Nature Challenge - Mosaics!

Hubby and I went out for brunch on a whim a short while back.  We took a scenic drive to Thornbury to eat at our new favourite diner, the Orchid.  I love the drive - green grass.....blue sky......tall trees....playful birds....the occasional deer in the right season...it's beautiful and peaceful.

On another whim we decided to stop in to see the model home of a development we probably knew was out of our league, but were curious anyway.  SPECTACULAR!  Truly and absolutely.

The most breath-taking parts were not in the design of the house though, but in its staging.  The designer was obviously inspired by nature.  Some rooms had beautifully arranged Zen gardens, others had collections of various pine cones and other nature "debris', a vase filled with feathers was somehow striking. In the entrance was this amazing art hanging over a hall table:

It's real clothespins.....and they are pretty weathered, so I had to assume they are reclaimed.  A beautiful... recycled... sunburst - I loved it!  It wasn't signed, so I'm not able to give the artist credit, unfortunately.

But my favourite was something I thought I might try to duplicate.  We found it in the mudroom, facing a mixed evergreen and broadleaf forest (sigh...too bad we can't live here).  I've always loved mosaic art - it's beautiful Recycled Art - and this piece made me stop in my tracks and say "awesome!".   Not in a "that's-the-most-beautiful-thing-I've-ever-seen" way, just a "hey-that-cool-thing-caught-my-attention" way:

Isn't that a great idea?  And this would be so easy to do!  I decided to accept my own challenge.  I need a new mat, anyway.  I've collected the river rock (okay, true, I had to buy some at the dollar store too...) and am recycling an old boot mat we had.  I'm doing my research on the best way to affix the rock to the plastic mat (any suggestions?!).  I know I'll have to seal the top too and am going to the local DIY store to pick up the most eco-friendly one I can....cause let's face it, nothing is going to be eco-neutral!

I'm looking forward to sassing up this old mat instead of buying a new one.  This is even a project I can involve the kids in, safely..... I hope!  We'll keep you posted on the finished product.  

Until next time:  Inspire...imagine...invent!