Work Is Continuing

I have been on a quest for white cement (or any kind of a white cement or concrete product - mortar, resurfacer, whatever) ever since I cast my first piece, because I know the colors would be so much more vibrant if they were painted on white instead of grey. For some reason, everytime I read something ANYWHERE that goes like, "AND it can be found at any of your local home and garden stores!", OURS doesn't carry it. I have a Lowe's, a Home Depot, and a Menard's all within a couple miles of my house, and they don't carry white cement products, or things like smaller diameter copper pipe than 1/2" (which I could really use, also), etc., - and if I ask them if they can special order it, they all tell me No, in that special way that REALLY means, " Yeah, right! And go through a little extra work for YOU? No Way!". So much for being helpful to the do it yourselfers - sure,they can help, as long as it's something they already have in store! Yes, I have found it online, but I'm not paying shipping costs for CEMENT!

My second choice would be to paint a base coating of white, but the colors don't blend as easily on white paint. I HAVE found that white primer works quite well, and of course it is primer, so it would bond the paint to the piece better, and, although I usually don't have trouble with the paint adhering, it couldn't hurt! Here's my first try at a primed Rhubarb leaf, and I'm really happy with it! (Yes, the "worktable" that you see is the clothes washer!) This is only the first color after the white base coat....

..and here is the next color! I already see a drastic difference, and I'm really happy with it! I'm afraid I just added another step to my procedures, but if it improves the quality, that's what I'll have to do!

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The Life of a Sandcast Leaf * Final Installment!

...A few tweaks to the colors......then a coating of 2 different sealers, a penetrating type, then a glossy concrete sealer on top of that.
A "tryout" on the copper post, just to see how decorative it is next to the pond, glowing in the evening sun.


...And here it is at the Farmer's Market, waiting for a new home!

The Life Of A Sandcast Leaf * Part 5

I usually paint the Rhubarb leaves as close to their natural color as any of my leaves, since the pink/red veins and light olive of the leaf itself is a pretty combination, but on this one I'm trying something different. Starting off with a gold color...

The second layer goes on as a wine color

Continuing with greens...I'm not sure about it, though...don't think I'm finished with it yet!...

Looks like one more installment to go!

The Life Of A Sandcast Leaf * Part 4

The "unveiling"- I always look forward to this part! (There's also a little Burdock leaf on the left to use up extra cement.) Most of the time, the leaf has sort of "cooked" from the warmth of the curing cement, so when I peel it off, the leaf has a distinctive fragrance that reminds me of hot tea!

...Almost all off. The leaf remains will go into the compost bin.
Ready to cure for a while

Here it is, sitting in the garden on a rainy day. Water helps cure the material, just like a freshly poured driveway or sidewalk! Next step- painting! :0)

The Life Of A Sandcast Leaf * Part 3

...Time to work! This one looks good for the first casting of the season!

Not the largest I could do, but there'll
 
be more very soon!

All set to go ~ on a sand bed and

"shaping stones" I make with

leftover cement.

Oooo! Isn't the Redbud pretty against the blue sky?

Oh...back to work...sorry..

...thought this was CLEAN work, did you? V
 

...Starting to play in the mud!

Almost done (for now!). All I need to do is add one more layer of the cement.

Elapsed time: approximately 1 hr. 15 min.

Part 4 coming soon!

The Life Of A Sandcast Leaf * Part 2

Vicki (my Victoria Rhubarb) is getting bigger! i would give it about 2 more weeks at this rate, and i should be able to start casting anytime after that. (The white thing she's beside is my cold frame i built with PVC pipe a few years ago) The strange thing is, i have another Rhubarb plant- on the other side of the cold frame - and the leaves are much smaller and totally different! i'm glad they're different, though, and the small one will catch up eventually, but i like Vicki's speed!