You did a great job on the leaves and the house number plaque is really unique. Billie

Outstanding! they all look wonderful!
marcia

Well I am so pleased to get compliments from both you Billie and you Marcia. I have received advice from both of you by reading your comments on other threads.
I hope you guys with experience keep giving us newbies feedback and advice. Thanks again.

Very, very nice and terrific coloring. Looking forward to seeing more.

anotherchris

Wow! They are beautiful. Great job on the colors.

Yes you did do great job! especially as this was your first try with leaves. I really like the coloring you gave each leaf-pondering what colors to paint is always my favorite part of doing these leaves, and I really like your house number plague! believe it not just a few days ago I told my DH I was going to try something like this only using a single flat large leaf!!! but I think I like your idea better. What did you use as regards a hanger for the back?
Wendy

I recently made my first leaves also. Isn't it exciting to find you can do this stuff? May I ask what technique you used to paint them? The painting did not come out near as well as yours has. Thanx.

elephantear I dont know if you saw my thread asking the same question. I forgot to put a hanger on it and two days later I took the advice someone here told me. I took 2 plastic straws and cut them down to about 1 1/2 inches. I just covered them on the back with a little paste of portland cement and sand and it is holding up well. The staws are so you can thread wire into it so if it it ever breaks you can replace it.
Funshine. My technique is just a little of this and a little of that. I used a dilute acrilic paint to start and added a litlle of a different colors of and on. If I didnt like it I washed it off. Sometimes washing a little off made it look better. I added some metalic into the mix too. I dry brushed some and some I evern just took my gloved finger and smeared it around. Even after it dries you can go back and start over or add more texture. It seems like you can do just about anything.
I am sure the pros can add info but everything I learned I learned here!

justadncr's right about the painting technique. Adding a little paint by dry brushing or watering down the paint gives you more depth and details.
Just a reminder to everyone in the colder zones. With Fall on the way you may want to start making leaves. I make lots of leaves now and paint them over the Winter.
Leaves made flat are great for the projects pictured in this thread. If you want a leaf with more curves, build up some of the damp sand under the different curves of the leaf.
justadncr, what are you going to make next? Billie

You should be proud, those are great! I'm a newbie and have yet to cast anything. I really like you number sign. Are the leaf impressions and numbers done by pressing them into the wet concrete?

Bluedog04 I used a cardboard box the right size and filled it with an inch of sand first. I then put down plastic wrap with leaves and the numbers backwards on top of that. Of course the leaves were vein side up. I then carefully put a mix of portland cement and sand on top of each leaf and then over everything and kept patting it. It is about and 1 1/2 thick.
Billie I made a very funky bird bath so I might go back to leaves. Like you said it will be winter soon. I have no leaf molds yet I just use the ones I have. I found zuccini to be very good leaves

Great work! The leaves are really nice and I just love the house numbers!
We need a new number sign and you have given me a wonderful idea. Hope you don't mind if I steal your idea!
Lovely colouring on the leaves. Keep up the good work!
Laurel