Friday 24 October 2014

Fairground Flowers Garden Bird Nest Box

Fairground Flowers Garden Bird Nest Box

The flowers on this bird box have been handmade with wire, then hand painted with weatherproof paint in bright fairground colours of red, yellow and blues. Each flower has then been randomly attached to the bird box. This nest box is practical for the birds as it can be left in the garden all year round so can be used for nesting in the spring and for roosting out of bad weather in the winter. The bird box also makes a great garden decoration for you to look at too.

Wildlife Water Dishes, Bird Baths and Plaques


25cm Owl Bird Bath and 21cm Moonlight Hedgehog Water Dish
25cm Hanging Wall Plaque & 17cm Owl Water Dish






































Hedgehog Water Dishes & Plaques
A gang of hedgehogs and owls have invaded my website. There are 17cm water dishes, which are great for leaving fresh water out for your garden wildlife. Then there are 21cm water dishes, that are a tiny bit deeper so will be good as small bird baths too. Then there's the 25cm bird baths that are great for small and larger birds too. The hedgehog design comes in three colours, and all of the hedgehog and owl designs can be made into wall hanging plaques too. Something for any wildlife, nature and garden lover.

Vintage Fabric Effect Mosaic House Number

Vintage Fabric Look Mosaic House Numbers
Vintage Fabric Look Mosaic House Number

These house number mosaic plaques have been designed to look like they've got a vintage Liberty style fabric background. The mosaic is made up of small flowers, and butterflies, filled in with small leaves. The grout on the front design has then been overpainted with weatherproof paint to create a rough texture to finish the vintage fabric look.

Delphinium Reflections Bird Bath

Delphinium Reflections Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

The idea of the mosaic design in this bird bath was having a spike of mixed delphinium blooms and the mini butterflies flitting around them as if they are being reflected in the water of the bird bath. The blue butterflies are iridescent and the plum butterflies are transparent to add interest and depth to the design. Each delphinium flower has a mini white daisy with a lilac centre in it's centre.

Monday 1 September 2014

Mirror, Mirror

Random Colour Shoal Fish Mosaic Mirror
Graduating Colour Shoal Fish Mosaic Mirror























Two fishy mirrors for you. Both have the fish circling in alternate directions to create a dynamic design. One has a random colour pattern with iridescent fish dotted around to add metallic shine. The other has graduating colour fishes. Both have the slightly raised mirror so you can see the slightly greeny mirror glass that adds to the watery feel. Both are designed to be used in any room of the home, including bathrooms.

Water Drops Mosaic Heart Hanging Decoration

Water Drops Mosaic Hanging Decoration


Inspired by the graduating colours used in the Elements Bird Bath this Water Drops mosaic heart uses water droplets shapes to create the pattern and the colours graduate across the face. There is a small circular mirror to add some interest along with the iridescent tiles used that have a metallic shine when the light angle catches them. This heart is suitable for sheltered garden use (not too much water, definitely no ice), or indoor use. A lovely, unique decoration for your home or garden.

Sunday 10 August 2014

Elements Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Elements Mosaic Garden Bird Bath
Elements Mosaic Garden Bird Bath


A new design that has evolved from a design I used on a garden heart recently. I've called it Elements because there is a touch of fire and earth, and water and ice in each band of colour. The colour stripes are a mix of plain tiles, some iridescent to add metallic shine and some translucent to add depth. The background and border I have kept as a neutral stone grey to tie in with the element theme and to show off the bands of colour even more.

Muted Garden Heart Decoration

Muted Heart Garden Hanging Decoration


I had some magenta nuggets that I wanted to use in a design, and a slate heart that I wanted to create a garden ornament out of. So I designed a soft palette of purples, browns and pastel blues and toned down the magenta by adding a dark blue mottling to them so they tied in with the design. The white tiles used have a slightly pitted surface that has taken specks of the grout to create an almost white granite effect. It's a lovely Muted Heart Garden Decoration for adding a touch of subtle colour to the home or garden.

Bird Bath or Wall Plaque?

Commissions 
I've had some customers mention to me that they can't have a bird bath for various reasons (no garden, cats, boisterous kids), so I have come up with a way to convert the bird bath designs into wall plaques. I make quite a lot of commissions for people that just want a change of use, or a slight change to the designs. Here is a selection. The Harvest Hedgehog Dish, made into a wall plaque, and the design reversed to create an Autumn Hedgehog Dish. The Lavender Hedgehog Dish made into a wall plaque. And two standard made to order bird bath designs with similar colours used in the design tweaked slightly to match further and given matching borders. If you'd like to have a tweak made to any design, or you'd like a wall plaque made from a bird bath design (the wall plaques are suitable for garden use too), then just contact me on jo@josara.co.uk or on my website Contact Form.

A Prickle of Hedgehogs

Hedgehog Water Dishes

A 'prickle' is actually an official word for a group of hedgehogs.

