Start With Simple Projects and Move On From There
Start simple as this is really the best way to learn any technique, hypertufa too. I’m going to assume this is all new to you. One piece of advice I can give you is don’t make the mistake of taking on a project that is obviously difficult. Start with something simple, like a small garden trough. Maybe a stepping stone.
There is an art to making hypertufa but it’s not too much more involved than making a child’s mud-pie. Having your projects turn out a success means getting the feel of the recipe requirements, and the molding, curing and unmolding steps. To say it again … start out simple. It’s just like mixing and baking a cake. Most folks don’t attempt a complicated 7-tier cake recipe without first learning the basics by making a simple sheet cake!
The materials, mixing utensils and other tools needed are easily and affordably purchased or can be made, as in the case of the peat moss sieve many tufa-makers use. You probably have many of the items you’ll need around the house right now. For instance, molds can be as simple as a cardboard box, a styrofoam cooler, a waste paper basket, any kind of plastic bowl or container… you get the idea.
You can get as intricate and fancy as you wish with a hypertufa project. I do believe that the sky’s the limit when you start to think of all the garden crafts you can make with this incredibly versatile home-made mixture.
So … ready to give hypertufa a try?
I’ve got many free craft ideas for making great unique garden art using hypertufa. I’ve even got a beginner’s recipe for those of you who might like to give it a test drive before really getting yourself involved in a more complicated project. I do hope you’ll investigate and try out a hypertufa project or two.
