If you use a styrofoam base (and there are some nice ones, different shapes now in stores)..you have to use special glue for styrofoam (this is like extra thick Elmer's) It is not quick to set, so you have to hold it, prop it, or something for at least 15-30 minutes (the heavier the longer)

For the slabs on wood I use E6000 Clear. (not the epoxy type)
http://www.eclecticproducts.com/e6000.htm

If you want an exciting thing...there is a coating resin, which I am investigating myself, called Envirotex Lite.
This will shine up and make rocks look spectacular.
They use this in bars and restaurants to coat table tops... but the rock guy I know coats his large pieces with it...
http://www.sculpt.com/technotes/Envirotex_tech.htm
It is spectacular--- really! So I am planning on getting this soon. Maybe will take on vacation, since temp is important, and it is too cold here now even indoors for it.
You could glue down your leaves...to any clean surface and pour the Envirotex over it and make a "painting" or plate or whatever... Believe me the final result is fab..and it does not yellow.

Here is another site with ideas...
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/enpr.html
you can do an infinite number of ideas with this stuff!

Someday I want a MrsD original!

I updated my "power shelf" collection, today, with some new Ebay treasures, so I took some pics:

#1 is the whole shelf --it is above my monitor.

#2 is the left side close up:
I started with the large purple fluorite on the right when I was a teen, this was from a museum shop. The large quartz to the left I bought on my honeymoon from a uranium mine gift shop in WaWa Canada. Most of the things are inexpensive (we don't have mega bucks to spend on things like this). I collected spheres just because I like that shape. Those in the far left back are not stone.
I put them there just for "texture".

#3-- has my new crystal ball that I experimented with, and a wolf print sculpture I made on vacation several years ago, from the casts I took made by the wolf clan that lived on our other island. I'd go over there in a boat after a rain, and see if there were good tracks. If so I made casts of them, then reversed the cast with a new casting to get the negative effect. It is made out of plaster and found objects from the shore. The other things are gifts, and collected items from over the years.
The large pyrite was just given to me yesterday, from a nice guy I met on Ebay! The black crow's skull I just got for my birthday last November. It is the most expensive item on the shelf. It is a true to scale sculpture made by a guy in Utah who makes all kinds of skulls out of precious stone. This one is obsidian from Mexico.

This shelf has become much nicer since my forays to EBAY! LOL

I'm a sphere lover too. I just love rocks period. I've got a huge chunk of amythyst on my dresser, a large "fortune-teller" crystal ball upstairs. They are just scattered around. Yours are so much prettier because of the grouping you've done. Makes a person want to stand in one spot forever and just look. Thanks for sharing.

Billye

Here is a work in progress... it is taking a long time to do...as you can see I only have one side done so far!

This is amethyst and quartz reassembled from smaller samples.

The first is a side view.
The second is a colorized by computer side view. (experimenting)
and the third shows part of the back being worked on.

I still have a long way to go on this one!

I am now thinking I'll perhaps do a painting of the sculpture...that would give
me more latitude with the image....hmmmm.

I've had to go back to Ebay several times for materials..as one thing leads to another etc. So this is making the project very LONG....so far.

Mrsd these are so cool!

"3-- has my new crystal ball that I experimented with, and a wolf print sculpture I made on vacation several years ago, from the casts I took made by the wolf clan that lived on our other island. I'd go over there in a boat after a rain, and see if there were good tracks. If so I made casts of them, then reversed the cast with a new casting to get the negative effect"
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wolfs mrsd so awesome that is one of my "to do's" before I die see and hear wolfs in the natural habitat . I collect rocks but they are just lined on my shelfs and atop my desk and comp. I went to a mine last summer in the carolinas and dug, panned for gems stones. and when I was in virginia went "creeking" and I found like 6 OR 7 perfectly heart shaped stones/rocks.. funny it was virginia Virginia is for lovers and I find hearts shaped rocks in the creek there . I also got some ruby and quarts and stuff. I have a huge peice of fools gold too. rocks are great to find and keep as most of the time they are like free tokens to remeber your adventure. love your work
Peace
BMW

My son came over yesterday with all his fancy photography equipment, etc.
He wanted to record my crystal projects. (he felt my pics were not good enough) He did side lighting, and other tricks.

So here they are redone:
The amethyst one is now finished BTW.

OMG they are gorgeous! And boy is your son a talented photographer! And the amethyst one is so beautiful.

Hmmmm ahrd to pick a fav cuz I like them all but I think the one on the far right.

I seriously think you should senter some art fairs. You would be a big hit!

These are very cool. I LOVE THEM! My favorite was the one with the circle stone (agate?)

Really cool and unusual pieces.

Good work!