Beautiful NATURAL LEAF BIRD Baths

No matter what I do, these pictures are not staying in the order I want them too! So, you will have to imagine them in the right order!

This a project Earl and I started and it took basically 2 weekends.

Here is a link, with instructions that are better than mine.

http://www.squidoo.com/garden-crafts-birdbath

First you pick out some fantastic BIG leaves! Mine are from a sunflower, a hollyhock and one unsure...I got it in our parkway! LOVE IT, it is my favorite!
Then you build a sandpile (for the curve) and lay the leaf face down onto a piece of plastic covering the sandpile.



You can see HOW BIG the leaves are in comparison to my hand!

Then you press Vinyl Patch Concrete onto the leaves! Wear gloves, so your hands do not dry out. Cover the concrete with plastic and let dry for minimum of 2 days! Turn over and rub off the leaves! This is putsy and time consuming, and running some water over it helps get it off!

ViOLa, you will see the pattern of the leaf veins, it is amazing!!!!!!!

Once they dry, you can add color with paints! My favorite ended up being with Lumiere's paint, and I also used acrylic! Then I sealed them with 2 coats of polyurethane. I need to make the stands yet, I would like to see mine off the ground. But they can go anywhere in your garden and hold a little pool of water for birds and butterflies! :0)
Even plain, unpainted they are beautiful!

This is my favorite leaf! WOW!

All painted and sealed and PRETTY!

Hollyhock leaf

Parkway Leaf

Sunflower Leaf