A Concrete Obsession

[Lynx (In a world where you can be anything, be kind.)]

I recently have decided I want to play with concrete, so I got some supplies and got to work. My kids’ marching band participated in a local university band day where they spent the day with their marching band and got to perform a song with them at half time. My kids’ band teacher/director is an alum of the university marching band, so I downloaded a photo of our HS band and made it into this commemorative coaster.

(Image and band name blurred for safety.)

Then, I got to thinking about other things I could make with concrete, and as @aimr can confirm, I went down an Etsy rabbit hole.

I did not even know molds to make concrete decorations was a thing, but it is, and I had to have some!

So I ordered this bird and a couple gnomes from an Etsy shop based in Germany! Shipping was surprisingly quick!

As you can see, the mold worked! I need to fill it better and get air bubbles out more, but my first try was a success! I’ll have to paint her!

[mellybelly81 (Mel (she/her) 🇭🇲)]

This looks really cool. Are they the same as moulds that you would use with plaster or do they need to be different because of the concrete?

[Lynx (In a world where you can be anything, be kind.)]

I believe they are like the ones for plaster. I just used the concrete stuff you get for stepping stones because that is what I had on hand.

[TheMistressT (Tara - she/her)]

What cool projects! I’m looking forward to seeing where this concrete path leads you. I hope the band had fun with their special performance, too.

I’ve been researching cement stuff a little here and there over the last few months considering changing the look of some as yet unfound decorative pieces. I may pick your brain a bit later even though cement and concrete aren’t exactly the same.

[bethntim (Beth)]

Your garden is going to be full of new lovely concrete goodies! The bird is precious!

[Lynx (In a world where you can be anything, be kind.)]

I painted a coat of blue acrylic on my bird and tried one of my gnomes! (Gnomes will get their own post eventually.) It has less air bubbles and shows good detail.

[Lynx (In a world where you can be anything, be kind.)]

Here’s the first gnome in stepping stone (what I am calling concrete) mix vs the other gnome in plaster of paris.

I’m working on a second mold of the bird now in plaster.

[bethntim (Beth)]

Do you have a preference of concrete/cement/plaster of Paris? Any one easier to unfold or set? I’m so curious!

[Lynx (In a world where you can be anything, be kind.)]

So far I’m liking plaster of paris the best. It sets really quickly and unmolds pretty easily, too. However, my first try with the bird in PoP the wing broke, so I am trying again and I am going to have it set a little longer. I read that you can unmold with PoP within an hour or two, then it just needs to set for 24 hours to completely dry. I am going to let the bird set several hours at least to see if I can get it out without breaking. The PoP seems to set better without air bubbles, too, but again, I’ve only tried a few times with each as of now.

[Lynx (In a world where you can be anything, be kind.)]

Birdies! I’ll see if I can add a lil PoP on the broken wing, but the next one is good!