Let's Make A Leaf Birdbath (hypertufa)

Basic recipe-
3 1/2 gallons portland cement
2 gallons sand
2 1/2 gallons peat moss (remove large sticks)
There are many recipes for hypertufa. You can use perlite or vermiculite instead of peat. I like this heavy mix, it molds well.
Mix dry ingredients well. This can be stored in a container with a lid and used as needed.
Dump sand on a board and dampen until it will hold it's shape. Don't get it too wet. Shape it larger than your leaf making the middle higher where the water will be. If you don't want a sand edge on your birdbath (I do) cover with plastic wrap or bag.

Pick your leaf and cut stem off close but don't cut into the leaf. If you are going to put some color on your leaf have your paint, brush(foam brush is fine) and piece of cardboard handy. By putting the paint directly on the leaf it will fuse with the concrete and will not peel in the future. Now wet your hypertufa. This needs to be thick to hold it's shape. Always reserve some dry in case you need to patch later. NOW thickly paint your leaf. No neatness needed and lay it over your sand.

Now start picking up your hypertufa in double handfuls and lay on your leaf. Wear disposable gloves, of course. Start patting it into shape. Add more as needed.

I make my birdbaths thick and have no need to reinforce. If you want to reinforce use smaller handfuls of Mix, pat into shape, lay down hardware cloth or chicken wire. This doesn't have to be one piece. Then add another layer of mix and pat into shape. Along the bottom kind of roll your fingers and tuck the edges in.

Now is the time if you want to "marry" your birdbath to a pedestal you already have. These are easily found at junkyards. Find a plastic container slightly bigger than the pedestal top. Press it bottom side to the birdbath middle about as deep as the slot on the pedestal.This birdbath is a Queen Paulownia leaf done in gray and then the pedestal was sponge painted in shades of gray.

Done.

Now let your leaf sit a good 36 hours or more and turn over.

Try to grab the leaf middle where the stem was. Sometimes the leaf easily lifts but some times NOT. If it doesn't lift easily. Let it sit another day or so face up in the sun until the leaf is shriveled and the paint is dry. Then you can blast it off with your hose.

I let mine dry for a good two weeks in the sun and then I put several coats of Thompson's water seal on it. Then it's good to go. Use same method for leaves that are not birdbaths just make a shallower sand base. I make little tiny leaves for outdoor ashtrays.
This giant Mr. Moonlight is a whopping 3 feet tall but still EASILY made.

I made a pattern and drew it right on a board with a permanent marker. The I cut the pattern down by an inch and a half and traced it with marker on hardware cloth. I cut this out. Then I started puting double handfuls right on the pattern drawn on the board. I patted into shape as I went and made it half the thickness it would be. Then I laid the hardware cloth down and put the rest of the Mix on. Then I used the mix to make him lips, eye, eyebrow and heart on his face. I rolled the edges nice and neat. I took little circles of wire and embedded them here and there right into the edge. He is actually attached onto this fence so he can't be knocked over. His eye is a giant marble. He was cured for several weeks and then glassed. No glass cutting experience needed for this. All the glass was easily cut with mosaic glass cutting pliers. The pieces were glued on with silicone glue. After curing for 48 hours he was grouted with sanded grout. Now the moon always shines here! Think BIG.

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