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Rudolf Nureyev’s Tomb

Rudolf Nureyev's Tomb

Rudolf Nureyev’s Tomb

Ever since I began mosaicing I have wanted to visit Rudolf Nureyev’s Tomb.

I saw a photo of it in a Kaffe Fassett book on Mosaicing and it has been on my wish list ever since.

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyevs tomb 7

Rudolf Nureyev was a Soviet born Ballet dancer and choreographer.

He was born in Russia in 1938 and defected to the West in 1961 at the age of  23.

He died of AIDS in Paris in 1993 and his funeral was held in the foyer of the Paris Garnier Opera House.

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyevs tomb 6

He is buried in the Russian Cemetery in a town on the outskirts of Paris

called St- Genevieve-des-Bois.

It takes about 45 mins to get there by train.

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From Paris catch the RER train on the (yellow) C6 St Martin d’Etampes line to St- Genevieve-des- Bois.

We caught the train from the St- Michel Notre Dame station.

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From St- Genevieve-des-Bois  you catch a 104 bus going to ZI Croix Blanche, stop at Parc Pierre, which is very close to the cemetery. Our bus driver very kindly dropped us off directly at the front.

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyevs tomb 9

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyev's tomb 17Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyev's tomb 9

It’s a really beautiful little cemetery, very quiet and peaceful and we were virtually the only ones there.

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyev's tomb 11

Nureyev’s grave features a tomb draped in a mosaic of a Kilm oriental carpet.

It was designed by his friend, Ezio Frigerio, who was the set designer for many of Nureyev’s choreography sets.

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyev's Tomb 1

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyev's tomb 12

The mosaic is predominantly made up of red, gold and blue smalti mosaic tiles.

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyevs tomb 4

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyevs tomb 3

If you are in Paris, you are interested and you have the time… it’s well worth the visit.

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I don’t think you’ll be disappointed and it will certainly be an adventure!

Here’s the link to the cemetery map

It’s open between 8am – 7:30 pm in the Summer and between 8am – 5pm in the Winter

8, rue Léo-Lagrange 91700
Ste-Geneviève-des-Bois

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyev's tomb 10

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckles Rudolf Nureyev's tomb 22

Luna Park Mosaics – Out and About

 

St Kilda

St Kilda

 

I was out and about in St Kilda lately and wandered along to the iconic Luna Park

 

unique mosaic belt buckle 12

 

 

I was delighted to discover the large-scale sculptural mosaic pieces by Pamela Irving entitled  

“Dreaming with Open Eyes”

 

unique mosaic belt buckle 8

 

 

 

Mosaics Luna Park

Mosaics Luna Park

 

Pamela was commissioned to create the work in 2010 in celebration of Luna Park’s 98th birthday.

 

 

unique mosaic belt buckle 9

 

The work is made up of tile and china pieces and consists of both three dimensional and flat figures.

It is approximately 25 square metres.

 

 

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Pamela’s mosaic work is located on the Luna Palace Building,

which houses the dodgem cars and arcade games.

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Unique Mosaic Belt Buckle 1

unique mosaic belt buckle 3

unique mosaic belt buckle 2

unique mosaic belt buckle 4

 

 

The Strathewen Mosaic Letter Boxes and The Beautiful Memorial Tree

Strathewen Mosaic letter Box

Strathewen Mosaic Letter Box

The Strathewen Mosaic Letter Box Project was launched in August 2010 and began three months after the Feb 7 2009 fires which decimated the township of Strathewen. Victoria experienced severe fire weather that day which resulted in a firestorm in which 173 people died. Two of the Major fires were experienced in the Kinglake region and in the Marysville region. Strathewen is near the Kinglake National Park, on Feb 7 2009 23 residents died (from a population of 200) and 80 houses were destroyed.

Marion Oakley, a mosaic artist from Strathewen, provided a space for the people of Strathewen to come together, grieve, talk and construct new mosaic letterboxes. It was important to her that they put some colour back into the blackened landscape. Over time others joined the project from outside the community to also help make mosaic letterboxes and contribute in  rebuilding the Strathewen community.

Mosaic Letter Box - broken-plate-mosaic-belt-buckles

Strathewen is an apple and pear producing area which also hosts some small wineries.  It’s not really the kind of place you would pass through to get anywhere and the people who lived there liked that about the place.

