Antique table designed with roses and other china and mosaic pieces.

I painted this chair blue and added mosaic pieces and roses ceramic accents.

Mosaic chair with a victorian picture and blue mosaic china

This is a huge mosaic bowl I designed with pink grout

Had to take 2 pictures to get this all in. I designed my breakfast bar with mosaic china

This is a painting I did of Roses on a fan. I added gems and lace.

A tropical mosaic wall piece I designed with palm tree plates, a lizzard, shells, gems etc.

A victorian breadbox I designed with victorian china pieces.

This is a top of a stand I designed with victorian and roses mosaics.

My victorian couch with 2 of the Victorian pillows I make

I designed this pink roses topiary tree in a vintage pitcher.

These are 3 Shabby Chic items: a silver plated tray, a vintage chair and a small vintage table all designed with vintage and newer cut plates and china.

This shabby chic wall art was sold on Ebay with over 300 lookers. It was designed with a top of a roses trinket box, a victorian mirror and vintage china.

This wall art was designed with a beautiful vintage roses plate with a victorian pocket mirror and victorian women images with newer and vintage china.

Angel Wall art — designed with an angel plaque and colorful mosaics.

This is an antique chest I brought from Michigan that was purchased at a flea market. It was painted a sea foam green with pink roses.

This was designed with a vintage victorian bisque head vase and a silver plated tray. Made with roses mosaics, vintage jewelry and gems.  The shoe was designed with roses mosaics.

This silver plated tray was designed with vintage china and gems.

Mosaic teapots made with a ceramic rose and vintage china.

This Victorian picture was done on a canvas that I first painted white. I then made a heat bonded picture and put it on an embroidery hoop and added mini roses, lace, etc. surrounding her. I added antique and vintage buttons, cameos etc.

This piece uses pearls, a piece of a wedding dress, tulle and silk flowers.

Painted Chair

Painted lazy susan

The cradle was done by first making repairs and then I painted it an antique white and sponged over Paris pink. I added lace, tassels and a victorian baby pillow that I created by printing and heat bonding a victorian picture and adding a silk rose applique.

These Victorian pin cushions were fun to make, using jewelry pieces, cameos, bits of lace, rose appliques etc.

Antique silverware chest with silverware 100 years old inside. I made this mosaic piece with both vintage and new china, and antique victorian tiles of a mother and daughter.

This piece was created on a roses plate and I added pearls and potpourri and various dried nature items.

About the Artist: Linda Washburn

I am a single parent of a handicapped son with inoperable brain cancer. He is 30 yrs old, mentally 3-5, looks like a small cute 12 yr. old boy. I was just diagnosed with PH  two months ago but I suspect I have had this for years.

My son Shane was born with brain cancer and no Doctor has ever heard of a case like his, born with brain cancer and still living 31 years later. He is a miracle and now I am hoping for another miracle for my PAH.

I love to craft and was in 10 stores in a 10 year period and also sold on eBay for 7 yrs. I design Victorian items, florals, paint, sew pillows, sachets, mosaics, and too many things to mention.

On my good days I am bursting with energy and I try to create and design as much as possible for as long as I can in between taking care of my son. On bad days with my heart acting up and dizzy spells and not breathing well I get done what I have to and then rest. My son needs help with bathing, dressing, feeding, diapering, medication etc. He is in a wheelchair and unable to do anything for himself. With my ph problems and shortness of breath I am unable to lift him anymore so I use a hoyer lift to transport him from his wheelchair to his bed.

Even though I have also been diagnosed with a terrible disease and my son being blind with brain cancer, seizures, mentally impaired and in diapers and a wheelchair I still feel blessed in so many ways. My son has given me so much joy and he has been such an inspiration to me. He has had 10 surgerys, has been in intensive care 4 times, had 2 leg surgerys and a gall bladder operation. I also have had 10 surgerys. I have arthritis, fibromyalgia, severe acid reflux disease, 2 bad heart valves, enlarged heart ventricle, tachardia, irritable bowel syndrome, migraine headaches and now the big PH.

