Hypertufa Party at Critter's June 23

If anybody has a set of sturdy wire cutters or tin snips, please bring it... we'll be cutting chicken wire for any pieces that might need extra reinforcing, and I only have 1 pair of snips.

Holly, is JR going to be coming down? I think the girls down the street will have young (three 5-7 yr olds) cousins visiting that day, and my neighbor Judy has a couple more kids in that age range who will be joining us (I think) later in the afternoon... I might see what we can arrange for kid activities, since I highly doubt Party Girl will want to take a nap.

Jill, I pretty sure JR will not be along. Thanks for the inquiry though. Ric

Jill, I bring some wire cutters. I think I have a couple.

Thanks, SSG!

Oh, and Sally, yes, an extra table would be welcome. I think it will probably be most pleasant to work out on the deck (awning for shade)... maybe down on the patio or in the yard also if we need more space to spread out... but if it's breezy or rainy or whatnot, we may end up in the garage, and you all will just have to pretend you can't see the remarkable clutter.

I was in the basement earlier this morning and rounded up a pretty good selection of plastic pots, plastic "shoebox" storage containers, and other things that could be amusing. So if you don't have "just the right" mold to bring along, you'll be able to find something here!

Clutter and assorted empty containers and basement junk; I'll feel right at home
8 ^)

Jill I have half of a large trash can full of perlite we can bring.

I have tin snips somewhere -- not sure I can find them though. I'll look.

Jill -- yes, those were the planters I was remembering. But I don't want to use yours! I just wanted to have something that would result in that shape. I can probably get there using Holly's suggestion of taping items together.

OH, please... they are ancient planters from the dollar store. I'm assembling a collection of potential molds. It's fun to look at a little box or some such and see it in a whole different light! (Those 1 pound priority mail boxes would be cute little troughs.)

I haven't been to the dollar store yet... but I did pick up some produce boxes at Costco that I hope will be sturdy enough. If you've got a piece of plywood or MDF scrap to bring and put under your project, that wouldn't hurt. I might have a couple of things in the back of the basement along those lines, but I know I don't have a dozen.

I can see us already, trying to move our projects from the tables to our cars, like the cake contests on Food Network where everybody holds their breath while the towering creation is moved to the judges' table. Yah, maybe we'd better work in the garage rather than around back...

Ric, I've got most of a big bag of perlite here... you're welcome to bring some, but Holly might need it once she gets bitten by the 'tufa bug.

I've been reading up, of course, and asking questions... thinking we might want to try 2 different recipes, one with peat & perlite for the little planters/troughs, and one with peat & play sand for smaller things, because while the sand is heavier it will also give a finer texture if anybody is inclined to get fancy.

It's possible we'll only get to one of the projects... if so, I'm thinking we should start with the planter/trough. We can always have another workshop for more "sculptural" 'tufa.

I like that idea, I do want to do a few leaves or something along a smother line but right now I need / want planters. I will ask Ric what he has in the barn in the way of wood scraps he might be able to dig something extra up for those that don't have something like that. I was thinking that old cookie sheets might work to transport depending on the size of your pot. If you don't need the perlite I won't bother to bring it, but we are bringing a table. I will also look around and see what we have to use for molds and bring a few different things.

Extra tables will be good! If you bring one and Sally brings one and I free up the second one that's upstairs, that will be 4, so we'll have 3 people per table (4 maybe if more people come)... that will work! Thanks!

Cookie sheets are a GREAT idea! They shouldn't get damaged, because they can just be used for extra support under a produce box. I'm going to get some extra boxes later this week, too, but I think I've got at least 1 large produce box and 1 smaller shallow box (with no holes, so it will hold a couple inches of damp sand) for everybody at this point.

I've got some pieces of deck boards that would work in a pinch also for extra support when moving the pieces.

Another thing to consider... You will be transporting the pieces home in a plastic (garbage) bag. Concrete needs to cure FOR A MONTH in order to be as strong as possible. Either keep it in the bag, opening the bag to mist the surface of your piece, or submerge it in water (let it set up a couple of days first, then gently remove it from the mold). Putting it in water will also leech the lime out, which is necessary before you can plant in it. (Some people make planters in fall and leave them out over winter; by spring they are ready to plant.)

