Here she is showing Pat how to put the mixture together.
You first want to mound-up pre-moistened sand to make a big, rounded platform for your leaf to lay on. Place plastic over the sand mound and then place your leaf upside-down on the mound; how big and high your sand-mound is forms the shape your leaf will take (whether you want it more like a bowl or flat to hang on a wall). We used big tobacco leaves that Jane grows in your backyard just for projects like these!
Here is a leaf ready for the concrete. Remove the plastic from the top of the leaf, then place the concrete mixture directly onto the leaf, carefully bringing it to the edges without going over. Unfortunately I did not get any shots of this part; sorry!
Let the concrete set-up for at least 3-4 days before removing from the leaf. Then continue to let it cure before sealing or painting in about a week or two.
Here is our finished project:
Very cool!
Next month we are back at Debby Paige's home to work with concrete yet again; only this time Debby and her son Adam are going to show us how to make flower pots using their own special concrete recipe that is very lightweight; can't wait!
