I cannot count my day complete
'Til needle, thread and fabric meet.
~Author Unknown

Sharing a common thread with those who love the art of hand embroidery

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Picking Up The Pieces

Doesn't it hurt when you break one of your favorite dishes?? To me, there is never a worse feeling, than to feel a vintage dish slip from your hand, and go crashing to the floor! I'm sure many of you have experienced this through the years.
I collect many little dishes like this above......and I use them. I just love to see them on the table with bread or dessert in them!
I also love collecting broken bits and pieces of china. I have found so many pieces while Sophie and I take our walks. An old farmstead used to be next to our property and the grounds have given me such wonderful pieces. I think about the woman who owned these dishes as I pick each treasure up.


I love vintage dishes that have the flowers and roses across them the most.

I have collected quite a bit through the years....which had me thinking....I would like to use these pretty pieces somehow. I have never done mosaic work yet....maybe one day I could learn and use these pieces.



Of course, just throwing the pieces away, would be like wasting food or throwing money away to me!




So imagine how heartsick I felt when I broke this dish above. I have only a couple more of these. I think this design is one of the prettiest, and I don't even know how it slipped from my hand....so I picked up the pieces.... and my creative side kicked in...





I went out to Sweetie's tool shed and took....umm, borrowed tile cutters and a rough file. I clipped and filed and filed... until.. I got this....






Aren't they pretty?? Not perfectly shaped, but it's my first try! I wish I could drill holes in the middle..they would be cute for buttons...maybe I could put something around the edges and glue a pin base on the back for a broach? Any suggestions??








Here is more proof of my clumsiness...so sad... Now I know some of you talented bloggers already do mosaic work....and how about you others... do you use broken things in an unusual way?? I would love to hear! Have a great weekend!








18 comments:

Anonymous said...

i love the little pieces you shaped.


i will have to spread around your post a see if you get some more ideas come in.

Elizabeth said...

What you did is great! You can get silver flattened like a tape to put around the outside edges, you could get a ceramic drill bit & drill holes either for your button idea or to put a link in & put on a chain for a necklace or braclet. You can find all kinds of jewelry making supplies at places like Michaels. There is stuff like liquid ceramic that you use when you chip a plate or cup - you can put a nice edge on your pieces with it. All kinds of fun stuff. Good luck.

Anonymous said...

I collect Mount Clemens Mildred china and when I google it, I often find pieces of jewelry made from broken pieces. Your pieces you cut are very lovely.

Linda said...

It sure is sad when we do break something but I like your idea of making a pretty from it. Your cut pieces are really nice....could you make them into magnets? I too have seen lovely jewelry from china but my favorite use is a stepping stone....one or several they looking wonderful in the garden. hugs, Linda

Childers Corner said...

I love the broach idea! You could make crosses out of them too. I read a blog one time that explained how to do it and it didn't look that hard. They would have so much meaning and be so beautiful!

Carol............. said...

Oh, my, I love what you did with the broken bits...How about pendants with gold wire wrapping around them!

Debbie said...

I really like what you did with the broken pieces. If you do any stained glass you could add some of the broken china in a design. I'm sure you will makae something wonderful.
Debbie

Pamela... Beehind Thyme Farm & Garden said...

Goodness... I just love all the beautiful pieces you have here...

You definitely did a good job smoothing those edges... I agree with Elizabeth, get you a ceramic drill bit and drill holes in them... they would make cute, vintage keg ring grouped with glass beads or other vintage finds.

You are a dear for stopping in to visit with me & checking back when I was sick last week... Thank you!
Blessings, Pamela

LindaSue said...

a woman in our church has done several mosaic things - her advice is - read up on the internet and go for it! She did a really cool work around the arch to her kitchen - all broken cups and saucers - so colorful and fun. Your shaped pieces are good ideas - magnets or pins would be very pretty.

KathyB. said...

What a great idea. I used to save all the broken pieces of dishes I love and then one day in a bit of spring cleaning..I just threw them ALL away. Now I am sorry I did. I think brooches and pendants would be nice made from those pieces.

Gingerbreadshouse7 said...

I think a brooch made from the pieces you shaped would be beautiful to wear... Ginny

Gina E. said...

Oh Kathleen, what a shame to have broken such a pretty plate. I haven't busted much china (I haven't got much anyway), but glasses are my downfall. They just slip out of my hand and smash into tiny splinters of glass every time. I can't just sweep - I have to mop the floor to make sure it's all gone!

Paula said...

It's sad you broke one of your pretty plates... but you sure turned lemons into lemonade!!
(Only you would have thought of that... LOL)

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

I am impressed. You really worked hard to get those pieces shaped like that. It wouldn't be hard to glue a back on them and use as a brooch. You know, you might use fabric and glue the pottery piece in the middle.

Lynne said...

Love the pieces you've shaped.  I was thinking they would make a nice necklace and wondered about flattening some soft metal round the circumference, similiar to stained glass.  I see Elizabeth suggests the same but she seems to know what she's talking about, unlike me.
I like the idea of making some 'art' for my garden from recycled bits and pieces which would otherwise be thrown out. Not that I have tried yet. Such as mosaic plaques.

papel1 said...

I even bought old china dishes with the purpose of breaking them and then making mosiacs out of them. It was harder work than I thought, and I did make a few decorated boxes, but now my friends get the rest of the plates I bought with cookies on them.
Judy

Princess S said...

I am a collector of all things odd for just such a purpose as creating something fun. My collection far outweighs my creations but hope that is remedied soon. You could make a pretty outside table top with your accidental treasures.

Sugarplum Cottage said...

I buy every plate I find that has roses or other flowers on it. You have some gorgeous china. As for any ideas, I'm saving mine to do a mosiac on a window. I've never done it before but it doesn't look hard. Jewelry would also look great made out of your pieces. Hugs,Rosemarie