Landscape Magazine feature

March Edition of Landscape Magazine featuring my Rainbow Hedgehog dish

You can find this dish in my Etsy Shop as well as on my website

It's been a really busy start to 2018 so not much time to update this blog (I tend to be able to keep my Facebook page much more up to date with any new designs that I've made or had ideas for, so hop over there and give me a follow if you'd like to see more), but I just had to mention that my Rainbow Hedgehog dish has been featured in this month's Landscape Magazine :)

New bird bath designs in stock

Top Left: Moroccan Garden bird bath / Top Right: Victorian Garden bird bath / Bottom Left: Herb Garden bird bath

Been busy making lots of new bird baths from old designs, but using new colours which are giving some really interesting finishes. Like this geometric pattern which is one of my oldest designs and I've named them all as the Garden design, but I've tried it out in three different palettes and it's given each one a completely different feel. The one using browns and creams has a Victorian tiled look, the blues are definitely a Moroccan pool, and the pale greens and purples has a definite formal herb garden look to it.

Beautiful Blue Sky and Bees in Blossom bird baths

The Beautiful Blue Sky bird bath with it's bees, dragonflies and butterflies, and the Bees in Blossom are both back in stock too. Both are like scenes of spring and summer reflecting in the water surface

Blue Bubble Sheep mosaic bird bath

The Blue Bubble Sheep design is back too.

Gypsy Rainbow mosaic bird bath

And finally a new colour palette for the Gypsy design and we've got the Gypsy Rainbow which has lovely soft, muted browns and greens working out to richer jade greens and a very deep sapphire blue border. A great design to add that splash of colour in the garden.

Mini Hedgehog Hearts

Blue Hedgehog Heart (left) & Blue/Green Hedgehog Heart (right)

I'm currently offering two different colour versions of this 10cm mini Hedgehog Heart. The one on the left has an all pale blue background, and the one on the right has pale blue above the hedgehog and pale green below. Eventually I will decide which one will be the only colour version, but as the moment I'm seeing which one proves more popular. You can find both colour versions in my Etsy shop with full details and more photos.

Harlequin Gypsy Bird Bath

Gypsy Harlequin Bird Bath

A customer asked me to make my Gypsy design, which is all shades of blues, with a random colour palette. I wasn't sure it was going to work because I thought the random tiles would lose the pattern. But, I tried it, and it worked. In fact it looked great. It looked a bit like a stained glass window that you see in the cathedral. I liked to so much I made a second one, and that one now lives in the US.

Beautiful Blue Sky

Beautiful Blue Sky Mosaic Hanging Plaque

This is a design that I first made on a bird bath, but it was crying out to go onto a wall plaque, and I got commissioned to make it into one, so here it is. Think it's come out quite well.

More Bees (and Butterflies)!

Bees, Butterflies & Dragonflies

Following the Bees in Blossom and Bees in Blue Daisies, the next Bees Bird Bath is the Bees, Butterflies & Dragonflies. I like the way this design has come out. It has a fabric design look to it, which I always say my designs tend to either look like fabric, or ceramic designs.

Cloud of Butterflies / Butterflies & Daisies Hearts

The other new designs are these two butterfly hearts, the Cloud of Butterflies, and Butterflies & Daisies. I think these have the fabric look too. The Cloud of Butterflies is a nice one to make because I get to create a large palette of butterfly colours and mixing colours for designs is one of my favourite things.



All of these are already sold, but all could be recreated on request. Either email me with the design name on jo@josara.co.uk or come and find me on Facebook and message me there.

New Designs

It's been very busy at JoSara HQ. A couple of new designs have been and gone from my shops already, and I've just added another.

The two that have new homes are the bees with flowers designs. One was Bees and Blossom, and the other was Bees and Blue Daisies.

Bees & Blossoms / Bees & Blue Daisies Mosaic Garden Bird Baths

The other new design I've just added to my website and Etsy shop is an abstract design that represents land and sea. The colours all match perfectly and make a lovely calm design.

Land & Sea Mosaic Garden Bird Bath 

New things!

Summer Jewel Tree Hanging Plaque

I have changed the Summer Jewel Tree design into a hanging plaque, which looks great with the iridescent and translucent leaves dotted around the design.

Faceted Rainbow Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

There is also a new bird bath design, Faceted Rainbow. This was inspired by the way facets in glass or jewels create a rainbow of reflected light. So the tiles are cut into facet shaped on the base, and as straight facets on the rim. It creates a great effect, so why not let your garden birds bathe in a rainbow.

Bee & Butterfly Cafe Signs

Bee & Butterfly Mini Mosaic Garden Cafe Sign (comes with bee & butterfly flower seeds)

Now available on my website, mini Bee & Butterfly Mosaic Cafe Signs, complete with bee and butterfly flower seeds to 'open' your garden cafe.

Jewel Tree Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

A new range is in progress. I've called these the Jewel Trees because there are highlight leaves of translucent, iridescent, and metallic colours that shine out. These are Spring, Summer, and Autumn with Winter on it's way soon. These are all bird baths, but the range can be made onto wall hanging plaques too, and can be used in the home or the garden.

Mosaic Maisons

Mosaic Maisons, garden art for you, a cosy home for your garden birds.

New to my website (and the houses will be available on Etsy as I add them too), Mosaic Maisons. The idea was that bird boxes make the perfect way to display panels of mosaic, so they become like a practical frame for garden art. Mosaic Maisons is a fun way to offer these bird houses like an estate agent like luxury residences for your garden birds.

The first three boxes are these, although only one has made it onto my website, the other two have been reserved. So it pays to get in quick, just like on the real property market.

