When you say the mix "ran" when you put it on the leaves.... that sounds like a problem. When you mounded it up in your hand would it stay that shape - kind of like cookie dough or was it a lot runnier than that? If it was runny, how did you get it to be thick enough on the leaf to make the cast? It looks pretty substantial in the photo. Probably I just don't have enough experience to realize what caused this. I do know enough to realize how depressing it is to work that hard and be disappointed with the results!
Laura

I've not worked w/ elephant ears - but I had something similar happen when I used "thawed" rhubarb leaves - owing to the high concentration of oxalic acid in the rhubarb - which was then released in the thawing process.

SO - maybe there was some kind of chemical involved - but I know from other postings that elephant ears are wonderful leaves to use. Hmmmmmm

Vicki

Used sandblasting media? Do you know what it had been used on? There mey have been a contaminate in the sand that destroyed the bond on the cement.

well,now I'm thinkin too much water. The actual mixture stayed put on the leaves, white water just drained off them. I should have experimented with 'the new to me mixture' on something else first. I'm going to brush off any flakey bits, seal them and call 'em antiqued.

Thank you for quick replies and support (I'm a tufa junky)
This panic over messin up my only 2 really big leaves brought me out of lurkdom.. :)
Hi everyone!
Annie

What was the used sand blasting?

I just experimented on a less-than-wonderful EE leaf to try to get a smooth surface. I mixed used garnet sand, the kind they use for engraving formica signs. I used 1 portland:1 used garnet sand:1/2 silica sand. 1/4 fortifier in the liquid. My mix was about as runny as sour cream, maybe a little looser and it wanted to run off the edges too. I blotted the excess water with a paper towel and folded the under plastic up at the edges and over the leaf. And I patted the heck out of it. Since this was a test, I made the layer very thin...only about 1/4" at the thickest and 1/8" or less at the edges. Curiousity got the better of me after 10 hours and I took the leaf off. VERY nice surface that passed the scratch test. A part of the leaf broke off due to the thinness and short set time but I learned what I wanted to know so I pitched the leaf. I'll try this mix on the first layer of my next leaves but embed mesh and use a stiffer mix (muffin batter?) for subsequent layers.

I think the used sand I had must have had some formica residue in it that acted as a plastisizer. What was your source for the used sand you used?

I'm going to brush off any flakey bits, seal them and call 'em antiqued.

Annie-

It sounds like a plan to me, but I would probably call it "distressed" or "weathered."

It sounds like you're making the best of a bad situation.

Jo

Maybe you could give the leaf a moss/yoghurt slurry and let the moss hide the blemishes.

That happened to me also. I think for me it was the sugar/acid or something inthe leaf itself that reacted with the crete so it didn't cure right.
I did the same thing called it antiqued.
Paws

I'm not sure who blasted with this sand, DH brought it home from a dump site. It's fine and has shiney bits to it, maybe it's silica. Everything I've cast so far with it is stark white and shiney. Which would be fine if there were no holes. Besides the flakey ee leaves, I did plastic face masks. They look like alabaster beauties and wierd guys with pock marks...but not at all flakey. This is also the first time I've used fortifier, I don't know what effect that has on the look.
Fluer, let us know how your leaves turn out, frost got mine, I did the last ones today. (resistin the temptation to go unmold them tonight..)
Annie