oh...ok Donald... ha now I got ya. Here is the one I have been playing with. It is a giant silk flower. One side is done and the petals are really hard but look messy in my opinion. The whole piece has several leaves and three flower heads.


I love this one. I plan on making several more like it. Even though no two ever turn out the same.



This one I made for a metal window box thing I have and can hardly wait for it to hurry and cure.



Here is a shape that can be done in several sizes and stacked in each other to make a flower.

We're both playing with flower forms now Audrey. Those window box concepts are fun.

needrain said:Not exactly Audry. I was just thinking of the texture of the sponge and wondered if it could be used in lieu of something like burlap which would be flatter and not as stiff as the loofah. Then you could maybe shape it or use several sewn/attached together with twine or something to give them shapes beyond what cloth provides. Form the loofa(s) into a flower shape and then drape it over something relatively shallow over wax paper. Something that would turn loose easily. Then you could perhaps flip it over and go at from the other side. It wouldn't matter how it was cut or handled if it would serve as a substratum for the mix. Poppies or tulips might be easier than sunflowers though . I'm not doing them, so I'm just speculating based on reading these posts and looking at the photos. Those big straw filters used in swamp coolers might another means for substratum. Or cut off some sections off a roll of coir. That stuff is pretty tough but big enough to cut out some interesting shapes easily enough with just a pair of scissors.

Fascinating concepts Donald.

DavidofDeLand said:We're both playing with flower forms now Audrey. Those window box concepts are fun.

Well then...... pics please? I will post some later today.

O.k. Off Topic
I like your etsy account. Do you like etsy so far? I have an ebay account but was wondering how etsy is. Sorry if I am asking trade secret

Sure Audrey, I need to work on about 10 pieces that have been ready for paint for weeks. I get so involved in so many other things.

I do like Etsy. I've actually sold a couple of really high end items there and have only rejoined a few months ago, after skipping a year and computer issues. I sold one really rare Leopard tv lamp for 1200.00 and a set of handpainted vintage Christmas buildings for 480.00....so you can make money and their are folk out there who have bucks to spend.

The thing thats going to hold these pots back for a while is the weight, size, and shipping. I do have a lot of interest going with the pots and have a few looking who have asked questions. Remember, people will look at an item for several weeks or months before buying and their is lots of incredibly cool stuff and incredible talent competition out there, but its worth the effort and so affordable. They only charge 20 cents per item to list it for 3 months and only charge a 3.5% sellers fee on any sale... Give it a try.

No, there is not hardly any competition on hand made pots. I looked. Not compared to yours. I ship rocks and Fed Ex has defied the laws of physics in breaking the unbreakable. I wrap the things I ship so well and am baffled when I have to make a claim. I do worry about shipping these. Thanks for your thoughts and I like your flower petals. Here is a my flower stack I cant wait to paint. I wish this project did not take so long.

Audrey, that pink one just inside the sliding door that is planted is just so cool!

Thank you. I do not have a picture of that one but here is one from the same batch. It was not my intention for them to be pink, but that is how they turned out. I like to call it sunset ha ha. These I did really thin and they are crazy strong as thin as they are it is pretty cool.

Love that Audrey! You have a real eye for naturalistic and well balanced placement too. It looks like a real desert scene!

Audrey, I love the way you planted your 'Sunset' planter. I agree with David, you have a very good eye for putting containers together.

Thank you Lynn and David, here are my recent ones. Although they look fun... danger lurks. I drilled holes in these to late in the game, or my curing was too cold on first day? I do not know what happened. Outside and in are hard as steel but when I drilled my holes for drainage the insides were dust? Whaaaaa? Dust.....? Ya, dust surrounded by harder than can break outside. ?????? They are all keepable for me and should last a few years but what the hay? I lost around 8 pieces to not really knowing if they are trustworthy. Oh well. Time to buy another $9 sack lol....

Wow, that last container planting looks from out of this world!

Aren't these cool!!!
Great job Audrey and love the seascape plantings!

Very nice Audrey!!

What is that plant in the last photo Audrey? That container is amazing.

Thank you for the compliments everyone. The last picture has the plant Elkhorn (Euphorbia lactea 'Cristata' I had three huge ones that were grafted on a really ugly and spikey cactus bottom. They were starting to fall over so I cut two of them all up and gave them there own homes. It sometimes takes months for them to root on their own, but they always do, just take their sweet time.

And its a fact. Starting a miniature garden with cuttings works. It takes ten juniper cuttings to get 4 living ones for me but they last forever even the ones that don't take a grip. Cuttings look great in miniature gardens or bowl gardens and its a great way to use them while getting the look actually growing.

Great information Audrey and David.
Makes me want to make a trip to Home Depot to see what unusual succulents they might have right now.

valleylynn said:Great information Audrey and David.
Makes me want to make a trip to Home Depot to see what unusual succulents they might have right now.

Yes!!!!!! Do it. Do it I will live vicariously through you. And no, I will not remember that a new plant is only a click away on the world wide web.

Get the pitchforks village people....... I see an enabler...... get her! Click click click hmmmmm I think plant delights stuff is on sale..... dern you