CREATIVE GARDEN MOSAICS by JILL MacKAY. 160 pages. New Paperback. 8 1/2 x 10. All in Color.

Go beyond the ordinary: these 22 garden-enhancing projects (patterns included), from pillar planters and shrines to tabletops and flowerpots, all feature the most dazzling designs, even learn how to create 3-D projects. Some use ceramic tile and pebbles, others stained glass and colored mirror, and still more showcase shimmering jewels. A richly illustrated section on the fundamental tools, techniques (transferring patterns, cutting shapes, grouting), and materials (tesserae, glass tile) will get beginners started so they can experience the creative pleasure of constructing a variety of eye-catching items. An Onion Dome Birdhouse is a veritable palace, crowned with a gold-leaf dome. Surround a small bed of flowers with a Snake-in-the-Grass Border, made of shining iridescent glass. Or make a Starburst Appliqué, Cascading Planter, Agate Candle Lantern, and others.