Featured Artist: Debra Cappuccio

“I am, and will be forever grateful to everyone at Aves for their willingness to share their knowledge, their patience with my many questions and their overwhelming kindness ❤️”

I have always deeply loved seeing the creativity and emotion coming to life in a tangible way that goes into crafting lasting treasures made by others or that “little artist” in all of us that leave a bit of themselves behind with each.

Regardless of medium, there’s always something new to explore, learn and versatility itself prominently came for me as a result of a needed solution to a very sentimental problem….

A little backstory, on our honeymoon almost 25 years ago, we ordered a locally handmade mailbox of the Bodie Island Lighthouse on the Outer Banks NC as a wedding gift to one another as we married on the steps of that same lighthouse. It sat majestically at the entrance to our driveway, the memories relived, rebuilt and repainted many, many times over the next 2+ decades.

We decided the time had come to say goodbye and replace our now barely recognizable “lighthouse” with a new treasure to make memories of and as we both love handmade mosaics, although I had never worked with them, the decision was made. I promised it would be everything we wanted and am off to the races, educating myself, collecting supplies, including a newly constructed wood mailbox which happened to be a poor choice for outdoor mosaics!

Determined to make good on that promise and began to look for a solution to bring our new “treasure” to life, searched everything and everywhere I could think of and then some – countless gracious, helpful people along the way looking for that solution – and back onto YouTube to dig back in and low and behold came across a beginners mosaics class for Aves! I called the company directly the same day and what an amazing journey since… our now perfect mailbox was a mere beginning and SO many diverse projects since!

I am, and will be forever grateful to everyone at Aves for their willingness to share their knowledge, their patience with my many questions and their overwhelming kindness ❤️

When there are times where it can feel as if service is an afterthought, let alone a personalized experience with someone who goes above and beyond – It is my honor to pay it forward, share my stellar experience and the gift of creation their staff and products provide me. The possibilities of what is achievable with Aves is limited ONLY to your imagination!
I am an Aves Addict for life!

Debra Cappuccio

Facebook- Deb N Bob Cappuccio
Instagram- @wishes2memories

These wine bottles became outdoor oil torches with wicks and glass tops! When the original labels started looking shabby, I gave them a makeover using dollar-store wire candle holders. I removed the handles and glass inserts, slipped the bottles inside, then etched the areas where I sculpted the flowers with Apoxie Sculpt to help them adhere. Now they brighten up the seating areas in our yard!

This solid wood mosaic mailbox features solid brass hardware and measures 22″ long × 12″ wide × 18″ high, weighing 27½ pounds! Because wood is a poor base for mosaic tiles, I tiled galvanized steel panels for the windows and ends, then attached them to sanded areas with FIXIT®. I also glued galvanized steel to the roof before tiling it. For all the tile work, I mixed gold mica powder into the prepared FIXIT®, rolled it out to fit each area, and pressed the tiles into place.

All tile work was created on galvanized steel using FIXIT® mixed with gold mica powder. I rolled out the mixture to fit each area, then pressed the tiles into place.

This concrete tiki fountain stands approximately 40″ tall! Its 10″ crown started as a $1 metal thrift-store find. I added sculpted leaves and lilacs using Apoxie® Sculpt, then painted and sealed the finished piece.

I used Apoxie® Sculpt to sculpt the flowers and attach the metal pieces, then painted and sealed the finished design.

This custom bird feeder features details sculpted with Apoxie® Sculpt, then painted and sealed!

This $2 thrift-store watering can got a creative makeover! I etched the surface, sculpted the flowers with Apoxie® Sculpt, then painted and sealed them. Painted aluminum wire adds the finishing touch, secured in the spout with Apoxie® Sculpt.

This hanging garden art was created on an 18″ × 30″ sheet of ¼″-thick Plexiglass! I etched the surface to help the Apoxie® Sculpt adhere, then sculpted, painted, and sealed the details. Painted stainless steel magnetic strips frame the top and bottom. I drilled holes, added chains and hooks, and hung the finished piece in a tree.

These fence decorations are upcycled thrift-store finds! The cinderblock planters holding the ivy are the exception. The Tree of Life features over 200 leaves and a tree trunk heart created with Apoxie® Sculpt, then painted and sealed.

These three birdhouses were repaired and embellished with Apoxie® Sculpt, then painted and sealed! The largest is over 15 years old and needed major repairs after a hawk tried to reach the bird family inside. The medium birdhouse started as a thrifted mailbox, with flower knobs painted to match.