RHUBARB LEAF IN CEMENT....

A friend of mine, Laura, said we should get some rhubarb leaves and make some cement castings.... You can imagine my excitement!!!!
Something I always wanted to do, but didn't know the procedure....
and my rhubarb leaves were HUGE this year!

So, even though I have my hands completely full with trying to get my house clean for company, doing wedding stuff and trying to get yard stuff done,
I was all into making a birdbath with a rhubarb leaf!

Our first attempt, 2 of the 3 castings broke. We needed to get the cement thicker where the veins are sooo thick. So yesterday, I made two more and thought I would take pictures as I went along.

FIRST... mound up sand (we used damp sand from Laura's grandson's sandbox.) When the sand is dampened, you can shape it to fit the leaf.

SECOND.... cover the sand with saran wrap so it does not stick to the leaf or cement.

THIRD... fit the rhubarb leaf over the mound of sand taking care to make sure the saran wrap is under the whole leaf. Make sure all edges are laid out flat.

This leaf was huge. I measured it 24" from side to side and 23" from top to bottom.

Use portland cement and mix it with water, the consistancy of like brownie mix. I just put one handful at a time down on the edges first, being careful to shape and form the edges of the leaf.

Make extra sure, that all holes are covered. I probably mixed 3 different small batches and just kept layering the cement. I needed to build up where those heavy thick viens were.

Then when you are all done working the cement, cover it with saran wrap again.

Let it sit and dry for several days. I left mine sit for 3 days. I didn't move it at all.... Then I turned it over and let it sit for 3 more days before peeling off the rhubarb leaf. I took the pressure hose to it (not full blast) and it scraped that leaf off quite well.

Here is one from the first batch I did. (The others will be done in 5 more days!)

I LOVE IT!!!! I hope to get some paints and paint it some pretty colors or maybe even just green. and then seal it.... I have a masonary seal that I use with my stepping stones that I will use. (Thompsons Seal for masonay work).

AND THE SKY OPENED UP.....

Yesterday, Tuesday... the sky opened up and just dumped.... and dumped....

For two hours, it went through this siege of water deluge,,, never really letting up... just changing directions...

After just two hours we were left with 4" of rain

lakes in the corn fields

3 sump pumps running full blast in the basement....

This front ditch hasn't drained off that much since last night. This ditch is 3-4 feet deep from the front bank.

AND THEY ARE CALLING FOR MORE RAIN TODAY.....

Where's an ark when you need one!!!!!

I LOVE COPPER YARD ART....

I just love copper. I like to make stuff with it and stick it in the yard. So here is my new little yard art thingy. I saw something similar to this at the Home and Garden Show and couldn't pull myself to buy one because of the simplicity of it. As I studied it, I was thinking my most famous words, "I bet I could make that!" I had all the supplies at home.

Well, I did pick up some bigger beads at Hobby Lobby. Glad I did, they show up better and if I make another one, I will tweak it a little, but for now, it is glistening amoung the hostas.

Look what I found in the machine shed the other day. They are about a month old and mamma kitty happened to be over by the food bowl, so I took a peek! My daughter (24), who was home for her final fitting of her wedding dress, took one look at them and started picking them up, naming them, and choosing which one she would love to take home (just like when she was living at home).

Sometimes, I love to see the little girl I once knew come out in her...

ONE OF MY MOST FAV BLOGGY FRIENDS..... TAG

So I was reading Debby's post (I do everyday) at Just Breathe and since I can't think of anything new to put on today, quickly, I grabbed her 10 Q's and filled in the blanks. No, I won't tag anyone either, just if you have nothing of your own ( brain freeze) copy the 10 from Debby and fill in the blanks. Do let me know if you are participating.... Thanks

So here are Debby's 10 Qs.

How often do you change the sheets on your bed?
once a week or sooner if were are having really hot weather. I love clean sheets on my bed.

Do you wash your hair everyday?
I used to because I had really oily skin, but as I have gotten into my 50's, I think I am drying out! So sometimes I will skip a day, but sometimes I wash it twice a day if I am outside working and I am filthy from gardening or mowing the lawn.

Have you ever told a white lie to get out of doing things when people ask?
ahh.... yea..... but not for a very, very long time. I learned it was okay to say "no, thank you".

Do you like to talk on the phone or send emails to communicate?
yes, and yes.... my immediate family is scattered in different states, so it is essential.

Matthew McConaughey or George Clooney?
George, he is just so handsome, but not sure re: the personality... I think I will stick to thinking about my husband :)

I have know people who take a new towel each day after they shower. Are you one of those people?
Yes I am... sometimes I shower twice a day, always in the morning and sometimes at night. Yep, clean towel each time. I don't mind laundering towels so, yes.

Have you ever been on the news or had your picture in the newspaper?
maybe

Do you buy new cars or do you always buy a used car?
new and used, done both

Do you have a green thumb when it comes to house plants?
No indoor plants. My cat would eat them.... green thumb outside....

Where would you like to live when you retire?
We have kicked around several places. I just want to live by my sister. We haven't lived near each other for 30 years and I only get to see her once a year, and I miss her.

So if you want to play, I will make it really easy. Just take Debby's Q's and delete my answers and insert your own. Go to her blog and copy the Q's. It's easy!!!!
Thanks Debby, my wonderful bloggy friend. Love ya!!!

MAKING WEDDING DECORATIONS...

