Tag Archives: diy

2021, coming attractions, Mara Lee, someday

Someday, This Could All Be Yours

09/20/2021 Tile Gypsy Leave a comment

My first recollection of a someday was very disappointing when my 3 year old self never turned into a dog or a horse but I still carried on and got over it.

Fast forward … after years of practice creating experiences for corporate folk, now’s my chance to plan how this looks, again, for real, no backs, no do-overs, no storage lockers, no road trips … really? … as she sat there waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Which would be fine too … size 8.5 please.

Someday, Elusive but Doable — someday, elusive but doable. – mara lee

Art, creative, creativity, DIY Crafts, glass art, glass on glass art, glass windows, happiness, Mara Lee

Glass Class

09/15/2020 Tile Gypsy

Months later … okay almost a year … along with my biggest fan and brain-trust Rober’ we finally finished my “Glass on Glass” instructional video class.

Available on Vimeo @ learn more

Creating an instructional video was much easier than writing a book. What book you ask? … once upon a time, a publisher contacted me to write a book about my found object/pique assiette mosaic tile artwork. The book took almost a year to write and photograph, was a great experience and a ton of work. The next time I write a book, I’m going to make darn sure that I get to name it and choose the cover image … mostly over it … not really.

The book is forever in the Library of Congress and is sold on Goodreads and Barnes & Noble, to name a few. It’s been reviewed by some happy people, who encouraged me to keep gluing, while others posted some really mean reviews that at first made me very sad, then mad and then finally really bad for the people who wrote them. People need to be nicer and smile more.

Overall, I give the book a B+ … which was always acceptable in my world, especially in math. The book is good, not great but I finished it and survived everything that came along with it like the realization that I’m good enough, I’m smart enough and gosh darn it a few people loved it.

Giving my DIY Glass on Glass video an A+ out of celebration that I knocked the class out – unscripted – in 3 takes, didn’t cut myself once and Rob was not harmed when he pushed the publish button.

Hope you’ll check it out.

Glass Class with Mara Lee … Learn more …..

Art, design, Interior Design, Kitchen Design, Kitchen Renovation

Kitchen Renovation

08/20/2020 Tile Gypsy

Long before the demolition, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, lumber, drywall and a few dumpster loads …

Create a renovation notebook, do a rough sketch of the room and measure the space … twice. Write it down.
Pick out the kitchen appliances, microwave, vent hood, sink, faucet, lighting and where the garbage goes, to start planning the kitchen design.
High profile kitchen faucets might look good but they splash everywhere. Going to replace mine with a medium to low profile kitchen faucet instead.
Buy the big fridge.
Think double oven.
Buy a dishwasher with a stainless interior.
Open kitchen shelves (love+hate) and open storage on top of the cupboards is tough to keep clean. The open shelves I can live with but design your kitchen cupboards so they go all the way up to the ceiling and you’ll never have to clean up there again.
Slab (flat front) cupboards are easier to maintain, look amazing and may prove to be cheaper.
Design deep drawers for base cupboards, instead of cupboards with adjustable shelves.
The big box stores offer kitchen design services that will give you a baseline of where your budget can take you in a full retail environment. If a box store meets your expectations great … expect to pay more for the convenience and resources.
Can’t afford the box stores? Be the contractor or find one with a list of go-to plumbers, electricians, painters, sheet-rockers and cabinetmakers.
Promise yourself that you’ll paint the new walls, windows and doors before you install everything else. ( I prefer flat paint on ceilings and satin paint for the walls, woodwork and doors but … the painter thought otherwise.) The End.