Weekend Studio Tour #14 - Christine Burgess of Memories in Mosiacs

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Ready for a trip to sunny Florida?

Whimsical Flamingo Mosaic Mirror by Christine Burgess

Today we are visiting with Christine Burgess of Mosaic Memories on Etsy. I met Christine through the DesignStyleGuide Etsy team and DesignStyleGuide.net, an online resource for both interior designers & regular folks looking for unique items. Christine creates some really fun mosaic pieces which incorporate a variety of items, from plates & tiles to jewelry & mirrors.

Throughout this visit, click on any of the photos and links for more information. Now I'm going to step aside & let Christine lead you through her creative space:

American Limoges Framed by Christine Burgess

CB: I first started working with the "pique assiette" (french for "stolen from plate") style of mosaics a little over a year ago so I am amazed at the transformation of our spare room. I have always done some kind of craft but my work area was designed solely for the purpose of my mosaic business.

CB: This photo of my work area was built by my husband and I just love it. I found 2 nightstands at Target and thought they would make a great base for my table top, which is an 8’ piece of finished laminate from Home Depot. My husband also created a small shelf that sits on top of the table at the back to hold all my glass gems. I feel it is easier to have them in easy reach when I am working on a new mosaic. I rarely plan what I am going to create so having the visuals helps me considerably.

CB: I needed somewhere to house all the hand cut dishes, focal tiles and other miscellaneous supplies that I have so we put up 2 black bookcases. I use canning jars mostly to hold the various colors of dishes as well as my ceramic shapes because they are clear and I can tell at a glance what I have. The different glass tiles are kept in plastic box-like containers for easy reach. Of course there is the overflow which I have in separate plastic bags in a box because I can’t seem to stop buying things.

Custom Keepsake Piece by Christine Burgess

CB: As you can see I have lots of personal memorabilia around my room from my “I Love Lucy” and “Gone with the Wind” collections to crafts and drawings from my kids when they were little. I also keep my drawing of “Eeyore” from the original “Winnie the Pooh” film cells (because he is my favorite character) and a cute little stuffed duck my mother made me years ago. I just like the atmosphere of my personal effects.

CB: This is the table that sits directly behind my work area. I needed a separate place for ongoing pieces and to house my mailing boxes. For the most part, my husband cuts my bases from plywood but I do like to mosaic other things as well and they are kept in the stackable plastic bins next to the table. I have anything from small wooden crosses to large silver platters hidden away in there.

Mosaic Plant Wall Hanging by Christine Burgess

CB: My next project is to make a large cork board to keep my ideas and any custom orders I may be working on in plain sight. I plan to hang it directly above this table.

CB: The closet holds a stack of steel shelves (which are really two shelves made into one) to keep my mosaics when they are completed. I wanted some kind of storage that wouldn’t waste space so we bought 2 of the steel shelving units that came with 4 shelves each and just put the other 4 shelves into the first one, giving me a total of 8 shelves.

Modern Art Mosaic by Christine Burgess

CB: My mosaics don’t usually stay there very long as I sell in a store here in Florida as well as on Etsy, so this gets used for other things too. You can see the huge tray where I keep all my costume jewelry that I use in my creations. Jewelry has become my signature and I am always on the lookout for a special buy. There are also small tubs of rhinestones, vintage pieces and various do-dads that I have on hand.

CB: This last photo is of my computer area that sits off the kitchen. I have my bulletin board and calendar out there as well so I can keep track of different online events. If you ever see me in the forums you’ll know this is where I am sitting. I didn’t have room in my work area and since I do use it for things other than online selling, it’s nice to have it out in the open where it’s handy to get to.

CB: I have an online shop on Etsy at www.memoriesinmosaics.etsy.com . I also sell in a store called the Village Gingerbread House in Cocoa Village, Florida. My blog is www.cbcrafter.blogspot.com . I post about many different things; vacations, family events, personal observations, inexpensive decorating projects as well as my mosaics.

Shabby Chic Mosaic Tray by Christine Burgess

Thanks so much for the tour Christine! If you'd like to see more of Christine's work, be sure to check out her shop & blog. Her blog has some great work-in-progress posts, including a tutorial on Grouting a mosaic and a series called Mosaic Journey which walks you through the creation of the Flamingo Mosaic Mirror (shown at the top of this post).

By the way, thanks for stopping by, everyone. While I absolutely love visiting studios, it is great to know that you do too. If there is any style of artist or studio you'd like to see, please let me know. I am scheduling early 2010 tours now and will be sure to take your interests into consideration.

Also, anyone who comments on this blog before 12/3 will be entered into a random drawing for a gift certificate to my etsy shops. Click Here for contest details.

Thanks again for popping by. Come back next weekend for a new studio tour