 

Strathewe- broken-plate-mosaic-belt-buckles

 

The typical letterboxes in the area looked not unlike these ones that I photographed on my way into Strathewen.

handmade mosaic belt buckle

I inadvertently disturbed this fella when I stopped to photograph the letterboxes!

handmade mosaic belt buckles

Having seen the Mosaic Letterboxes when they were on display after the completion of the project. I was interested to visit Strathewen and see the letterboxes around the community.

mosaic belt buckles

handmade mosaic belt buckle

Strathewen is still in the process of rebuilding, even though it has been over five years since the fires.

I found these three beauties outside the newly rebuilt Strathewen Primary School

unique handmade mosaic belt buckles

 

unique handmade mosaic belt buckles primary school

unique handmade mosaic belt buckles primary school 2

This one was perched up higher on the hill

unique handmade mosaic belt buckle

The devastation of the fires is still apparent in the landscape

unique handmade mosaic belt buckle

 

 

unique hand made mosaic belt buckle 2

And it felt very appropriate to be paying my respects to this area on Anzac Day.

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unique handmade mosaic belt buckles 3

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The Peter Avoca Memorial Pavillion at the Strathewen Recreational Reserve was also the site chose for the

Blacksmiths Tree.

unique handmade mosaic belt buckles tree

The Blacksmiths Tree is an extraordinary piece of community art which was developed as a gift to all of the communities who were impacted by the Feb 7 2009 fires.

The Blacksmiths Tree was erected on February 14, 2014 and was five years in the making. Hundreds of blacksmiths from across 20 countries around the world forged leaves for the tree.

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unique handmade mosaic belt buckles tree 3

The Blacksmiths Tree is 10 metres high and is made from stainless steal and copper. It looks like a dead, fire affected gum tree and it is very beautiful. It fits perfectly into the landscape which surrounds it.

There is also a memorial park to commemorate the 23 lives lost in Strathewen on Feb 7 2009.

unique handmade mosaic belt buckle memorial

unique handmade mosaic belt buckles memorial

Lest We Forget.

 

 

How to Add a Unique Belt Buckle to Your Look

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Belt Buckles are a great way to add some personality to your outfit.

Just as jewellery or a scarf can add a finishing touch to an outfit so too can an interesting Belt Buckle.

Screen Shot 2014-04-14 at 9.16.05 amElle Macpherson knows how to rock her street style with a belt buckle.

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And the same belt buckle can look different on different outfits.

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Now I know we don’t all have the same body type as Elle Macpherson but an interesting buckle can add interest to your outfit in a variety of ways. The key is to position your belt buckle so that it is most flattering to your figure.

A belt can be worn low on the hips if you are short waisted, this gives the effect of a longer torso.

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If you have an hourglass figure then you should wear your belt at the narrowest part of your waist. belt buckle

You could also try putting a belt buckle over a jumper, jacket or coat

belt buckle

If you have a longer Torso you should position your belt buckle so that it sits higher up on your waist and go for a monochromatic look to match what you are wearing (black on black etc.) This will also help to elongate your legs.

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If you are petite the Monochromatic look will work for you as well

belt buckle

Whatever your shape you CAN wear a belt buckle.

You just need to know where to position it on your figure to show if off the best.

mosaic belt buckle

And don’t think you can’t wear one if you are curvy.

mosaic belt buckle

            It actually helps to emphasise your amazing curves.

                    You don’t have to be a cowgirl either (though Sofia Vergara does looks pretty amazing)

mosaic belt buckle

A unique buckle can add street cred to your style.

mosaic belt buckle

or your man’s..

.mosaic belt buckle

Don’t be afraid to experiment and see how a belt buckle could work for you.

belt buckle

Here are a few I prepared earlier…

Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckle Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckle  Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckle  Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckle Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckle Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckle Broken Plate Mosaic Belt Buckle

My unique, handmade Australian mosaic belt buckles

are available via my website at

www.brokenplatemosaicbeltbuckles.com.au

or brokenplatemosaics.bigcartel.com

Isn’t it time you updated your look?

