How To Make A Stepping Stone For Your Garden
In this video, we will learn how to make a stepping stone for your garden.
The shimmering colors will brighten any garden.
I think this craft is especially popular because it uses the natural sunlight to make it so much more than it is.
It’s not just a clay-like substance with pretty rocks glued to the top.
No, it’s a work of art when the sun shines on it.
Kind of like stained glass windows.
The crafter in this video is using plaster of Paris instead of concrete.
It is easy to work with and nontoxic to children.
Speaking of children, go grab a kid to help you with this.
They will have fun and be proud of their masterpiece.
Supplies Needed
12″ Round mold, easy release
Yellow acrylic paint
Contact paper
Vaseline or another brand of petroleum jelly
Marbles, sea glass, tiles, glass beads, etc.
Large bucket and cup
Plaster of Paris (and water)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Set the cake pan down on the contact paper and trace the bottom. Cut out the circle. Set aside.
Step 2: Using the petroleum jelly, grease the inside of the cake pan. You really only have to grease the side because the contact paper will be on the bottom. This will make it easy to get our finished masterpiece out of the pan.
Step 3: Peel the paper off the contact paper and lay it down in the bottom of the pan, STICKY side up.
Step 4: Now is the time to get creative. Actually, just putting everything in without a particular design will still make a pretty finished project. (Can you tell I’m not very creative? 🙂 )
Step 5: Mix the plaster of Paris using 1 part water and 2 parts powdered plaster. While pouring the powder into the water, use your fingers to break up any lumps. Then, while mixing, try not to get it too bubbly. Keep stirring until it has the consistency of yogurt.
Step 6: Once it is well mixed, add the acrylic paint. This ensures that if it gets chipped, the color remains the same.
Step 7: Pour plaster into the cake pan, being careful to fill in around the design. We don’t want air bubbles. Tap and shake the pan to make sure the plaster settles in correctly. Take your time with this step.
Step 8: Let dry for 1 to 2 hours.
Step 9: Carefully turn it over and lift off the pan. Remove the contact paper to see your design. Some of your designs will be covered with plaster. That’s okay. It hasn’t dried completely yet, so you can take a putty knife or something like that and gently scrape the plaster off of the stones. Use a wet sponge to clean it up.
Step 10: Let it fully set for a few days. To protect it from the outdoor weather, add a coat of resin or clear polyurethane.
Delightful and whimsical, isn’t it?
It may seem a little tricky in some of the instructions, but just follow along in the video and it will be okay.
Just remember to do the design before mixing the plaster so it won’t dry on you.
Also, take your time when pouring the plaster into the pan.
This will help prevent air bubbles from forming holes.
She showed you what happened when she let the plaster dry some before using it.
You can see some air bubbles in it.
But the second one did not have any and looked beautiful.
Otherwise, this was very easy.
You can use any color of paint to add to the plaster. (I’m thinking a light purple.)
When you use different colors, just remember that it changes how the glass marbles and stones look.
Use your creativeness!
