| Author | Content |
byholmes
Placerville, CA
June 05, 2009
04:16 PM Post #6646961
| I was looking for a project that my mother and I could do together and came up with this. Last summer I came across a garage sale that had bags and bags of jewelry. I bought a lot. My mom had a Carousal horse that she picked up at a garage sale and we brought it with her when she came to visit. I really did not have a plan and just jumped in and started gluing jewelry on the saddle. Really should have thought it through...
Any way, we picked through the costume jewelry and took out anything of value and used the rest on the horse. I decided to do the hair and mane in white tile. Mom has gone back home and I am still working on it. I’ve let it sit for months at a time but now am back to working on it. Here are some pictures that I thought I would share. I have to finish the tile and grout before I glue more jewerly on. I am anxious to finish so I can start another project.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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byholmes
Placerville, CA
June 05, 2009
04:19 PM Post #6646967
| Here is another photo of the Carousal Horse. I forgot to mention that I sprayed it gold before applying all of the goodies. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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the1pony
Pony in Lakewood, WA
(Zone 8a)
June 05, 2009
10:19 PM Post #6648442
| Wow, that's quite a project! I don't know if I'd have the patience to do something that big. hehe. Nice work! :) |
planolinda
Plano, TX
June 05, 2009
11:43 PM Post #6648716
| that is just beautiful!! wow!
someone in our neighborhood had a carousal horse out front by their door--i had forgotten all about it till i saw your picture--maybe they moved--it was white and detail was painted pretty colors--a carousal horse would such a great find at a garage sale!! |
Mazda1994
Oklahoma City, OK
June 06, 2009
10:35 AM Post #6649702
| Awesome! |
byholmes
Placerville, CA
June 06, 2009
12:09 PM Post #6650006
| Okay, I promise not to go overboard with this but wanted to post one more photo. Well, maybe one more when I finish and who knows when that will be...
Barbara 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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planolinda
Plano, TX
June 06, 2009
12:12 PM Post #6650013
| that is just amazing!! you have done such a great job--please keep us posted with pictures---make sure you don't put that out in front of your house--unless you secure it--and keep out of the elements too--so very pretty |
Mazda1994
Oklahoma City, OK
June 07, 2009
12:47 PM Post #6654216
| I love seeing the pictures. You are doing an awesome job! |
melsalz
Mooresville, NC
(Zone 7b)
June 09, 2009
10:02 AM Post #6663077
| Wow, amazing job. I have a carousal pony that may deceased step-mom painted. Both of you are so talented.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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planolinda
Plano, TX
June 09, 2009
11:20 AM Post #6663463
| oh that is just beautiful! |
byholmes
Placerville, CA
June 09, 2009
12:24 PM Post #6663778
| Your step-mom was amazing. If only I could paint (I have no talent in that area at all). What a beautiful keepsake to have from her.
Barbara |
Verfkwas
Pretoria
South Africa
June 19, 2009
04:16 AM Post #6709474
| Barbara,
I love the horse! Are you going to grout it? And what are you going to do with him when you are finished? |
byholmes
Placerville, CA
June 19, 2009
11:59 AM Post #6710605
| I am definitely going to grout and will use white grout for the “hair” and mane. Where I am having some doubts is what to do for the top of the saddle. Should I tile that piece? I do have enough jewelry to do that on top but I think glass tile might be better. And what the heck color… I have some light color brown glass with white running through it and can use that but this is turning out to be a huge project and I don’t want to make any mistakes.
I am attaching the picture and what I am talking about is the top of the saddle as I will do jewelry around the sides and the flap. Any ideas?
Oh, what to do with the horse when I finish… Well, I would like to put it in my mother’s house as it really doesn’t go with what I have. It is awfully big and my style, if you could consider what I have as style, is a little more contemporary or eclectic at best. I think between my mother and my sister, someone will take it. If not them, then there is a co-op art gallery in town that I have been considering putting something in but need to put together a few pieces. This could be the start of a collection.
Barbara
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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imapigeon
Gilroy (Sunset Z14), CA
(Zone 9a)
June 19, 2009
08:14 PM Post #6712561
| Just my humble opinion, of course, but I like the contrast of the smooth texture on the saddle with your fabulous mosaic and jewels. The bright gold distracts my eye from the jewels, but I think a rich brown or black paint treatment of some sort that would look like leather would be really nice. Was talking to our local cobbler the other day about a leather project, and he informed us that he's used a spray that looks like leather. Didn't have any to show us, so I don't know what it would look like.
