CEDAR FALLS - Driving home from work recently, Dottie Dencklau found herself admiring the vibrant oranges, yellows and reds in the trees that line the roadside to her country home.

She headed to her workshop to try to duplicate those colors in the leaf castings she makes.

"After making about 40 leaf castings, I got the hang of it," said Dencklau, who began making the artistic garden pieces after seeing them at farmers market in Cedar Falls a few summers ago.

Leaf castings are made using real leaves and concrete. A mold is made of the leaf and is filled with concrete. Once dry, Dencklau paints each casting in rich colors to show the texture and beauty of each leaf. The unique pieces often are used in gardens and outdoor landscapes.

"Leaf casting has become a very fun and relaxing hobby for me," Dencklau said. "Many people don't appreciate the beauty of leaves until they see a handmade leaf casting."

Dencklau has been busy in her home workshop making leaf castings for family and friends for Christmas. She starts with a leaf that has deep veins. Rhubarb leaves are her favorite, but prairie dock, hostas and elephant ear plants also work well.

Using wet sand, Dencklau forms a mold, then lays the leaf face down on the mold. She prepares a mixture of one part Portland concrete to three parts of sandbox-quality sand.

"I have found that it works best if the concrete mixture is the consistency of a brownie batter," Dencklau explained.

The concrete mixture is then laid over the leaf and left to cure for 24 to 48 hours, sometimes longer for bigger castings. When the curing process is complete, turn over the hardened concrete and peel the leaf off the casting.

Sandpaper is used to smooth and shape the finished product, which is then painted in layers with acrylic paint. Dencklau likes to use a combination of colors, and if she isn't satisfied with her paint job, she'll start over. A protective top coat is applied to make the castings sturdy enough for outdoor decoration. Although she does recommend the pieces be brought inside for winter.

"I liked the idea of using something so common and turning it into something beautiful," Dencklau said.

Her hobby of turning backyard leaves into beautiful gifts has made her the talk among family and friends. When Joan Blanchard, Dencklau's co-worker at the Allen Ambulatory Surgery Center, found out about Dencklau's crafty hobby, she had to see them.

"I thought that the leaf castings sounded like something unique to give for Christmas gifts," Blanchard said. "I purchased one for my own shade garden, one for my daughter's butterfly garden and one for my sister's rock garden in Alabama."

"I especially like the ones made from Prairie Dock leaves," said Alice Bullers, a friend of Dencklau's who has one of Dencklau's creations in her flower bed at home. "They are fun to have in your yard. It's fun to walk around and say, 'This one is Rhubarb and this one is hosta.'"