AWESOME!!!! In mexico I saw a guy who was stuffing it with newspaper over chicken wire! And I think someone here stuffed with newspaper...GO FOR IT! And Hubby helping!!! You two will have it done in no time!!! Yippee! I'm so excited for you!!! And I haven't even seen the pics yet!

Forgot the camera, so here I am again.

Thanks for the encouragement. I've got the darts cut in one piece of cap, DH has the outer stem done. Now he's suggesting ways I could make it take-apartable. I'm leaving that up to him.

He's great about helping me with "construction type" projects, once he sees me doing something he can't help himself, LOL. He enjoys messing around in the shop, so who knows, maybe I'll have a garden full if this works out & I make one for me. (This will be for my mother if it works out, she wants one to put with some garden toads, and I've looked everywhere and haven't found anything.)

Good luck!

LOL, Thanks!

I came in for a bandage for my first popped blister, but DH has the stem finished, and I've only got two more darts to cut on the 2nd layer of the top, then have to "sew" and go buy the concrete. He thinks the concrete will be the hard part, I'm hoping this cutting is the hard part;)

The first piece cut, darts cut:

The stem, DH working on:

The basic structure, not sewn together, just testing for fit. It's going to be about 22 inches looks like.

That looks magnificent! It looks to me like you and your husband are on to something big. Can't wait to see the finished project.

Wow!! Look at that. I'm very impressed. I haven't tried this method yet. Looks like you know what you're doing.
I'm wondering if I can do this. I don't have a clue on how to sew. I tried to make a pair of shorts once, but gave up when I couldn't figure out how to sew the crotch part!!LOL

Well, I wouldn't really call what I just did sewing, More wrestling it into submission and then putting a spot hold on it, LOL.

I don't know if the wire DH gave me is too thick, or I just can't do it (the sewing), but I just put a short piece of wire in tying the pieces together here & there & twisted it tight with the pliers. I'm going to look at it tomorrow afternoon & see what I think.

It isn't anywhere as NiceThymes, that got me wanting to do it, but my mom won't have seen hers, LOL. It's going to look like one of those funky ones, that aren't symmetrical, probably a toadstool!:0

What about using tie wraps instead of sewing for those who might be challenged in that area - LOL? If it is something like the stem of the mushroom where you can put your hand in you can do it so the clasp part is on the inside and then you just cut off the excess. I get tiewraps at the dollar type stores and the clasp part is small and the strap part is flat enough that once you cover with cement you aren't going to be able to tell how it is put together anyway.

We were cleaning out behind our shed today and came across a bale of chicken wire and I was thinking of a similar project, but the gauze is really too large to have a sturdy frame to build on.

You're awful brave to take on such a project on your first try, but seems like you and DH are a great team.

Good luck and can't wait to see the finished project.

Here is a link that might be useful: tie wraps

"You're awful brave to take on such a project on your first try, but seems like you and DH are a great team."color=blue>

LOL, brave is one word for it;)

I really need to have someone looking over my shoulder & telling me what to do & making me do each step, or I get bored with the learning process & do shortcuts to get to the desired result. Sometimes it works out & sometimes I buy a piano & never learn enough to really play well and end up giving said piano away....

I'm hoping this works out.

Panther, I'm impressed. I love the shape of your mushroom. Looks like just about the right size to put in the yard too. I so want to try this but have not put my act together yet. Will be watching your progress to completion.

DH & I went out to dinner tonight & we were talking about this. He reminded me that I probably want to put more "sewing" of whatever kind so that when I'm pushing the mix in I don't push the pieces apart. So I know I've got some more of that to do.

Also, he's telling me that he thinks I'm going to find putting it in without messing up the shape harder than I think & that I might should have put spacers of some kind to keep the pieces apart. I'm going on faith that if I needed them I'd have heard by now.

Hi There, Sorry but I've been galivanting..anyhoo, the mesh shpuld actually just be close together like stacked dishes, so that the holes in the mesh overlap and it has smaller spaces, thn you just gently moosh the concrete over it, if you didn't want to redesign, maybe you could plug the middle up with newspaper balled up. I have deleted the pics I took of my flower, but look up Klinger's girl that she made, you can see from those pics. Hopefully she'll check on this and give you some better pointers!!! I have neglected my housework for MONTHS!!! and I'd sooo want to make a shroom but...Why is it so hard to do the right thing!!! I just got my mobility back and now I wanna play!!!!

OK, a question. Since I have it together this way, what do you think would happen if I covered it with a finer mesh screen of some type. Or do I need to just take apart & redo? I'm thinking take apart & redo?

Oh, and I hope you enjoyed your galivanting:)

Dang it! posted without completing my thought again.
Anyway, I would have to take it apart anyway to put the newspaper inside I think, but I'll mull that one over too.
Thanks for the help, sounds like I need it. But I'm determined this thing isn't going to beat me!

wow Panther! that's wonderful, it looks great and look at all those darts... geez I hate the sewing part so I cheat on darts!.

You could skip taking it apart and just layer drywall tape on the top before you crete. Just a thought.

I'm flattered that I had anything to do with your inspiration... wow... YOU GO PANTHER! lol

Thank you,

I'd love to cheat on darts, how do I do that? ;) Those were a pain to cut & then the cut wire grabbed everything around, including my skin & clothes.

Being as how I jumped in without understanding before, I want to make sure about this. I put drywall tape on the outside of the mesh, and put the cement directly on the tape?

Sounds good to me if it will work.

And I've got your thread showing you building the 'shroom as one of my favorites, I go look at it frequently. Have you finished the mosaic? Is there a thread with it if so?