I saw a plea from the Hedgehog Preservation Society to make sure that there was fresh water out for the hedgehogs to drink in the hot weather. It inspired me to create the Hedgehog Water Dish range. These are great for small birds to bathe in, and larger birds to drink from during the day. Then in the evening and at night the hedgehogs can use them to get a drink too. Plus you get to enjoy a hedgehog in your garden in the day with the hedgehog design. Perfect. And with three colour choices to choose from, Moonlight, Lavender, and Harvest, a perfect gift for any wildlife lover too.

Saturday 12 July 2014

Deep Sea Mosaic Bird Bath

Deep Sea Mosaic Garden Bird Bath


I noticed something about my mosaic designs a while ago. I know I like colour and pattern, but I also noticed that my designs fell into two categories. They either look like fabric designs, or ceramic designs. This latest bird bath Deep Sea is definitely a ceramic style design. Each colour line of fish has an iridescent fish to add metallic shine and interest. The border in two colours adds depth too.

Saturday 21 June 2014

Vintage Flowers Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Vintage Flowers Mosaic Garden Bird Bath


The lovely neutral, natural palette used for the mosaic in this Vintage Flowers bird bath give the flowery pattern a fab vintage fabric look. The neutral tones are used in a graduated style on the border of the bird bath. It's a bird bath that would suit any style of garden, contemporary to cottage.

Sunday 15 June 2014

Patchwork Butterflies Mosaic Wall Decoration Art

Patchwork Butterflies Mosaic Wall Decoration Art


The wooden frame has a lovely pale sky blue wash over it which lets the wood grain through and compliments the tile colours used in the mosaic picture. The mosaic butterflies are in rich colours with some iridescent tiles use that shine with metallic colours when the light catches them. The grout is a lovely warm creamy white.

Sea Glass Hearts Mosaic Garden Wind Chime

Sea Glass Hearts Mosaic Garden Wind Chime
Another new design that is perfect for the summer is this Sea Glass Hearts Mosaic Garden Wind Chime. The tile colours used are sea greens and blues with some iridescent and some translucent tiles too. The amber and aqua glass hearts sit proud of the mosaic so will let the light shine through them. The mosaic panel has a similar design with two hearts on each side and the edges are all tiled to so the wind chime can be viewed from all angles when it's hanging. The chimes are handcut and have a lovely soft sound.

Dragonfly Dance Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Dragonfly Dance Mosaic Garden Bird Bath


After making the Tiffany Toadstools I liked the colours so much I've used them in a bird bath design that I've made before. The three dragonflies have got iridescent blue wings that shine with metallic electric blue. The background is made using soft shades of blues and green giving the design a slightly stained glass effect. It's a lovely design that would make a great gift for anyone that loves their garden, or wildlife, or art glass designs.

Thursday 22 May 2014

Mosaic Dragonfly Toadstool Garden Decoration

Dragonfly Mosaic Toadstool
Dragonfly Mosaic Toadstool






















My latest make. A mosaic toadstool with a dragonfly sitting on the top. Sold now, but more on the way. Keep an eye on my Facebook page to see them as they get finished.




Dragonfly Mosaic Toadstool






Dragonfly Mosaic Toadstool

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Cloud of Butterflies Slate Garden Decorations

Clouds of Butterflies Slate Paddlestone Decoration


It's official. I've gone butterfly mad. I just love the colour palettes I can put together using these mini ones. And they look great as a Cloud of Butterflies on these slate paddlestones. These slates would be great adding colour in a garden, as part of a container display, at the front of a border, next to a pond, on a raised bed wall....

They would also look great indoors. Maybe in a bathroom, or on a mantel or windowsill where the light can catch them and make the iridescent tiles shine with their metallic colours.

Saturday 19 April 2014

Beautiful Butterflies

Blue & Orange Butterfly Mini Bath



Have you noticed the amount of butterflies around already? Looks like it might be a good year for them. And seeing all these beauties has inspired me to make some more butterfly mosaic designs. I've made a butterfly mini bath which is designed to have pebbles in for the butterflies to land on and sip the water from the edges.









Blue & Purple Cloud of Butterflies Slate Decoration


The other design is a slate garden decoration with a cloud of mosaic butterflies on it. Some are plain colour tiles and some are iridescent so shine with metallic colours when the light catches them. Great for adding colour in a border, or as part of a display of pots, or next to a pond, or......

Tuesday 8 April 2014

Butterfly Compass Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Butterfly Compass Bird Bath 

Butterfly Compass Bird Bath
Another new bird bath design. I've had the idea to make a compass in a bird bath for a while. I'd also made a bird bath recently using the mini butterflies. It suddenly came to me that they could be fluttering in between the compass points to make up the design. So the Butterfly Compass Bird Bath took shape.

I've used some plain colour and some iridescent tiles to make the butterflies. The iridescent tiles add such interest to the mosaic with their shiny metallic colours. This bird bath is a great ornament for a garden, plus it's practical for the birds, plus it would be handy for a gardener as the compass points when set up to face their true directions could be used to help place plants where they'll like it best, with more sun, more shade etc. What could be a better gift for a wildlife loving gardener?