Again, just my opinion---but I love this piece---you've done a fantastic job so far. Gorgeous detail, and so creative! |
byholmes
Placerville, CA
June 20, 2009
11:44 AM Post #6714902
| I really value your opinion and appreciate your feedback. When I see a few of names of people that have started strings, I immediately read and I know they have something good to contribute and yours is one, Wuvie is another as are a couple more.
The bright gold is not going to stay. I sprayed the horse with the gold to have a solid color underneath but plan on covering everything so gold will not remain. I agree, it is too distracting as it stands.
Interesting, I hadn’t thought of a painting the top and something that looks like leather. I will research that kind of paint but if you find out something more please share. It just may work!
Thanks again for your opinion, it is always welcomed.
Barbara
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imapigeon
Gilroy (Sunset Z14), CA
(Zone 9a)
June 20, 2009
12:11 PM Post #6714993
| Aww...thanks for the compliment!
I looked at some faux leather painting techniques, but I think they have waaay too much pattern to them for your project.
Maybe the way to go is just paint with a single gloss paint, steel-wool it to cut the gloss, and then wax it. I've done that for years with varnished wood, and also on a refurb project with a friend on some chairs. We sanded & spray-painted them gloss black. After we steel-wooled and waxed & buffed them, they had a nice sheen to them, but no shine.
That might be the a way for you to mimic a leather saddle (and without a ton more work!!)
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jamibad
Flagler Beach, FL
(Zone 9b)
June 22, 2009
09:26 PM Post #6725602
| OMG ! This is beautiful and I currently have a horse, that my hubby dug out of the trash, which I painted, and now, due to the winds blowing off the beach are taking it's toll on the paint job, pitted, but this is awsom and I do mosaic art and my next project is going to be the horse. Thanks for the idea, and your saddle is just amazingly beautiful. I can't get my table I'm working on , done quick enough. Thanks for posting and lets see what the end results is once you grout it. Here's my table, and as you can see I have lots to finish yet. I do flower pots, picture frames, stepping stones, and birdhouses! 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Sheryl419
Santa Maria, CA
August 30, 2009
03:12 PM Post #7005321
| Hi,
I'm new to the forum. II love your horse! So beautiful, & done so professionally. I'm glad you didn't overthink it, because you let your creativity just flow! Wow!! Have you been doing mosaics for a long time? I've been collecting stuff, but haven't tried in a while to make anything. You have helped to inspire me to start again! |
byholmes
Placerville, CA
August 31, 2009
04:37 PM Post #7009467
| Boy, I really did not over think it and probably should have… But thank you for the complement. I find that I love mosaic and would probably be one of those people that would mosaic everything around. In fact, after looking around in my yard, I am putting tile on everything.
The horse is still in transition as I started other projects and need to get back to this one. Right now, I have been working on outdoor mosaics and saving this for when the weather brings me back inside. I’ve also been trying to figure out what to do with the saddle. I’ve had some really good suggestions about putting leather on it. I ordered some leather from Ebay but it was too thick so am considering something else. Actually, now that I say that, I saw some leather-like material the other day and think I might try that. Or paint and do as imapigion suggested. Time to work on the horse!
This site is wonderful for ideas and I am also inspired with the creativity that so many people have and how they are willing to share.
Barbara
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p2_glassgarden
Alachua, FL
September 01, 2009
03:54 PM Post #7013836
| Barbara,
How about using brown kraft paper (grocery bags)? there's a lady that did her floor with them and coated with polyurathane. Looks like leather... If coated really well should stand up to the weather. I, too, love your horse! |
curvesarein
September 14, 2009
01:36 AM Post #7061821
| These are amazing, especially the one with jewelry. I have one my grandmother who passed away made with a hobby horse our kids used to ride on. I will post a pic. She crackle painted it. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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byholmes
Placerville, CA
September 15, 2009
01:33 PM Post #7067271
| That is so cute! What a great idea to do with the hobby horse that your kids used. And how nice to have something from your grandmother. Love it.
Barbara |
AlwaysWeeding
Cedar Rapids, IA
(Zone 5a)
November 02, 2009
04:11 PM Post #7234410
| I think actual (faux) leather would add a nice dimension and texture, and would be easier. It might be best to finish off the saddle, etc. with a fabric once everything is grouted, and you wouldn't have to take extra precautions to protect the tile and jewels during a painting process? |
Samigal
(Pegi) Norwalk, CA
(Zone 10b)
November 02, 2009
11:15 PM Post #7235897
| Such wonderful projects. Really love all that old jewelry on the horse. Now I wish I had the horse my kids had when they were young, usually I have a hard time getting rid of things so wonder what happened to it. |
bsavage
Dolores, CO
(Zone 5b)
November 04, 2009
09:26 PM Post #7242488
| That is fantastic! How is it comiing along? Love the mosaic!
Brenda |
