We’ve been busy this week in the garden…not only taking care of what is IN the garden, but also sprucing up what is AROUND it as well!
Have you always wanted to make your own stepping stone, but wasn’t sure where to begin? Kris will share with you some of her best tips on making a stone that is not only personalized, but one which will also allow your creativity to soar!
We’d love to hear about YOUR experiences with making stepping stones! Have you made one before? What tips or suggestions do you have? What did you add to make yours special?
Perhaps you’ve never made one before, but want to give it a try! We’d love to hear your ideas on that as well!
And come back later this week when we’ll post photos of the finished stones Kris has been working on!
Tags: garden, gardening, how-to, outdoor living, stepping stones, tutorial
Been wanting to fool around with this idea for so long! Thanks a bunch.
I can do this today and I will do it today.
We made little stepping stone a couple years ago. Had no clue what concrete to use so this will help alot. Where can I send a picture to of our stones;o)
Thanks,
Elizabeth
omg this looks like a fun project too!! I need to finish up some of your other ideas and start this new one!! Thanks for sharing.
I made stepping stones with my grandchildren after returning from the beach. We used the clean plastic table protectors that go under flower pots(2/$1.00 at Dollar General) as our mold and decorated with pretty sea shells, rocks, marbles, glass and chips of colored ceramic tile gathered from our vacation. They all turned out so beautiful and each is so different.
Love your site !
Elizabeth, we’d LOVE to see your photos once you are finished up! We have a Flickr page for The DIY Dish. The link is in the right side column here. Good luck!
My mother-in-law is going through her third round with cancer. This past Mother’s Day, my sister-in-law has the idea for all of the grandkids to make stepping stones for her garden. The kids has fun dipping their hands in the cement and designing their stones. I will ask my s-i-l for pictures.
Love this. I have some sea shells ready to go. Thanks
I loved seening your camera man in the Plexi glass reflection. They got their 5 minutes of fame. I can’t wait to make these stones.
Jill, I know! Too funny, huh? That was my sweet and very supportive husband filming me with the flip camera. We got a kick out of seeing that, too.
Try using a picnic ham can for an interesting shape. If using small cans, several stones can be made and place in a circle to resemble flower petals with a round stone in the center.
I love the idea of adding pictures and trinkets.
I did this with my children’s art class. We used old frying pans and concrete. We traced the bottom of the pan on clear contact paper, and on a piece of paper. We placed the piece of paper with the circle pattern under my clear vinyl table cover and built the design on the surface of the vinyl. BTW, we have a world map on our dinning table and I covered it with clear vinyl. The vinyl surface is a great surface and easy to clean after crafts. We tried doing it on the paper pattern, but the contact paper stuck to the paper. So. we stuck the paper under the vinyl and it worked fine. Yes the contact paper would stick to the vinyl, as well, but was easily removable. Then we took the circle of contact paper and removed the backing and placed it over our creations making sure we smoothed it over each piece of mosaic. Then we gently turned it over and placed it in an old fry pan so the contact paper faced the pan, and the back of the mosaic was facing up. We put on rubber dish cloves to protect skin from the corrosive affect of fresh wet concrete. We poured concrete over the design filling the pan about 1 1/2 – 2 inches thick. Then tapped the pan to bring any air bubbles up and popped them with a bamboo skewer. Then we stuck the pan in a plastic garbage bag to cure for 2 days. Then turn it over and tap to pop it out on the ground.
We used broken stained glass, broken ceramics, polished pebbles, and fairy stones (flattened marbles used in flower decorating).
Love the idea of using laminated photos in the stepping stones! We never throw towels away (even use the old ones for rags) so I would use a Sunday newspaper for breaking up the dishes. Look forward to your results!
LOL….I have a fun Set I got that I can imprint words….and I still have NOT used it!! I need to get that out and just play!! Thanks for the inspiring video!!
The stepping stone idea is great! Appreciated the tip on a finer mix for the filling, and I never thought of adding the laminated photo. Won’t the grandkids be surprised when they come over and view my garden, and see themselves peeking back at them! I also liked your idea for your apron….so easy but practical…nice way to used an old towel.
I made some fabulous stepping stones using HUGE rhubarb leaves. Lay heavy plastic on a flat base.. lay the rhubarb leaf face down in the plastic and cover with some redi-mix concrete mixed fairly thick with water. I used some concrete colorant in the redi-mix as well to color the cement. Put a thick layer of concrete on the leaf and press into the leaf as much as possible.. I then re-inforced the concrete with some chicken wire and added more concrete on the top to a thickness of about 3 inches. tapering the edges to the shape of the rhubarb leave. Let the leaves dry for several days.. in a cool area. When the concrete is completely dry.. overturn the leaf and pull away the leaf. Voila!!! a fantastic huge stepping stone.. I used several sizes of rhubarb leaves and had quie a nice variety of stepping stones.. Also .. a plus.. muscles from mixing the concrete in a wheelbarrow.. tough work.. not for sissies.. but it is Awesome.. !!
Love the picture idea!! Can’t wait to do this project! Thanks
Wow Gillian! Rhubarb leaves? Who would have thought? I bet they’re gorgeous! I’d love to see pictures!
This is easy and cute thing to do. I had always thought that it was difficult to make. Thanks for showing me otherwise
the idea with the plates , is fantastic and cheap … I love it!
This will be my next project in the garden.
Now just waiting to see the pictures to get some ideas and get to work.
Thanks Blessings
Great video, Kris! I have a kit sitting here waiting to be made and now am motivated to do it! I think you could incorporate all sorts of collections into these – remember the old spoon handle key rings? You could use spoon handles in the cement for a wonderful effect. There are also some GREAT trinkets and charms in the jewelry-making aisles at craft stores. Also – kids’ toys that you just can’t give up like those colorful magnetic letters. Have fun – can’t wait to see the next installment!
We used square “to go” plates to make stepping stones last year at VBS. The top part with no sections was used for the stone, and then after the children decorated with handprints, mosaics, jewels, etc., we just closed it up, and sent it with them. When we got ours home, and it was dry, just tear the plate away and you’ve got a great square stone. Thanks for your great DIY ideas!
We made stepping stones a couple of summers ago when the grandgirls were visiting. We used all sorts of marbles, sea shells (Dollar Store) and broken plates. I bought some really cool molds online (historystones.com); spendy, but they last forever. We also used pie tins and the larger plastic lids. We did handprints with a letter set for their names and it is fun to see their little hands in the garden! We also put their ages next to their names. I like the mortor mix idea and using photos!! Will have to try that. I also love the rhubarb leaf idea and would love to see Gillian’s pictures! P.S. Husband did a great job on the video!
cool ideas. Stepping stones are not that big in my garden but the concept is cool
ive been wanting to make some of these. Cant wait to see the picturers.
[...] get a kit for between $15 and $25 at Michaels or another craft store. Or for follow the video on the DIY Dish to make your own and save a ton of dough (especially if you’d like to make more than [...]
How do you apply lettering to the stones? I am not good at free handing or painting.
Hi, I’m making some signs for a garden with this technique for an internship I’m doing. Just had one question: Do you put your stones/glass in right after you pour into your mold or should you wait a bit? Thanks for this video! I’m on a super tight budget and these ideas have eliminated a lot of my over-budget concerns!!
I love this idea. I am certainly going to give it a try. I am very new to doing this kind of craft but i will be game. JUST BEAUTIFUL.
i love this. i am new to this type of crafts but will certainly be trying this