Sunday 30 March 2014

Gypsy Sky Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Gypsy Sky Mosaic Garden Bird Bath



After coming up with the Gypsy Rose purples and greens palette for this bird bath design, I wanted to use all blues because I thought it would suit the pattern. I think it does. This is called Gypsy Sky.

Friday 28 March 2014

Gypsy Rose Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Gypsy Rose Mosaic Garden Bird Bath



I was having a play with tile colours using an old design that I decided to make again, and I came up with a very bohemian, almost crochet cushion style look. I've called it Gypsy Rose because it really reminds me of caravan style. I think I might have to have a play with some different palettes and see if I can come  up with some more of this design.

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Dragonflies & Daisy Mosaic Slate Garden Decoration

Dragonflies & Daisy Mosaic Slate Garden Decoration


The three iridescent dragonflies are flitting around the rose pink daisy flower. All the materials used are suitable for all year garden use so this slate decoration is great for adding a splash of metallic colour in the garden.

Saturday 15 February 2014

Moroccan Garden Mosaic Bird Bath

Moroccan Garden Mosaic Bird Bath


Inspired by the mosaic colours of a Moroccan courtyard pool, this Moroccan Garden Bird Bath uses deep blues, greens and soft aquas to create a geometric design. It would be great to add colour in the garden and would look fab with large leaved plants to create an exotic atmosphere in the smallest space.

Thursday 6 February 2014

Mosaic Bee Coaster

Mosaic Bee Coaster

The mosaic bees have flown onto this fab selection of coasters. These can be used indoors out outside in the garden as all materials are weatherproof. The bees have iridescent wings that shine with metallic magenta and blue. They are great decorative items that are practical too. Find them on my website - JoSara.co.uk

Thursday 30 January 2014

Mosaic Bumblebee with Olive Frame
























I've decided to add a bit more home decor to my range so I've created two mosaic bumblebees in hand painted frames. The frames have a lovely muted olive green slightly distressed finish. The bees have iridescent wings that shine with metallic gold and magenta, and they are surrounded by two shades of sky blue tiles. I really like the proportion of frame to mosaic, and the distressing and subtle colours give a lovely finished look to them.

Sunday 26 January 2014

Butterflies on Stone Mosaic Garden Hanging Decoration

Butterflies on Stone Mosaic Garden Ornament
Butterflies on Stone Mosaic Garden Decoration


A bit of mixed media added to my website today. The Butterflies on Stone Mosaic Hanging Decoration. The stones have hand painted butterflies on them. I've used layers of paint to create an interesting effect and to give them a metallic shine. The stones are then set into a mosaic on a hand cut base which has had a wire hanger added to it. The mosaic is made with shades of turquoise, blue and green and finished with a grey grout to bring the stones into the design. The back is painted with a sky blue weatherproof paint. All the materials used are weatherproof so the ornament could be used all year in the garden. But I think it would also look fab indoors, maybe in a bathroom.

Friday 17 January 2014

Rambling Rose and Seed Heads Bird Boxes

Rambling Rose Bird Box
Seed Heads Bird Box




















These two bird boxes have been hand painted with a slight distressed finish using layers of paint. Then both have had wire decoration applied to finish them. The first one has wire Rambling Roses that are hand painted pink and copper, and includes wire hearts on both sides of the box. The second box has wire flower Seed Heads all around the sides and front. Both are practical for the birds, and both are very pretty for your garden.

Thursday 9 January 2014

Blossom & Butterflies Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Blossom & Butterflies Mosaic Bird Bath

Blossom & Butterflies Mosaic Bird Bath


This Blossom and Butterflies design has a random pattern made with white blossom flowers, tiny blue butterflies and jade, apple and mint green leaves. I seem to either go fabric or ceramic with my mosaic designs. This one is definitely a fabric style pattern.

Friday 3 January 2014

Cream Roses Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Cream Roses Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Another new design. Cream Roses. This time I wanted to add to the flower bird baths that I've got. At the moment I've only got daisies, so I thought I'd add some roses. I also wanted a light, airy feel to the design, so I used cream for the roses, and two light shades of jade green for the leaves and background. The rest of the design is finished with pastel aqua blue which has the feeling of a summer sky. It's a lovely shabby chic looking bird bath that would look great in a border, or used as a feature ornament.

Wednesday 1 January 2014

Spanish Garden Mosaic Bird Bath

Spanish Garden Mosaic Bird Bath

First addition of 2014 to my website, this Spanish Garden Bird Bath has a mosaic made with deep blues and whites that you'd find in Mediterranean ceramics. Especially pots for the garden. The geometric design also reminds me of tiled floors in Spain. It's a great bird bath to add a bit of atmosphere and colour to the garden, while also being practical for the birds.

I've for loads of new ideas for designs, so keep an eye on my website for more new listings soon.