inspiration stepping stone by Cathie Filian - NOT a fail!
I often get told “Is there anything you can’t make?” Yes. There are many things I know I can not do. Quilting is one of them. I’m not careful enough to keep my cuts straight, and it’s a disaster when I’m done. I also can not make jewelry (for the most part). And apparently, I can not make stepping stones either.
I got together with a group of girls for a little crafting a few months ago. We decided to make stepping stones. We purchased a kit meant for little kids and got to work.
Mix the powder and water. Put design in. Paint when dry. We should have known that when we had to throw away the first batch of mix, it was only going to go downhill.
Since there were three of us and only one Popsicle stick to stir with, we had to use other devices. I was unfortunate enough to get a pencil to mix with. I thought it was going to be just fine to mix with a pencil. I didn’t count on the mixture having super human qualities. As you’re mixing it, it starts to dry almost immediately. There is no lag time to put in a nice drawing or put those shiny jewels they provided into the cement. You have a 60 second window max before your creation is literally in cement.
I see my friends’ stones and how quickly they dried, and I realize that I need to focus. Nothing can distract me during my 60 second window (including my crying daughter). As I start to stir in the water, I think about all the awesome things I’m going to do with my stone. I’m going to carve some stuff in it. I’m going to put jewels in. I’m going to paint the heck out of it. It’s going to be the most beautiful stone ever. I’m going to hang it in my entryway so all visitors can admire my artistic talent. I’ll probably immediately get orders to make creations for other people. It will catch on like wildfire. I’ll probably be discovered by Better Homes and Gardens and be offered a job. I’ll soon thereafter write a crafty book while touring the country. I’ll probably be invited onto Rachel Ray and have my own show on OWN.
Then I see it. Wait. Why is this looking so clumpy? Why isn’t it letting me smooth out? Oh no! The pencil won’t let me smooth out the top. I struggle to some how manipulate the pencil into a magical spatula. I am powerless to stop the stone from setting. I decide to change strategies. I’ll prioritize. First, the jewels need to go in since they need the most stickiness, then I’ll use a toothpick to carve something.
I just want to put something into this stone before it’s too late. I think to myself, I’ll carve in the names of my family and then maybe, I’ll create a stone someday when we have more family members. Yes. That is a great idea. A family memory to pass down. I’ll carve a path in the beautiful garden I’ll someday have on our dream acreage. My great grandchildren will look at my stones with appreciation and respect.
So, I get my husband’s name in. Then, I move onto my daughters. Great. Then I go to put my name in. Wait. NO! STOP DRYING!!!!!!!! Ugh. It’s completely dry. I now have a clumpy stone with my just husband and daughter’s name. Awesome.
At this point you can imagine that we’re all feeling quite defeated. I start to brain storm with my friends about what purpose a ugly clumpy stone with just my husband and daughter’s name could be used for. Thankfully someone asked if my husband’s birthday was coming up. Yes! Yes it is!
So, once we gave the stones a couple of days to dry, I presented my stone to my husband as an early birthday present. From our daughter. I wasn’t going to claim I made that ugly thing.
It sits in amongst the weeds in the garden I don’t have time to tend. Probably is a popular bathroom spot of various dogs that pass by. And the jewels won’t stay in the stupid thing.
From: Krista B
My website: http;//thedabblingcrafter.blogspot.com
Subject: Epic Stepping Stone Disaster
Link to my blog: http://thedabblingcrafter.blogspot.com/2011/09/not-everything-turns-out-pretty.html
Love it! Keep trying…lol!
I love how you detailed our experience so eloquently! LOL!
My girls came home this summer with stepping stones with their hand prints in them with their names and the year. They made them with the daycare provider. It was very sweet – but she put 2010 as the year and yep, it’s 2011. I didn’t have the heart to tell her.
Ha! You need your own show, though. :)
I like your stones. Sometimes (er, always) my craft projects don’t turn out how I expected, but yours are all cute. I love the stepping stones.. I want to have my (future) kids make stepping stones or collect rocks from vacations, and move those from house to house as we move. Do those stones/paint fade quickly outdoors?
OMG I laughed till I cryed..could hardly read through the tears. I related to your story on all levels. Loved it!!
I’ve been making these with daughter’s footprint every year. We use plain old Quickcrete, and pour it into plastic planter trays. Plenty of time to play with it before it dries. I highly recommend it!
I could not stop laughing! your awesome
Next time try thinking of the bottom of your mold as the top of your stepping stone. put the stones, beads etc in first and build the stone on top:)
Quickcrete and a plastic planter tray. Just made about 35 of them for Bible School at my church. The kids used popsicle sticks to smooth them out and carve in them. The trick is to literally drop the stones where you want them and not push or just to set them on there. They’ll either be buried or not submerged enough to stick lol Also, paint dries a shade darker on quickcrete so buy your paint with that in mind.
Laughing. So. Hard. Might. Pee!
I remember seeing these for sale at a street fair. My friend looked at them and said, “that’s the problem with placating your friends and telling them it looks great.”
I love your “tale”. I can hardly breathe now. If anything you have a knack for storytelling.
I used just plain old aluminum cake pans to make stepping stones at church, putting their handprint in the middle! We also used the Quickcrete and it worked great with plenty of time to do what we needed to!