So don't be planning to make some huge thing when you get home, either, unless you have a place to soak it!

I also have a little one that one person could use or we could use it to set things on.

This is going to be fun!

Yes, it is! Any chance that Lee might join us? Please tell her she'd be more than welcome!

Wow -- that's a great idea. I'll see if I can persuade her.

I'm lurking, and so envious! I hope you folks are going to post pics of your troughs!!
Have fun,
--
Bev

The girls down the street (14 & 17) might be in & out that afternoon, so hopefully Lee wouldn't be the only teen (although as self-possessed as your girls are, I think she'd be fine regardless, just as the 14 year old had no trouble just hangin with us last girls' night!)... they'll have family over and be leaving for the beach the next day, but Carol (their mom) was all for joining in the fun.

Lee is up in the air, so is the spouse.

Jill -- what would you like us to bring? Clothes that can get messy, protection for the car and a board and garbage bags for the finished product. Money for you. Contributions towards food and drink. What else?

That sounds like a pretty thorough list! I've got a pretty good stack of boxes, possible molds, garbage bags, baggies for pinch pots, gloves, masks, etc... but extras won't hurt, especially if you have a particular thing in mind for your project(s). Plastic bags that are bigger than standard grocery bags (department store bags are often nice & sturdy) could come in handy.

* $10 per person will pretty much cover materials, including extra dry mix to bring home unless we really make a lot of stuff.

* clothes that can get messy (because you never know LOL) Wear something cool, too... The garage is probably the best place to work (easy to pull cars up to load our projects at the end of the event), and it'll be warm out there even it's no longer 100 degrees like today.

* I'll have some sodas, probably iced tea and/or lemonade, ice water of course, but if you want anything in particular to drink, please bring it. If there's a snack or dessert you'd like to bring, feel free, but it's not necessary... nobody has ever left our home hungry that I know. LOL

* A couple of short boards or pieces of plywood to help get your project in the car might be a good idea, especially if you are planning to make mushrooms or pack your hypertufa on the outside of your mold. (If you just line the inside of a mold/container with hyperturfa, you should be able to tie it into a plastic bag and just lift it into the car.)

I'll send Dmail out to everybody tomorrow with any other details, including directions to our home & my cell phone number.

Psyched!!

I think Mark wants to come. He can hang out with Ric, and Jim, can help with the labor, and has a soft spot for sweet little girls too.

Cool! It's always good to see Mark. :-) I'm hoping Happy/Devon's DH will be able to make it also... Can I tempt any other SO's by mentioning that I'm thinking of doing a "Festival of Pasta" for dinner?

I think Darryl and Lee (my 18-year old) are leaning towards coming -- it's like herding cats with these guys -- Darryl will be glad to here there are some other men to talk to.....

Dmail blast just went out with directions and such... let me know if you didn't get it!

got it ,thanks!

Ric cut a few extra boards for those of you that don't have one. We are bringing a few buckets, pans, and things to form around, newspaper and trash bags.

Sounds good! Thank you! Holly, I have another of those Costco containers plus a similar "whiskey barrel" style one (also $20)... no immediate plans for them, so you're welcome to either. (Or if anybody else needs one... )

Thank you everybody for a wonderful day!! This is just such a wonderful group... funny, easy-going, warm... whether it's just 3 of us getting together or a big crowd like we had at the spring swap, I always have a blast!

Hope everybody got safely home and that everybody's projects traveled safely, too... I want to report that there's no problem moving pots that have set up for a couple hours! I'm sorry I didn't realize anybody needed to head out by a particular time... I'd have gotten dinner going a bit earlier so we'd all have had time for dessert!

Terri & my neighbor Judy & I were talking about going up to Glade Link Farms (near the little town of Midway, MD) to pick blueberries. Jim & Joyanna got some at the farmers' market this morning, and they were awesome. We'll probably go Tuesday evening (I think the fields are open until 8, pretty sure we've headed out from here around 6 and had enough time to pick a few quarts... nice breeze off the mountain in the afternoon & evening, too, and the field is just really pretty). Just thought I'd mention it in case anybody had a hankering for blueberries that day!

