Your very own garden stepping-stones are but a few easy steps away

What you’ll need

Quikrete cement or sand (topping) mix

Foil cake pans

Old bucket (for mixing cement)

Stir stick, spoon

Marbles, polished rocks, gems, beach glass, etc.

Exterior varnish (optional)

Paintbrush (optional)

   Take advantage of the sunshine and step outside for some family fun. Even young ones can help with this simple summer project.

   At my house, the whole family got involved (the dog supervised). My husband mixed up and poured the cement and my daughters and I decorated our own stones. We even had fun checking every so often (more like every five minutes) to see if the cement had cured yet.

   When the stones were ready, my girls delighted in choosing a special spot in the garden to place their stepping-stone.

   Here are a few simple steps to help you make stepping-stones for your yard or garden.

Simple stepping-stones

·        Mix the cement or sand (topping) mix according to the package directions. (The sand mix is a high-strength combination of Portland cement and sand. It works well for this project because it gives a more granular, sandy, look.) Be sure to ask for ready mix where you just have to add water.

·        Mix a small amount according to package directions.

·        Pour or scoop the mix into a foil cake pan. Fill three-quarters of the way full.

·        Gently tap the foil pan against your work surface. The vibrations will smooth the surface and air bubbles will rise to the surface.

·        When the surface is smooth, (you can use your fingers to pop any air bubbles, but be sure to wear gloves or wash your hands as this product is corrosive) make patterns in the stepping-stone using marbles, glass gems, beach glass, polished rocks and other interesting things you might have. Push these well into the mix.

·        When the design is complete. Again, gently lift and tap the pan against your work surface. This will allow the cement or sand mix to smooth out and to fill in around the marbles etc. and hold them in place.

·        Store the foil pan on a level surface in a dry place. Cement/sand mix cures. It hardens through a chemical reaction. Therefore, it does not need to be left out in the sun. If necessary, spread a sheet of waxed paper on top of the tin to prevent the mix from drying out while it cures.

·        If desired (with sand mix), use a scrub brush and a small amount of water to brush the top of the stone when it has hardened to get a more granular sandy surface.

·        When the cement/sand mix has cured (actually, my engineering husband informs me that it takes 20 years for cement to fully cure), remove the stone from the foil cake pan. Just peel the sides away and pop it out.

·        Wash any residue from the stepping-stone. If you like, maintain the wet-look by coating the stone with an exterior varnish of your choice.

·        Set the stepping-stones in a special place in your garden or yard and enjoy.

   Jennifer Roos is a freelance writer, crafter and author of Simply Seasonal: Easy Crafts for Winter, Spring, Summer & Autumn, published by Trinity Enterprise Inc.