My Unique, One of a Kind, Handmade, Mosaic Belt Buckles

measuring

So.. apart from remaking my mosaic table (see earlier post)

visiting mosaics around the place

Mosaic Steps in Rio, Brazil

Mosaic Steps in Rio, Brazil

and enjoying photographing other peoples mosaics.

Mosaic Wall

I also make mosaic belt buckles out of Antique Bone China plates.

Antique Plate but soon to become a Mosaic  Belt Buckle

Antique Plate but soon to become a Mosaic Belt Buckle

I hunt around in Antique markets and usually find a plate which has lost its cup and is looking for a new home and a new life.  It’s like a ‘make over’ for Antique China Plates

Mosaic Belt Buckle Romanesque 299

Mosaic Belt Buckle Romanesque 299

So many old plates have been sitting in the back of a cupboard collecting dust so I turn them into a little piece of wearable art.

Old Country Roses Plate

Old Country Roses Plate

The ‘Old Country Roses’ plate is one of my favourites. I actually have a set at home.. but it does make the most wonderful Mosaic Belt Buckle!

Mosaic Belt Buckle

Mosaic Belt Buckle Romanesque 301

This is it’s cousin ‘Moonlight Roses’

Moonlight Roses

Moonlight Roses

It makes a great buckle too.

Mosaic Belt Buckle Statuesque 178

Mosaic Belt Buckle Statuesque 178

The advantage with using the Bone China to make my Mosaic Belt Buckles is that it has such a beautiful lustre. Quality China makes quality pieces. It’s as simple as that.

Mosaic Belt Buckle

Mosaic Belt Buckle

When we were living in Canada I found an Antique Store which had heaps of plates from the Estate of an Old Lady who had covered her walls in them. Friends would bring her plates to hang if they had broken the cup. They said if you’d stacked them on top of each other they would’ve been as tall as the Calgary Tower, which is 191 metres (626 feet) tall! That’s a lot of plates! For me it was like walking into Disneyland…

Art Deco Plate soon to become a Mosaic Belt Buckle

Art Deco Plate soon to become a Mosaic Belt Buckle

There were some funky Art Deco plates which made some amazing Mosaic Belt Buckles.

Mosaic Belt Buckle Romanesque 300

Mosaic Belt Buckle Romanesque 300

I might make one or two buckles from a plate depending where the pattern is on the plate and how useable it is. Interestingly the most beautiful plate doesn’t always make the most beautiful buckle and conversely a ‘less beautiful’ plate can make an amazing buckle.

These buckles were all made from the same plate.

Mosaic Belt Buckle Romanesque 164. This one is Sold.

Mosaic Belt Buckle Romanesque 164. This one is Sold.

Mosaic Belt Buckle Arabesque 169

Mosaic Belt Buckle Arabesque 169

Mosaic Belt Buckle Statuesque 131. This one is Sold.

Mosaic Belt Buckle Statuesque 131. This one is Sold.

I just used different parts of the plate to create three completely different mosaic belt buckles.

I love making my One-of-a-kind mosaic belt buckles. I also really enjoy the relationship I have with the people who buy my mosaic belt buckles. They often come back to visit, wearing their buckle and tell me the places they have been to with their buckle.

Mosaic Belt Buckle Statuesque 166

Mosaic Belt Buckle Statuesque 166

I get to create my buckles and then send them out into the world. They have been bought and sent to Canada, the U.S, England and Australia so far.

Mosaic Belt Buckle Arabesque 271

Mosaic Belt Buckle Arabesque 271

There are four types of mosaic belt buckles..

Burlesque .. is big and bold

Mosaic Belt Buckle Burlesque 41

Mosaic Belt Buckle Burlesque 41

Arabesque .. is smaller and more refined

Mosaic Belt Buckle Arabesque 336

Mosaic Belt Buckle Arabesque 336

Statuesque … has a squarer edge and is often fairly contemporary

Mosaic Belt Buckle Statuesque 140

Mosaic Belt Buckle Statuesque 140

and Romanesque .. is my favourite. She is modern and not afraid to be noticed.

Mosaic Belt Buckle Romanesque 265

Mosaic Belt Buckle Romanesque 265

If you have one of my buckles. Let me know. I’d love to know where it’s been.

If you are interested in buying one of my mosaic belt buckles they are available at brokenplatemosaics.bigcartel.com or check out my website at

www.brokenplatemosaics.com.au

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