Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control of what you don’t. – Steve Maraboli

Taking a step forward from the melancholy I felt last week, it didn’t take long for my fingers to tingle again with creative fervour. This I’m happy to say was helped along by a weeks stay with my parents. They live in a little sea side town and the sea air was exactly what I needed. Baby C has also been relishing in her Grandparents attention.

My project this week was inspired by the artist Nancy Keating  and her beautiful mosaic wine bottle. I have always wanted to try my hand at mosaics but have only ever gone as far as adding tile mirrors to lamp bases. This should come as no surprise by now, but I have a collection of glass tiles and mosaic tools I’d been storing for just this project and it was about time I used them.

I don’t know if it was the sea air or too much sun but somehow I embarked on a physically larger creation than I normally allow myself to do. As Baby C is only eight months old, I’m still learning to balance what it means to be a creative Mum. I feel it’s important to note here that there would have been no way I could have achieved this (in a week) normally had I not been staying with my parents (with their help and support… thanks Mum and Dad) and had I not let go of my perfectionist nature.

Therefore I spent almost every sleep time of Baby C; which can be fleeting, creating this piece. I flew through it as time happens to do these days, by not allowing myself to become meticulous about the detail or worry about the outcome. I just went with it. And even though my fingers ache and I feel more tired than normal (how is that even possible), I am overjoyed with the outcome.

surface preparation

tile detail and drawing concept

first stage

last stage

My Mother kindly allowed me to create this mosaic on a cement oil burner from her garden. I also used one of her books ‘Garden Mosaics (25 step-by-step projects for your outdoor room)‘ by Becky Paton, which was excellent in helping me know where to begin and exactly what I needed to do. To save myself time I used one of the templates from her book to create the butterflies and dragonflies. The materials I used were PVA Glue, a permanent marker, glass tiles, tile cutter, tile adhesive and grout, a plastic trowel and sponge (as well as rags).

It’s time to have a rest now. Until next week… happy painting.

Are you a creative parent? How do you balance your creativity with being a parent?