So what do you do when things don't go according to plan?
I couldn't get the help I was counting on for installing 300 sq. ft. of Saltillo tile on my new floor, and my experience installing this uniquely Mexican tile consisted of... helping a friend once in 1998. So, to bring a bit of the SW to the NE, I quickly realized I needed to not only go it alone, but also learn on the job!
The thing with this tile is, each piece is handmade from clay. They are all slightly different colors, thicknesses and sizes, and no tile is perfectly square or flat. Yikes!
Luckily, Feldi has helped me to let go of seeking perfection and focus on exploring the process. From the onset, I looked at this project as a chance to embrace the learning process and all the mistakes that allow learning to happen.
With each successive batch of mortar, I could see my understanding and manipulation of the materials improving. Also, imagining the earth-stained hands that made each tile, much more skilled than my own, connected me to the bigger picture in a profound way.
End results:
- It is completely authentically a reflection of Me and my learning process.
- I LOVE how it looks, imperfections and all, and
- I am exhausted, but I can add laying tile to my skillset!