Domehomedee, Beautiful! You are a clever and creative person! I have a stack of propane lids I'm itching to get started on, but need a couple of long days to sand and paint before I can think of planting anything. I hope my finished minis look as good as yours!
Fairy Garden Chatt
Ooh, propane lids, what a great find. Inspires me to go on Craig's list and look for potential pots. I keep hoping I'll find another old Weber grill for free.
I've been making mini-gardens for about six years. It started with the "Hobbit house", a recreation on Bilbo's house. It needs some serious clean-up before I post pictures. It's quite large, a 1" to 1' scale, the door stands about 6" tall. I decorate it at Halloween and Christmas, and it has been known to make an appearance on our Christmas card. I have molded several of the fairy and gnome homes and created mini pots for gifts. I am also experimenting with "large" garden decor and have made some pretty cool oversized cement mushrooms. Some day I hope to make an x-large mushroom I could sit on in an x-large garden area.
How, and what do you use, to make your molds? I have several items I'd like to do the same with!
There is a latex mold making product, I bought it online, you can google it. You paint on several coats and let it dry inbetween. It's important to be aware of the angles on what you are molding. For instance, I will never make a half circle mold again. It was just to hard to get the cement out of the mold without damaging the mold. My next project was flat pieces that I glued together, a cement gingerbread house (boy was this one a job). And when you put the detailing in you need to angle things out, not go to thin and deep etc., you just really need to be aware of how the mold will release when you make the original. Once you get your project latexed, then it helps to make a wood box and pour a back piece from plaster of paris, something to hold the latex in place while you use the the latex front (I hope this makes sense). What I did was take the original and build a four sided box around it, using the original with the latex on it as the bottom of the box, pour the plaster to the top of the box and then when it's hardened put a piece of plywood on the top (this will be the bottom of the mold box when turned over. You can use package tape to seal things off or make transitions from wood to latex easier. This sounds complicated but it's worth it when you end up with a dozen cement sculptures. I think I got six half circle sculptures before the mold started losing integrity and it was a bugger of a mold.
I bought some "putty-type" molding material, but it was so expensive and such a small amount that I gave up the thought of making something of any size. Using plaster to steady the mold makes good sense, too. Thanks so much for the info!! I'll Google latex mold-making!
Beautiful, how inspiring you are. Love the little houses...
Domehomedee, I love your gardens! You did such a fantastic job and your attention to detail is awsome! The bar b que seems to be a perfect size. The mushroom seat is going to be to cute! Looking forward to seeing more of your creations.
Domehomedee & others, I thought you might be interested in this inexpensive silicone mold-making procedure I just learned about:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Worlds-easiest-silicone-mold/
I haven't tried it yet, but plan to as soon as I get caught up in the yard.
My minis & pots were accepted for selling at our local Farmer's Market this morning!! I'll be busier this summer than expected!
Congrats, Bev! Those are adorable. Way to go :)
Thank you Sooz!
I sell plants at the Farmers Market!
Dmail me if you want some succulent cuttings for your planters.
My latest dish garden using an inverted propane tank lid . . . "Henrietta." It features a Japanese boxwood, Blue Star Creeper, and Alyssum.
Very pretty...
Really nice.
The hobbits finally got around to cleaning up their garden. Looks like they could use some home improvements though.
The door on this 6" tall. It is made with cement aluminate over syrofoam and wire, it was my first mini-garden from many years ago.
Beautiful fairy garden, still looks good regardless of age!
That is quite beautiful. Loved both pictures...
How cute!!!! great job both of you