DIY Mosaic Garden Stepping Stones

mosaic
Create an inviting path through your garden with beautiful and unique DIY stepping stones. This is a simple and fun project that allows you to find a creative use for things you might otherwise throw in the trash plus find a place for a lot of the pretty odds and ends you may have saved in a drawer.

Things you need:
– Molds to Shape the Stones (You can get creative with this requirement as long as you have something big enough for someone to place at least one foot upon and fairly shallow. Plastic platters or even pizza delivery boxes can serve as molds. If you want a more unusual shape, you can purchase special molds at a craft store. Plastic molds separate more easily from concrete than metal ones.)
– Quick setting concrete mix.
– Colored stones or crystals, coins, seashells, broken pieces of either terra cotta pots or china. You can also resurrect the beading from a piece of old jewelry you no longer wear.
– Protective Gear (Always protect your hands, eyes, and respiratory system when mixing concrete. You will also want to wear your safety goggles if you plan to break anything to make mosaic decorations.)
– Sheets of plastic and/or newspaper to protect your work area as well as rags for cleaning up
– Concrete mixing tools
– Old window screens
Scissors

Things to do:
1. Measure your molds, then cut screens in the same dimensions minus one to two inches on all sides.
2. Mix the dry concrete powder with water following proportions indicated on package
3. Place molds on flat surface.
4. Spoon wet concrete into molds, leave half full
5. Place screens inside of the concrete in the molds. This will help prevent shattered paving stones.
6. Fill molds the rest of the way up with concrete.
7. Wait half an hour to give concrete time to partially set.
8. Place your crystals, keys or other mosaic pieces in the concrete. You can make geometric designs or suggest flowers, trees, stars, faces or other shapes. Remember, in summer people often walk in bare feet, so take care not to let any sharp points jut upwards.
9. Keep paving stones inside in a clean, dry location where they will be undisturbed. Wait at least 2 days before removing your paving stones from the molds.
10. Wait another 4 days before placing your paving stones outside in the garden.

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