A small pot - big enough to use for a house plant. I made it in the winter in my garage and it was a complete failure.
After a little practice , many pounds of portland, I have become a tufa addict.

What was YOUR first project ??

I made 2 planters on my first try: one inside a cardboard box reinforced with duct tape and the other packed on the outside of a round plastic pot. That was over 5 years ago and they both are in great shape.

I haven't made a first project yet. I want to make a trough, but I'm sort of thinking that might be a little too ambitious for a first project. Maybe I should start with something smaller so I get a feel of working with concrete.

I started in 2004 with a couple of leaves.
First project-leaves- LOTS of leaves
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I got bored very quickly with leaves and moved onto animals made out of chicken wire frames.
My first animal project turned out to be a UGLY and CRAZY looking cat with a little mouse on his foot.
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After the ugly cat I made several other animals. Some were great looking some not so much. Last year I didn't do anything at all- lost interest I guess. This year I'm back at it and have a few projects in the works now to just work on them.

Those are so cool! I am about to try my first project. I want to do a stone look cover for the top of my waterfall box. I bought chicken wire for the reinforcement/shape. I'm going to form in like a box top and smoosh tufa onto it. That's all I need to do, right?
I plan on using portland cement, peat and perlite. How thick should the tufa be on the wire?
I'd appreciate any advice!!

Haven't even started a project yet. I just wanted to say thanks for all the inspiration I have received from this website and this thread. I have been trying for a year to figure out a way to "fix" an area in my garden that sits on top of the septic tank. Hypertufa rocks, I believe, will be the answer.

These leaves were my first just last year. I want to make more with wires in the back so I can hang them on my fence.
I would also like to see if I can find or make a dog's paw mold so I can make some prints.

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I made a trough planter out of a cardboard "24" box with a 12 bottle box inside (sooo white trash, but it worked out quite well). I loaded it with a sandy mix, some cacti and pebbles I picked up on the beach in Nice, for goodness sake, and furrowed the sand to make a "zen" garden. I gave it to my SIL for her birthday. She doesn't like cactus, apparently, and tossed the whole thing into a forgotten corner of her yard.
Her son hit the trough with the lawn mower, and the whole thing was trashed.
Lesson learned..if it looks really nice, and you made it, and like it...KEEP IT!