How to Make Garden Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones

Stepping stones are a great way to dress up your garden, but can be quite pricey. So why not spend a crafty afternoon making your own garden stepping stones? It's super fun and super easy to make - and makes for a [kwlink]great activity[/kwlink] for the whole family!

Stepping Stones - What's in a Stone?

There are many different types of garden stepping stones, from butterfly and dragonfly shapes to mosaic stained glass and hand-painted scenes. Whether you want to add them to your garden or accent a walkway in your backyard, stepping stones make cool landscape accessories. They also make great gifts - although they may be a little heavy to wrap!

Stepping Stones - Get Crafty With Concrete

What You Need:

Stepping stone concrete (you can find this concrete mixture at craft stores).
Plastic molds (you can also find these at craft stores, but if you don't want to spend the dough, just use stuff around the house like an ice cream bucket or an old pizza box).
Decorations such as paint, shells, marbles and glass beads.

What to Do:
1. Put on a pair of plastic gloves and lay out a few sheets of newspaper to cover the floor - things are about to get messy!
2. Pick which mold you'll use to make your stepping stone. If you plan to use a paper box, then line it with plastic wrap so the water from the cement won't seep through.
3. Mix the cement according to the instructions on the package and pour it in the plastic mold container. It should be at least two inches thick.
4. Depending on how you want to embellish your stepping stone, start decorating it while the cement is still soft or wait at least 24 hours for it to dry before removing it from the container.

Stepping Stones - Be a Decorating Diva

Now here's the fun part - before the cement hardens, make hand and footprints, stick on shells and glass beads or use cookie cutters to make cool shapes. You can use anything lying around your room to jazz up your stepping stones. If you're more of a painter, then wait for the cement to completely dry before you paint up a storm!