These leaves are great. They don't look too hard to make. The painting scares me though. I might try them, banking on the hope that if you haven't seen the professionally done leaves, you might think the homemade ones are OK.
Please, please post pictures as you go. I'm sure we'd all love to watch your progress. I know it would give me more confidence.
Denise C.
P.S. How do you keep your lantana from getting too "woody"?

If mine don't turn out too ugly, I'll definitely post pictures! haha
All of my lantana bushes are potted, and most of the trailing lantana is too (it seems to bloom MUCH more when potted & looks good in hanging baskets!), but I have to trim it all a lot. I have some of the trailing kind in the ground, but there's a deck on one side of it, and it's all surrounded by a border of those terra cotta colored stepping stones, so it doesn't get out of control.

I think those are some of the prettiest concrete leaves I've seen.
I made some a couple of years ago. They turned out pretty well but I found out that you really have to work at smoothing the edges very well or you end up having ratty uneven edges.

Mine are stored at the moment because I'm renting and don't have a way to use them here.
Its also difficult for me to make them as here in the desert there are not too many plants around that grow with big leaves suitable for use. I had to have a forum member in North Carolina mail me some leaves to use. It worked but by the time I got them they were getting bad spots in them and that does show up in the finished piece. I found that you have to use a piece of masking tape on the outside of the leaf to repair small holes.
Its kind of stressful to make them the first time but pretty easy after that.
I would suggest that the first time you try to make some, use small leaves and practice until you get the hang of it.

Here is a photobucket slideshow on making them.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v131/Marlinska/Tutorial%20Projects/Making%20Leaf%20Molds/Part%20One%20-%20POP/

And a couple of other links to other websites with instructions.
http://www.the-artistic-garden.com/leaf-casting-super-tips.html

http://www.the-artistic-garden.com/leaf-casting-super-tips.html

http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/extras/53birdbath1.php

Woops, I missed one.

This is a link to some info in the FAQs section.
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/accout/2002072754010311.html

wow those are just beautiful. I would love to have them.

Lantanalover and Left05,
I wanna THANK both of you for your wonderful postings!!!
I plan on making at least one of these this week-end!
The instructions and pics are GREAT!
I'll post a pic when its finished!!
Thanks Again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those are really cool!
Thanks for sharing the links.
Mary

Oh how wonderful!! Can't wait to see them. I love stuff like that....