emtnest, I wondered how it could possibly work, lugging concrete leafs around. I read GARDEN GALLERY by Little & Lewis, and they make such items out in the Seattle area. What I have been trying to get my brother to do is to sell some of his original birdhouses. He has an unlimited supply of "Katrina" wood, since he lives just outside NOLa. Every time I run across a catalog with photos of hi-dolla bird houses--and I mean something close to a grand--I send him the pics. If I had his talents and supply of materials, I think I'd be at least advertising them on eBay or at local art fairs. This year I will go to the Mobile Festival of Flowers specifically to BUY one of the birdy mansions this man from the midwest created out of old river driftwood. Not exactly JUNK, but it came out of the debris pile...does that count? And at my house, we are currently having a disagreement about this set of heavy cypress louvered doors. I have them propping up the old metal garage door on a cement block garage that has no roof structure. I rather liked the cracked weathered white paint, with a cherub on a pedastal in between the two. But a few days ago I looked outdoors and saw DH scraping them down and painting them. He wanted them to look shiny new; I said what person in their right mind would put brand new doors in such a place? They are supposed to look aged. He tries to make the yard look NEAT, and I want it to have character. Sigh....

My first piece of garden junk (or at least garden ornament) was a small cement statue of a collie that was painted in black, tan and white to look just like my own dog. I placed him beside the front steps, then decided he needed a companion and bought a cement cat for the other side of the porch. After that came a cement unicorn for the back garden. These three critters still adorn the gardens although we sold the house 10 yrs ago. The woman who lives there liked them and kept them. Because I had cemented them to underground anchors to avoid theft, I told her that if she decided to remove them it would require a sledgehammer. She replied that she liked them and had no intention of removing them. My cement pets first suggested to me that non-flower objects could bring new interest and life to a garden.

That's garden ART - not junk !!! I can't imagine the hours you spend on making up these fantastic things . ***** You must have a junk stash that is beyond belief !!!***** LOL

Years ago I sprayed faded hunter green resin chairs and a loveseat with Fusion paint. The cost was hard to swallow as it required many, many cans. Did they come out okay, yes. But certainly weren't as new looking as I had hoped. What I have had great results with however is exterior house paint. I have many white resin chairs that are now 22 years old. I clean them well and paint with a brush or foam roller. The exterior house paint repels weather and stains and in the case of the white chairs the gloss white paint I use stays shiny for years. Recently a neighbor stacked up several very badly stained and weather beat resin chairs and a round resin table on the curb destined for the landfill. I hauled them home, rolled and brushed on some Zinser 1,2,3 primer and painted the collection with a smoky olive exterior semi-gloss paint left over from another project. The chairs and table look fabulous and will weather for years before another coat of paint will be necessary. This weekend I am painting several more resin pieces for a friend in Sunflower Yellow, again exterior paint. Try it! I think you'll be pleased. At least 2 coats maybe three may be necessary but it is a great way to extend the life of the chairs, use up leftover paint and save space at the landfill.