I LOVE those pavers. What do you use to hold them in that shape while drying.

starryrider - I don't use a mold because the leaves are all different sizes. The secret is to get the cement mixture stiff enough to hold it's shape. If you use too much water then it will run everywhere.

Susan

Hi Susan :o),
Those leaves look great! I wonder if it would work to dig a mold in the dirt so to speak. Make the size and shape in the dirt and then pour in the concrete and let set. Then you could remove them. Anyway what you did looks great and you have been a busy gal. :o)
Hugs,
Kathy

Hi Kathy! Good to see you are still here! You could dig a hole but I don't know how well the details of the leaf would come out. When I make a casting I cover an area the size of the leaf on a piece of plywood with a garbage bag. Then place the leaf face down on the bag. Spray the back of the leaf with Pam [to make getting the leaf out easier]. Then pack your cement mixture on the leaf using your hands. The cement should be about the texture of sticky oatmeal. You use the edge of the leaf as a guide to the shape of the paver. Needless to say, no two are alike! Here's a closeup of a paver so you can see the detail better -

Susan

In reference to Katkin's post - I don't use concrete which is a mixture of cement, gravel, and sand. I use Portland cement which is a component of concrete. Cement mixed with sand only gives you a very smooth surface that shows detail of your casting.

Susan

Soooo cool!
thanks for the pics and info - I now have these on my to do list
Hester

Hi Hester! Give it a try! It really is a lot of fun and you don't need to take a class [I paid $40 for the class I took] check out the Hypertufa Forum here or do a google and read up on it on line. And most of all don't be afraid to experiment with the "recipe".

My new motto is - "Who says you have to be a kid to enjoy mud pies????"

Susan

When do you put in the chicken wire? Sorry, I need the "for dummies" version. ;) Gorgeous, and I think that will be on my to-do list. I currently have scraps of lumber from the potting shed project as my paths in my garden. Works well, but not the best looking. So, I'm always looking for new ideas.

FLgardenmom - I put about 1 inch of the cement mixture on the leaf then put the chicken wire down. Then I top the chicken wire with another inch of the cement mixture.

Susan

Susan, those are spectacular! What great detail they show. I wish I had the patience to do stuff like that. Kudos to you.

Anna

Susan, Those are fabulous! If the points were on the same side they could turn a corner with pizazz.

Is it one bag of cement per pair? What does the front one measure... about? I just LOVE them.

So glad to see you here again.

Veronica

I love the idea that no two are alike. I also dig the pots.
Nice to see you posting again!

Love hypertufa and working with cement, but I want to know what plant has such a BIG leaf? Nothing I have or have seen locally is near that size.
Cora

Thanks for all the positive reviews everyone!

Veronica - You can get at least 4 if not five pavers out of a bag of cement. The one you asked about is about 3 ft by 2 1/2 ft.

Cora - I used elephant ears [taro] to make them. You can find them along many waterways or swampy areas.

Susan

Awesome! I see a project coming my way. Thanks for the pics.

Melissa

What if you did it the way I said and pressed the leaves in the top of the cement to get the impression? Do you think that might work? The leaves would wear away if you couldn't pull them off. I was thinking that way you could do them in place, instead of having to move them afterward.

So gorgeous! I've wanted to do this for years, but never seem to get my act together.

As for pressing leaves into wet concrete, I've seen this @ Disney World & Universal Studios, but the imprints are smaller, on slabs.

those are so cool, i've read about doing it that way, but never tried it. love the pots too, i like one of a kind stuff around the yard. great job!

Katkin - I don't know why it wouldn't work that way. Just press the back of the leaf into your poured cement. A little Pam on the leaf will make sure they won't stick. I admit moving the finished paver isn't for wimps! It takes both Dave and myself to move them.

Anyone interested in giving it a try e mail me and I will give more in depth directions. The first one is the hardest one after that it gets much easier. One more hint- I used 2 parts sand to 1 part cement and since I live in Florida, land of sand, I just found some nice white sugar sand, shoveled it into buckets, brought it home, screened it to remove debris, and used FREE sand to make my pavers!

Susan

Hi,Susan !
You are so talented. They are beautiful. You have given many good information. I want to try out your method. Those will look great down my paths.
I miss you. Say hi to Dave. Every time I see my roses,I think of you. Specially St. David. LOL
Hugs,
Felix

Hello Felix! So good to hear from you! Dave says Hi too. Hope you and Sylvia are doing well. You can use smaller leaves to make smaller pavers for narrower paths. We have to plan a get-together with all the "old" crew!
(Marcia,Nicky,etc!) I would love to see you and them again.

Susan

Susan,I would love to get together with you and the old gang. Talk to Marcia and you gals can let me know. We are all great. Sylvia is a breast cancer survivor ! Thank God !!

Bump for this thread! Awesome project idea for those cool days we are having...

Nova, I'm curious to know if you took your hypertufa class with Melanie Palmrose (Almost Ancient Pots). She lives only a few blocks from me and is the one I make the decorative tile for. cora

Those are so cool. Too bad all my huge EE leaves all just froze. Goodness knows I have enough chicken wire around here lol. I am going to do this in the spring.

Has anyone tried this with Monstera leaves?
I would like to make some from my Monstera - they have holes in the leaves and look a little more complicated but I think it would make a kind of neat casting. I do have some monstera leaves in the greenhouse on my plants.

Susan , Those are lovely ! So glad I checked in today. I have been wanting to do this, now I will :) thanks for the
pictures.

D'Ann

oh soooooooo doing this!!! (i hope) thanks!!!!!

corar - I took my 'tufa class at Seminole Springs Herb Farm. I can't remember the gentleman's name that taught the class.

sultry - Most any leaf will do. I make some smaller round pavers with diffrent leaves. So far I have used turkey oak, king's mantle,palmetto, just to name a few.

Susan