in order for you to succeed where before there was only failure. If you can do this you are on your way to a lifetime of good health and a re-awakening of your self esteem. If you believe that weight loss requires self-deprivation I am going to convince you that it is not the case at all.

I am a mosaicist not a heart surgeon and can't take any credit for the low carb approach to a healthier lifestyle. I was inspired to try this plan as a last resort by the New Diet Revolution, a book written by the late, esteemed heart surgeon, Dr. Robert C. Atkins and The South Beach Diet, by Dr. Arthur Agatston. I have taken the best parts of each book and combined them into a plan that I adopted as my own. Each of these books alone provides a complete and effective way to lose weight, but a plan that combines the best of both is formidable! It is my intention to share that approach with anyone who cares to read it - because it works!  At this time I should point out that I am not a doctor, nurse, dietitian or in any way connected with the health care field. What I say about losing weight comes from my experience and refers to the things that I discovered that helped me and should in no way be interpreted as medical advice from a quack who hopes to make a buck off the poor, fat masses. It's always a good idea to see your doctor before attempting any weight loss plan.

If you ever found yourself confused about which way to turn in your battle to control your weight, don't feel alone. Let me read you an excerpt from the New Diet Revolution: "People were taught to regard sugary cereals, which bore the American Heart Association's seal of approval as health food along with bread, pasta, bagels and the like. We were taught to shrink in terror of from a steak or lamb chops. The low-fat craze - in vogue for two decades- significantly lowered the percentage of fat in the American diet but simultaneously resulted in a massive increase in carbohydrate consumption." Truer words were never spoken and if you go into a health food store today, even with all the research proving the harm caused by "bad" carbs, there is more sugar in their so-called "health foods" than there is in a candy store! 

It is very disappointing to me that the sheer magnitude of misinformation that stands behind our society's staggering increase in rates of diabetes and obesity has been caused by an industry that cares more about money than they do about health. The sugar industry is big business and has more money behind it than anyone can even fathom. They use it to spread half-truths and downright lies about the low- carb approach because it eats into their profits. God forbid that we should eat healthy -it wouldn't surprise me if they invented the low-fat craze. Their propaganda campaign has succeeded in turning what had to be the healthiest "fad" ever into just one more forgotten weight loss program. For one fleeting moment it looked like America was going to wake up and try something that had been proven to actually be good for us. Alas, in our society, he who has the most money wins and I can hear BIG SUGAR laughing as they continue to get away with promoting low-fat as a "healthy" way to lose weight. The lower the fat the more sugar they add -otherwise Americans won't eat it -and they are laughing all the way to the bank.

Never fear! There is still a low-carb movement out there. People in the know are convinced it is the best and fastest way to lose weight and it has been proven to promote overall health. Millions of people have overcome obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and all the other medical conditions aggravated by excessive carbs by following a carbohydrate restricted program. There are new foods out there that will taste as good or better as the ones that should have proven to you by now that they do you no good at all. You have witnessed the advances in cell phone technology and computers, wait until you see what they have done with low carb food!

Read the labels the next time you go to the grocery store. Just go down the juice isle for example and try to find anything that has even a remote chance of being low in carbs. You will find "10% real fruit juice" - LOADED with sugar. Fat-free!, again, LOADED with sugar. "contains Viatmin C", LOADED with sugar, ad nauseum. Come on people, let the rest of the world be fat, YOU can beat this.