Cheryl Oakley Profile - Delphi Gallery

Cheryl Oakley's Profile

Bio

I've been doing stained glass and mosaics for over 20 years. I am not an artist, but I do enjoy working with glass and tile. The projects I enjoy the most are functional ones such as redoing a piece of furniture to make it more attractive and colorful, or mosaicing a mirror or picture frame for myself or a friend. I get ideas and inspiration from just about anything and like to browse second-hand stores for things that can be brought back to life with a little care and hard work!

Recent Activity

Nick's Grinders Mate

Item# 63901

4 of 5 found the following review helpful:

Finger saving tool, November 1, 2014 5 stars

Pros
Really helps with projects requiring tiny pieces. Just finished a glass picture frame that required odd-shaped tiny pieces, and this tool saved my fingertips.

Cons
None

Other Thoughts
I've had this for years but haven't had to use it that often. My recent mosaic projects have made me turn to it again. It truly saves wear on the fingers and allows control of tiny pieces when grinding so they don't suddenly fly across the room. It's a great tool.

Oceanside Southwest Reaction Swirl - 96 COE

Item# XFRSW

1 of 2 found the following review helpful:

Gorgeous glass, July 29, 2013 4 stars

Pros
Beautiful swirls of brilliant color. This glass is even more gorgeous when fused. I fused it over both turquoise and rusty orange. Very lovely glass.

Cons
None

220 Grit Diamond Hand Pad

Item# 77022

Versatile tool, August 13, 2012 4 stars

Pros
These are great tools and come in handy for glass or mosaic work. I keep them on my work bench for getting rid of sharp edges on glass or tile.

Cons
None that I can think of.

Other Thoughts
Buy a variety of grits to fit more uses. They are worth the investment.

Contemporary Fused Glass

Item# 6191

6 of 10 found the following review helpful:

Excellent guide to fusing, August 13, 2012 5 stars

Pros
Though it is a pricey item, the wealth of information inside makes it worth the expenditure. As a beginner to fusing, I found it an invaluable source of information on fusing technique, color selection, kiln usage, fusing schedules, and many other issues.

Cons
Cost

Other Thoughts
Few instruction/guide books I've purchased have been as comprehensive as this one. Beginners can use it and not feel overwhelmed.

Large Swirl Wood Plaque

Item# 82802

Great design for beginners, August 13, 2012 4 stars

Pros
This form is a fun design for beginners in mosaics. It's an easy form to fill in, but the swirl shape gives some practice in cutting tiles to fit the curve.

Cons

Other Thoughts
I've done two of these - one in shades of iridescent green and gold and one in iridescent black and white. If I do it again, I will try for more brilliant colors.

20" Square Mirror

Item# 82841

Versatile Size and Shape, October 8, 2011 5 stars

Pros
This form is large enough to be impressive yet small enough that it doesn't weigh a ton once it is tiled. It also has two different recesses on the back so that you can hang the mirror as a square shape or as a diamond shape. The mirror is large enough to be truly useful.

Cons
None, other than it probably wouldn't do for outdoor use.

Other Thoughts
I tiled this piece in glass tiles of differing colors and shapes (silver, teal, cobalt blue, pale turquoise blue, sage green, and yellow) and accented it with 8 pieces of 1 1/2" square mirror tile arranged around the sides. I painted the sides and back in a deep shade of teal blue and tinted the grout a very pale blue. The finished piece turned out nicely and made a great birthday present for my daughter. I posted it on my Delphi Gallery site.

10" Milan Bowl Stand

Item# 402136

Fits large projects, September 12, 2009 5 stars

Pros
I recently completed a moonface design in mosaic tile on a 16" diameter terra cotta saucer. When I completed the project, I then couldn't figure out a way to display it. Large wire hangers for displaying plates on the wall didn't work because the curved grips weren't large enough to accommodate the terra cotta piece. I happened to see this stand while browsing Delphi's site and decided to take a chance. It works perfectly to hold the heavy terra cotta piece upright so that the design can be seen and admired. Because it is wrought iron, it is very sturdy and perfect for holding something heavy.

Cons
None at this point.

Other Thoughts
It's a very attractive way to display a finished piece.

Complete Beetle Bits Starter Kit

Item# 5429

2 of 4 found the following review helpful:

Easy to use system, July 16, 2009 5 stars

Pros
This measuring and cutting system is easy to use. I mastered a couple of different kinds of cuts in just a few minutes. I haven't tried more complex cuts yet, but the instructions to do them seem very straightforward. The flying beetle cutter is easy to use and makes cutting strips of glass a breeze. I like the fact that the waffle grid system comes apart so that you can move it out of the way quickly or only use a portion of it for small projects.

Cons
None that I have yet discovered.

5/8" Pastel Blue Mist Platinum Glass Tile - 1 sf

Item# 427413

Tiles like chameleons, February 16, 2009 5 stars

Pros
These tiles are marvelous to use because your final product develops more than one "personality." Depending on the light, your project may look bold and regular in color or shimmery with gorgeous iridescence. I used shades of blue, champagne, white, gold, and black to make a mirror and created swirls around little sun and moon faces that I had also purchased from Delphi. The final project turned out to be even better than my expectations. My finished piece takes on different glows depending on the kind of light..artificial, soft morning, or heavy afternoon light. These are beautiful tiles and their 5/8" size requires little trimming.

Cons
None

Other Thoughts
I haven't tried the platinum tiles on any other project yet, but I think that would be great on vases, candle holders, or picture frames.

20" Sun Mirror Wood Plaque

Item# 82804

Great surface!, December 6, 2008 4 stars

Pros
Precut shapes such as this sun plaque are great for people who love to mosaic but have limited time for their craft. The surface lends itself to many different types of mosaic treatments, and the edges can be left plain, painted, or mosaiced.

Cons
This type of surface wouldn't work well for outdoor applications.

Other Thoughts
I took the mirror off and made a sun face instead using an old stepping stone pattern. Instead of trying to mosaic the side, I painted it with a deep red acrylic paint that complemented the red, orange, and yellow tiles I used for the face and rays. It turned out beautifully.

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Cheryl Oakley

Profile

Cheryl Oakley's info

joined:	May 06, 2001
location:	TALLAHASSEE, FL US
display name:	coakley