Gift Sets

New to my website, a couple of gift sets for garden and wildlife lovers. The first is the Bee Lover's Gift Set which includes a mosaic heart with a bumblebee decoration that you can hang in the garden, and a bee on a daisy mosaic coaster for you to rest a tipple on while you watch the bees visiting the garden. Both of the mosaics are made on slate bases so are suitable for all year garden use, and both the bees have iridescent metallic shine on their wings. There are also 3 hand-stamped envelopes with a pinch of bee friendly plant seeds so you can use containers or a small garden border to create a lovely display that the bees can enjoy too. And all these items come in a honeycomb cell shape box which would be great to use to store the seeds collected from the plants you grow.

There is also the Owl Lover's Gift Set which includes the owl bird bath and an owl bird feeder for all your garden birds' needs.

Mosaic Bumblebee Bee Hanging Heart Decoration

Daisy and Forget-Me-Not Mosaic Bumblebee Hanging Hearts

Been really busy over the last month, so the blog posts have been a bit sparse. If you want to keep up with new makes and new ideas that I've got, the best way is to follow me on Facebook - josaradesign - I also show new things I've made on there first and my page followers get first chance to buy them too.

Like these Bee Hearts, a daisy version and a forget-me-not version too. All sold out now, but when I make some more you'll see them on Facebook first.

Mosaic Bird Box

Spanish Farmhouse Mosaic Garden Bird Box

After adding a couple of bee houses to my wildlife range, I thought I'd add some bird nest boxes too. The first one is called Spanish Farmhouse. It has a geometric blue and white design mosaic which, with the wooden roof gives a lovely rustic feel. The sides of the mosaic have a line of metallic copper and the sides and back of the box are painted with a muted putty colour which gives a fresh, modern feel, so this bird house will look great in any style of garden.

Summer Meadow Mosaic Garden Bird Box

The second bird box is using the Summer Meadow design that I've used on garden ball decorations before. It's a lovely bright design with poppies, buttercups, cornflowers, daisies and butterflies, that will add some colour to your garden, while being practical for the birds to nest in, in spring and roost in, in winter. The roof and sides of the mosaic are painted with sky blue, and the sides and back are painted white to keep the whole box looking light and airy.

Coral Reef Mosaic Bird Bath

Coral Reef Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Now your garden birds can take a dip on a Coral Reef. There are brightly coloured tropical fish swimming against the shimmering water made with four shades of aqua blues and see greens. A bit of fun for the garden, and great for adding a splash of colour.

Solitary Bee Houses for the Bees, and You

Des Res Mosaic Garden Solitary Bee House

As I've got a lot of solitary bees using my bee houses this year I thought I'd make them some posh houses to use, that are totally practical for them, but are also a nice bit of colour and design for you to look at too. The first one I've called the Des Res Solitary Bee House and it has a slate roof with a mosaic design of a bee against blue skies on both sides. The wooden tube is painted in pale sky blue with a white face. The tube is totally handmade and is specifically cut to be the exact size to hold the perfect length of tube for one solitary bee to make one whole nest in one tube. The bee will lay an egg at the far end, then gather some pollen to leave in with the egg (so the baby bee has something to eat when it hatches), then the bee creates a chamber for that egg using either a piece of leaf, if it's a Leaf Cutter Bee, or a plug of mud, if it's a Red Mason Bee. It'll repeat that process right up to the end of the tube where it'll plug the end and you'll know there's a nest in the tube and which bee made it. Fascinating.

Coastal Mosaic Garden Solitary Bee House

The second version of the posh bee houses is called Coastal Solitary Bee House. This one has a fully mosaiced striped roof using the colours of the coast with sea blues and greens, and sky blues, and pastel painted wood. All the bamboo canes are removeable from both designs so when the nests have hatched in spring, the tubes can be replaced. You can buy exact size replacements, or you can cut some yourself, ready for the bees looking to make their new nests in late spring / early summer.

Tudor Rose Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Tudor Rose Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Can you smell the topiary? Hear the lute playing as you stroll round your garden? This evocative design bird bath will help transport you there. The mosaic Tudor Rose in the centre with a deep blue background with stylised leaves and buds is a lovely clean, crisp look that would suit any style of garden.

UK shoppers can shop here.

International shoppers can shop here.

Mediterranean Pool and Heather Tartan Mosaic Bird Baths

Mediterranean Pool Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

Two new bird baths added to my website shop and to my Etsy shop (for international buyers) both made just using straight lines. The first one, Mediterranean Pool, has a design that was inspired by pools, and the tiles and colours of the Med, with it's blues, turquoises, and sea greens.

Heather Tartan Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

The other mosaic design, Heather Tartan, has a tartan pattern and uses purples, greens, and sky and grey blues which remind me of heather moorland. 

So the bird baths use the same method of making the mosaics, but the colours and pattern give them totally different looks. Both are great for adding colour to the garden, and both can be used as bird baths by your garden birds, and also as water dishes by other wildlife, including hedgehogs. They make great gifts for wildlife and garden lovers too.

The Pool Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

The Pool Mosaic Garden Bird Bath

A fun new mosaic bird bath design that's called The Pool and is a mini swimming pool complete with 'paved' edge for the birds to have a splash around in.

Rainbow Hedgehog Mosaic Garden Bird Bath Water Dish

Rainbow Hedgehog Mosaic Garden Bird Bath Water Dish

A new hedgehog has joined the gang. Rainbow Hedgehog is now available along with Moonlight and Harvest. They all make great bird baths and water dishes to leave fresh water out for your garden wildlife, which if you're lucky includes your garden hedgehogs.