So many people tell me that they could not have done what I did. Well, I tell them he's not your son either. When my son turned 18 I had the option to put him in a home and to me there was no option. He is my son, I love him and felt no one would take better care of him or love him more and in those homes he could have been abused so I went to court and got legal guardianship of him as an adult. He cannot stand up for his rights or speak for himself so I fight for him. I even wore a sandwich sign once and pushed his wheelchair in front of a school. (That's another story)

People are always asking me why I haven't lost it yet and how can I be so strong and I tell them that my strength comes from within me. A powerful feeling that only a mother can feel. I am a fighter and my motto has always been: never say can't! How do you know you can't until you try and try again! I was the oldest of 6 kids and my parents got a divorce and my mom had to go to work so I instantly became a mom, father, big sister, cook, housekeeper etc. and I had to be strong. I have to be strong now too because who would take care of my son or myself if I became weak?

When I design and create things I am in my own little world. It's such a refreshing respite to me and so much fun.

Visit Linda's community page on eBay at Linda's Victorian Boutique.

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Robert Weatherby - Haslett Michigan
Wednesday, August 13 2008

Linda from old freind to anoughter spelling is bad PLEASE E-MAIL ME BACK WITH A NUMBER SO I CAN FINALLY TALK TO AGAIN. I MISS YOU ALOT

Hi there. This is Dee Ott's friend Tracie -- the one who gave away that square coffee table that you transformed so beautifully.

I've been looking at your site and I'm just amazed at what you do. I saw some very similar work in a Robb & Stucky showroom in north Naples -- mosaic furniture with the same kinds of colors and materials -- selling for really high prices. There is definitely a market for this kind of work.

For eight years now I've been painting custom murals in people's homes for a living, so I've met a lot of interior designers, and I think some of them would like to work with you. If you'd be interested, I might be able to help out a little.

By the way, I don't believe that your inability to deliver pieces of furniture will be a problem if a designer or other customer does like your work. I've seen how designers do things; they don't let such minor obstacles stand in their way. If they want something, they'll send someone to go get it.

Let me know if this is something you'd like to look into. Meanwhile, I'm going to forward your site to Joanna Hogan at the News-Press. She writes a weekly column called Treasures, where she features local artists with unique items for sale, and I think she might want to give you a write-up. :-)

Take care,

Tracie

I ALSO LOVE MOSAICS AND AM READY TO MOVE ONTO DOING A SMALL WALL IN MY STAIRWAY..THUS, I WAS ON THE INTERNET LOOKING FOR HINTS ON APPLYING TO AGING PLASTER WALL. THAT IS HOW I CAME ACCROSS YOUR SITE. YOUR ITEMS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND OBVIOSULY CREATED WITH CARE.
I DID NOT GET ANY RESULTS WHEN I LINKED TO YOUR EBAY SITE. ARE YOU STILL WORKING ON THESE ITEMS? IS THERE ANOTHER METHOD I COULD USE TO VIEW ITEMS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE?
THANKS.

You keep being strong and having faith in god. You have beutifull things and a talent, you should publish it more. Good luck :)

p.s. How can I buy some of your art?

thanks so much for your link to your creations. How lovely! I will be contacting you to by several pieces...I am originally from MI, lots of crafters from that area! I work for our Hospice in Naples. I absolutely love my job. I will keep you and your son in my prayers!

Oh what a talent, I loved the collages of China and stones. What's your handle on ebay. I might just look you up. Keep with the program, they are beautiful. Janie

Linda is such a creative gal.I have known her for over a year and she amazes me. She always has a smile on her face no matter what's going on in her life. I wish her the very best in all the paths she travels. Liz

Linda, your victorian crafts are lovely. It's obvious that you love making these beautiful things. I love the picture of you and your son and I wish you both the very best.

I am not a PH patient, however, i do have non-hodgkins lymphoma 2nd stage in the upper quadrant. I have been thru chemo twice and was 2 1/2years in remission and then a small amount came back and I went thru it again and now I HAVE been free for over a year. I also have COPD and fight that a lot of times. As long as I don't get in a hurry, I am okay. I really enjoyed your crafts center. Your work is beautiful. I cannot paint at all. The flowers are gorgeous. I do lots of crafts but not that. Your son looks like a nice young man and I am so happy he has come so far. Only God knows the when and we just have to trust HIM. Kay Jordan (poacherjo's wife)

Linda, your creations are lovely. I have always admired Victorian items, but they do not fit into my country home and its simple furnishings. I like to admire them in stores and in other people's homes.

Welcome to the PH website.Your work is absolutely beautiful .

Welcome to the Creative Corner, Linda!