teddybear
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 299
Location: zone 6B, TX
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:23 am Post subject: Building a swamp monster |
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I live on the corner of my street, with no houses behind me, it just dead ends. On the north side of my house there is quite a slope. The people before us planted a evergreen ground cover and put in several large rocks and some lava. I never have liked it much so I let it go. Now it interest me! Trees are starting to grow like mad, the bindweed is actually adding to the atmosphere, and some kind of vine has climbed up my fence. All it needs now is a swamp monster. I was thinking of a head and several have circles (body) to make it look like it's swimming in all the green. I just don't know how to make it. Does anyone have any suggestions on what kind of material to use? I'll try to get some before pics so you can get a better idea of what I'm thinking. I really think it should be rather large to get the best effect.
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Frank
Happy Gardening
 Administrator
Joined: 25 Jan 2005
Posts: 8477
Location: Malmö, Sweden
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:47 am Post subject: |
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Sounds like a great project Teddy. I think maybe green polythene would look realistic for the skin/body of the monster. Maybe draping the polythene over a wire-frame structure (chicken wire?) would work. Find some glow in the dark eyes too 
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eileen
Moderator & Resident Taxonomist
Moderator
Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 9836
Location: Scotland (Map)
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 11:08 am Post subject: |
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Why not ask some of our artistic members about making your swamp monster out of hypertofu Teddy. I'm sure someone will be able to give you instructions on how to go about it. You must take some photographs once you have it in place as it certainly sounds fun!! 
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Beesplace
Just Arrived
Joined: 06 Jun 2007
Posts: 48
Location: PA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 11:10 am Post subject: |
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That sounds like a fun project. Hope you share photos when you get him done. Frank had a good idea, making the body form out of chickin wire...
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hummingbird3172
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 22 May 2007
Posts: 269
Location: Zone 9b Saint Cloud, FL
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 10:11 pm Post subject: |
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This sounds like a really fun project! I think the chicken wire sounds like a good idea, that is what they use for topiaries. If you built the body and head with chicken wire you could train vines into a topiary.
I have a good idea for the body.....old tires cut in half and painted green! The treads would make awesome osteoderms!
For the head, I agree with Eileen,I think hypertufa would work brilliantly.... for the eyes you can use those big floral glass gems...they come in really cool colors. You could also glue the gems on the "body" for scales. I've found the best glue for this is the silcone type you use for bathrooms.
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teddybear
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 299
Location: zone 6B, TX
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for all the help guys! I've been talking to a friend about the monster and all your ideas. She is going to help me get everything together. If we can just get ourselves together first, I think this is going to be an all at once or not at all thing. I'll keep you posted if it every comes to life!
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bsewnsew
Knows Their Stuff
Joined: 03 Feb 2007
Posts: 1191
Location: Rural Western Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 12:11 am Post subject: Ha ha |
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Sounds like a cook project........
I know nothing , but would love to see the finished project.....
Keep going.
b 
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kjalady
Just Arrived
Joined: 07 Jul 2007
Posts: 17
Location: Missouri and Florida
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| Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 2:59 am Post subject: Swamp Monster |
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Hi Teddy Bear!
I'm brand new at all of this but sure can't wait to get started on some garden stuff, especiall hypertufa. Your swamp monster sounds like a LARGE scale of those crocodiles out of cement that are in pieces so that it looks like he's partially out of the water/grass/whatever. Can't wait to see it when you're done.
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bsewnsew
Knows Their Stuff
Joined: 03 Feb 2007
Posts: 1191
Location: Rural Western Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 12:22 pm Post subject: Swamp |
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Kiddies will love seeing something like that.. Think they have disney world there..
;o)
Good luck.
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hummingbird3172
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 22 May 2007
Posts: 269
Location: Zone 9b Saint Cloud, FL
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| Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 2:30 pm Post subject: |
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Here is a picture of one.....they probably sell the molds online....
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teddybear
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 299
Location: zone 6B, TX
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| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks anna! Thats the idea, with the thought that some is in and some is out. In my mind I want something more dragon like with a head that stands up around 3' tall. Wish I could hurry up and get it done.
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teddybear
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 299
Location: zone 6B, TX
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 11:15 am Post subject: |
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Yes! Yes! Yes! That was what I was thinking only maybe a little more friendly. Also I was thinking about Franks glow in the dark eyes. Maybe I could put some of those glow in the dark super bounce balls in. Really I need to get it out of my head and into my yard!
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Happy Growing!
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hummingbird3172
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 22 May 2007
Posts: 269
Location: Zone 9b Saint Cloud, FL
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| Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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teddybear, it is going to be excellent!!!
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~Anna
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zuzu's petals
Silly Old Bat
Joined: 19 Oct 2006
Posts: 2571
Location: Coastal N.Carolina ~zone 8~ (Map)
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| Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 1:59 am Post subject: |
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Woo!!!  These are some great ideas,
I can't wait to see what you create!!
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I put a lot of myself into my garden.
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