Hi everyone. Was in to Victoria yesterday to take a friend out for her 65th birthday lunch. Here's what I gave her for her birthday!!!!
This message was edited Oct 19, 2005 8:51 AM
Miscellaneous!!!!!
Here's a close up.
I am really enjoying doing the cement leaves this year.
More.
Hosta leaves not painted.
While driving brithday friend home, noticed this wonderful corner. Apparently the whole bed was full of flowers, but they have now been cleaned out. It still looks stunning!!!
Another view.
And yet another view.
And lastly, this view on my drive home!!!!
You do a lovely job on the leaves Glenda. What a nice present for your friend. I wanted to try to make some myself this year but didn't quite get around to it......maybe next year.
That's the first time I've seen brugs used as part of municipal landscaping. It's nice to see and of course I love the banana. I love the picture of the pumpkins too.....it's beautiful.
Sandy
Thanks Sandy. I made sure to take the time to get some leaves done this year, because last year I just didn't have the time. Sometimes us gardeners have too many things to do, right!!!!! I still have some small elephant ear leaves that I can cast, plus some small gunnera leaves. The gunnera didn't grow very much, but at least it didn't die!! I will have to collect a bunch of other leaves, etc to put over top so I can overwinter it.
The city of Victoria uses brugs quite a bit now I think. They have even had them on the medians on the main road into Victoria from out our way. They sure look great. I am trying to grow some of my brugs into trees. The Whiskers I have from Linda is a single stem and I have great hopes for it next year if I can keep it alive.
It is blooming right now just inside my kitchen door.
Glenda
Gorgeous! What kind of paint do you use?
carol
Hi Carol. I just use craft paint that you buy in the little plastic bottles. I usually buy them at the dollar store, or Michaels if they are on sale. I use paint brushes, and sponges, and just kind of wing it depending on the kind of leaf.
Once I am satisfied witht he paint job, I seal them with Ceramcoat interior/exterior varnish, also available at Michaels. The bottle isn't big, but it goes a very long way. I buy the matte finish varnish, as I don't think the leaves have to be extremely shiny.
Thanks for your note!
Glenda
Wonderful leaves, Glenda - I, too, hoped to try them this year but ran out of time.
I have been watching the municipal plantings to see when they will remove the brugs and bananas to the greenhousees. We are off to Mexico on October 29 and I am doing the "should I - should I not" bring them in thingy LOL! The brugs are loaded with buds and some of them I have never seen bloom for example, Peach Chiffon and Danielle. It's a race against time here in Victoria !
Heather
ggd, would you ever consider trading one of those fabulous cement leaves for some stained glass? I do everything, large and small, going to try to find a photo.
Glenda
Great leaves,,
Wilma
Daylily: I'm pretty open to anything!!!!!! Send me some photos.
I have two more elephant ears curing about the same size as the one in the photo. Also have one larger, but that's for me!!!!!! I will have a few brugmansia leaves, also some hosta, and probably some odds and ends. Also smaller elephant ears.
I was getting some blood tests the other day, and just outside was a plant that had wonderful leaves that I could cast. Sort of like a hydrangea, but not. I will have to start skulking around, and maybe ask if I can have leaves I see that I like!!! Then that will force me to get them done as the leaves won't last a long time, although I did reuse some hosta leaves this year, . I was so amazed that they came off in one piece. Just rinsed them off and did the same 4 again!
Glenda
Glorious cement leaves Glenda. One day, one day. Next year for sure. This was far too busy a year what with running back and forth to BC, then NALS and so on.
BTW are the brugs and bananas on Fairfield, where the road goes down the side of the cemetary to Dallas? I saw some like that there.
Inanda
Inanda, yes that's where the brugs are!!! My birthday friend just lives around the corner from there!!! She often goes for walks through the cemetery!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the compliments on the leaves. I am really enjoying them. Have just finished painting two hosta leaves.
Glenda
Glenda your leaves are great. Your birthday friend should have been so happy to get a great gift like that. Heatherbelle have a great time on your holiday. Here in Nanaimo I still have my brugs left out, they are blooming so wonderfully I can't bring my self to bring them in yet.
Cindy
Yes, have a good time on your holiday Heather. I know exactly what you mean about the brugs. I've got some that have finally got buds and I wish I could bring them into the solarium so I could see them bloom but I just don't have room for very many and some of them are 8 - 10 feet tall. I'm so worried about losing them over the winter in the garage. My sanguinea is finally starting to bloom really nicely. I guess it's finally getting the kind of weather it likes.
Sandy
Wow Glenda, those are cool. By looking at the pictures, and if I didn't know they were cement, I'd swear they were real leaves. It looks hard to do. Mixing paint just right, putting it on just right, SHEW! You sure are talented.
Darrell
Glenda, the colours you've painted your cement leaves are gorgeous - such depth! You certainly have a talent there. Enjoyed your pics.
Great job on the painting, Glenda!
:) Donna
Thanks ladies. I have been doing hosta leaves the last couple of days. Have had some trouble with colouring, but I think I have it now, after purchasing some new color paints today at the dollar store. Once I am finsihed the hostas, I will post a picture.
Glenda
Finally finished the hosta leaves, so thought I'd post a couple of pictures.
Another hosta.
The colours in this one are kind of neat.
My favourite.
A small elephant ear. The first one I did. I think I prefer to just trya nd keep the colours the same and not go off into any bronzes and golds.
A small elephant ear. The first one I did. I think I prefer to just try and keep the colours the same and not go off into any bronzes and golds.
A datura leaf.
A large brugmansia leaf that another friend got for her birthday.
Well, I must get back outside and get my hands in some more cement. I have a few more smaller leaves to do, then I still have 3 small gunnera leaves to do before they start rotting. The gunnera are a bit more fiddly as you need to prop up parts of the leaves to keep the shape better.
Happy November 1 everyone.
Glenda
Glenda you do a wonderful job with those leaves! We were just at a craft show and some were for sale there. They were extremely thick and not smooth at all. After admiring yours I'm getting much more fussy over which I might buy! Or I will have to break down and start making them myself ...... so what do you do with the ones that don't work out??? ;)
Wow, Glenda! I luv the coloring all the hosta leaves. They look so real!
:) Donna
Glenda
Great job on your leaves. I really like the colors and the way the edges look. I too wanted to try this year and now for sure next year I will have a go...you are very inspiring!
Ann
Wow, you have been busy. Those leaves are so addictive aren't they?I really like all the colors you used, even the bronzes and golds. You are going to have a geat collection when you are done.How long do you wait before you unmold them? I always get so impatient to see what they turned out like.
Cindy
I am "very" impressed. They're awesome. Love them Glenda.