For my son's wedding in June 2008, I made the flower decorations that were on each side of the arbor. My daughter-in-love had Gerbera Daisies as her flowers and we couldn't find anything remotely decorative in Gerbera Daisies. So I bought all the parts at Michaels Craft Store and we put these together (saw an idea like them at Michaels! Not totally my idea ).

Now, two years later, June 2010, we were trying to dream up something for the table decorations. My daughter liked the white hydrangeas and her theme is butterflies. Her colors are royal purple, black and white. So this is what I came up with.

\This is the first one of 15 that I need to do, so it is still in the tweaking stage.

My daughter liked them and that's all that matters.

I have rented the glass containers, however, I did buy one to practice with. These will be sitting on a square 16"x16" mirror along with purple crystals sprinkled around it. The table service is all white with black napkins folded on each plate.

Again Michaels Craft Store has been the recipient of my dough. They had all the components except for the butterflies which I ordered online because I needed so many of them.

Thank you Michaels for the coupons online also! That saved me a bundle!

Sign up for their weekly newsletter and flyer and you get coupons sent to you online!!!!

Oh, I did buy the material at Hancock Fabrics also.

It was perfect, quite a stiff material and only 98 cents per yard.

FAVORITE FLOWER FRIDAY...

I have planted so many new flowers and I thought instead of putting them on the blog randomly, I would start FAVORITE FLOWER FRIDAY....

Today's flower is a Dahlia.

I discovered this when working at the greenhouse. I never had planted Dahlias. It is a new thing for me. The back of the tag says it provides a summer-long display of showy blooms atop strong stems. Perfect for containers on patios and decks as well as in the border. Makes an excellent cut flower (I did put mine right in the ground). Care: Plant in rich, well drained soil to slightly dry between thorough waterings. Apply fertilizer once every two weeks during growning season. FULL SUN.

Lift and store tubers in cold climates. BONUS... These can be lifted and planted the next year!!!

I THINK I HAVE A NEW LOVE IN FLOWER LAND, AND THE COLORS ARE BRILLIANT!

A FEW NEW STONES...

I was talking to a girlfriend of mine a while back. She wanted a stained glass stepping stone for her yard. I told her to trace her granddaughters' hand prints and we could put their names and hand prints in cement. This is the results!

Aren't they just the cutest!!!

If anyone is interested in something like this and the name isn't too long (the longer the name, the smaller the letters). I would be happy to make them, of course, after June 5th (daughter's wedding). All the color parts are cut out of stained glass.

I have mailed them up to Cohagen's Chronicles, Montana. I think it was under $20 to mail it and she received them just fine. They do run $50.00 because of the detail of cutting the letters. I can usually come close to a color you might like. The grandaughters picked out the colors in these stepping stones.

BITS......

As I am getting things done in the next three weeks, ticking off the list, we have FINALLY finished planting the garden, between the rains.

It has rained 4+" in the last 10? days.

The drainage ditches are full, the river is rising, the fields had standing water and it has been cool, in the 60's so nothing is drying out fast enough.

We need warm weather and dry days!!!




Saturday, I was missing my greenhouse buddies and needed a few filler plants for some spots in the ground. So I headed up to Hilltop Greenhouses for a bit! Oh my, the geranium house looked so bare. To think she raises 15,000 geraniums for the season and how I watered soooo many, this was what I saw going into my little spot of employment.



THEY ARE ALL GONE!!!!

It WAS a good season!!!!

While there, I remembered to pick up the ONE plant I was wanting to get and had forgotten.
An Osteospermum.

This is from one I had before, 2005, I took this picture. It came back for a few years and then I moved it, big mistake... I lost it.



So this is one of the new ones I picked up. The Lilac Spoon was blooming when I brought it home, but the Spider Pink hasn't bloomed yet!
Oh how I love surprises in flower world. Can't wait to see the flower.


I also found one of my most favorite Spring pictures from a few years ago. This one is for Dale. Last year, she had baby birds in a hanging planter under her carport and I told her I had taken a baby bird pic, but of course, could not find it in my folders. Well, I found it!!!




Happy late Spring everyone ♥

WHEW!!!! WHAT A 3 WEEKS.....

THIS IS THE RETAIL GREENHOUSE AT HILLTOP GREENHOUSES

Okay, so you think I have fallen off the face of the earth...... Well, not really..... but I did disappear for a few weeks. It was necessary! This is what has been happening...

MOST OF THE CREW, A FEW ARE MISSING.....

I was working 8-9 hour days at the greenhouse. Now I am done, my season is over. I loved it and hope to do it again next year. I learned alot and it was good exercise, got a suntan and lost 17 lbs. It was all good!

LAURA, WE WERE THE GERANIUM GIRLS!

Working on wedding stuff!!!! Two trips to the cities,,, got a dress (actually two dresses, could not decide. I am still not 100% thrilled over my choices).

Made a stepping stone for a wedding gift. This couple was married in 2007. The husband was deployed right away. So now that he is safely home, they are celebrating their marriage.

Had to have surgery, girl surgery yesterday.... felt like ick yesterday, but woke up this morning feeling like a million bucks!!!!

Ready to hit the world, but promised my mom, I would lay low for a day (but only for 1 day!)

Now my mind is racing to work on the yard, the house, paint a hallway, do decorations for the wedding, however, I promised I wouldn't go crazy today trying to make up for lost time.

Dear bloggy friends, thanks for thinking of me. Thanks Kathia (Pink Little Cake) for emailing me, wondering about me. That was so thoughtful! love ya,,,,