:-( Didn't see this until today...had vending to do today....please let me know if you do it again, Jill....so sorry to have missed seeing my family Hugs

We had a great time. The projects looked good when we got home.
Jill, You were a great hostess, my fault that we had to eat and run. We were all having so much fun time just got away from us.
Good food, good friends and a really good time.

Oh, Chantell, I'm sorry! I put you in the "blast" in case you weren't watching the threads, but that Dmail didn't go out until pretty late on Friday.

As for the next time... mentioned it to a few folks yesterday... mark your calendars!

Saturday July 21

FSK Iris Society Rhizome sale! Followed by lunch as a group, followed by some activity (to be determined) at my place.

(just FYI, there's also a rhizome sale Saturday, July 14 2012, at Watson’s Garden Center, Lutherville, MD)

We had a wonderful time -- I apologize for our rude race for the door. Lee had to be somewhere in DC at 8pm which she didn't mention that to me until 6:40pm (ah, to be 18 and carefree). I have wanted to do Hypertufa forever -- you were so organized, and with the help of everybody (Ric never did stop working, and we shared the table, tubs and molds that Sally and Mark brought), it was a fantastic introduction. Weather was great, too. I love walking through your garden!

Ah, I'm sorry I missed it! I'm still not feeling well, so it's probably best that I didn't go and get you all sick!

I'm looking forward to your pictures!

Jill, it looks like I'm not free on 7/21 either, so I might have to tackle this project on my own. :)

Happy, We really enjoyed meeting your DH, we had such a great time talking to him while munching yummy snaks while you where slaving in the kitchen with Jill. Your daughter was so nice and very cute. Ah yes those teen years. Don't feel bad about the rush to the door we did the same thing to get Jane home to get her barn work done before dark.

Holly -- Darryl has a fine time, and really enjoyed talking with you and Ric. It was wonderful to see everyone! (I didn't do any slaving, BTW! It was all fun! Speaking of work, Ric, you are a MACHINE -- swinging those 100 pound bags around as if they were perlite.)

THanks again Jill!!!
it all worked out just fine, even though collectively we were doing it more or less on the fly.

I just HAD to poke at mine this morning- my smallest and most crude creation will be the lab rat- and it was hard feeling but still pretty crumbly on the thin top edges. I want PATIENCE>>> (and I want it now)
So I'm thinking sometime tomorrow is when we should attempt removal of a form and see if the thing holds together. I'll probably do it tomorrow evening.

As I understand- removing the form in the slightly soft stage will let us wire brush the sides or edges to give it a less manufactured look.

And me too sorry we left the dinner leftovers to be cleaned up!!!!! Jill you gave us a great day.

I'm thinking of ordering some garden gloves from http://www.palmflex.com/gardening/. If anyone wants some, let me know. Shipping is free if the order is over $80, which I can probabably reach on my own (we go through a lot of them); I could distribute them at Jill's next get-together in late July, or you can pick them up from me in Chevy Chase. Or whatever. They sell them by the dozen so if you want to split a dozen, or whatever, just work it out....!

If there is a better place to buy gloves, let me know.

These work well, and they go in the washing machine. I don't recall if I have ever put them in they dryer.

The hypertufa making was a lot of fun. I don't do many crafts, and I was thinking that may be I might just visit with everyone while they were making theirs. I'm so glad I tried my hand at it. Thanks everyone for another great get together.

Terri I can't believe you almost didn't try it. Yours was beautiful. Might get the ribbon for Prettiest Hypertufa 2012.

I just had to poke at mine again. The cardboard (sprayed with Pam) peeled off well. I took a small stone and scraped off the thin edges . The flat sides were pretty resistant to my tentative scratchings. The vermiculite started to show where I scratched. I'm not sure how I'll feel about the bright white vermiculite in the finished surface. Could be good. Could be great actually.

Even without leaching, we could line these with plastic for some fall pansies.

Sally -- post pictures, please!!!

Yay! Glad it unmolded well. Remember you need to keep it damp for a month while it cures... bag/misting, water bath, water it every time you pass with the hose...

I think the white of the perlite will be less obvious as the cement dries.