here is a backsplash that my friend from PA did. joanne did a great job with ceramics on this mosaic. i like the clean and simple look, and her colors are fresh and neutral. i think she used just the right amount of black in her crazy paving to balance out the whole black tiles.

the photo shows how i typically come up with combinations for colors, as well as the mix of van gogh and mirror. i lay out 2 tiles of each color and type that i am thinking about working with. this forms a kind of small grid, which allows me to see how the tiles look together.

in the photo, you can see several combinations that i have laid out. the colors may not come across very well in this photo, but you can get the general idea. this is really a fun process, and i approach it like i am playing. these are the ones that i liked... and i like some more than others.

i have completed mosaicing the frame area. tomorrow i will glue the mirror in the center and grout.

i don't grout much these days... working primarily with smalti and golds... but this technique is really pleasant to grout. the mosaic is very flat, so it cleans up easily. i always enjoy watching the mosaic appear as i clean the grout off. i am interested to see how the deep burgandy looks with the black grout.

this rule is one to live by: tell the truth - there's less to remember.

cutting 8 triangles from the 1/2" bronze van gogh tiles is a bit of a drag... and i need literally hundreds of them. some of the van gogh is very thick, which makes it difficult to break, and i often do not get clean corners. this also happens on the 3/4" tiles, but not as much. additionally, the 1/2" is more challenging to score accurately, which contributes to the challenge in breaking.