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Mostly sunny. High 73F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Clear skies. Low 58F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.

If gardens are the wardrobe for the outside of the home, then garden art is the jewelry. One piece of jewelry you can make at home is a garden stone. Listed below are the materials needed and step by step instructions. This project should be done outdoors in warm weather when there is no threat of rain for 24 hours.

• Gloves • Glass Gems • Water for mixing

• Plastic Letter Stamps • All Purpose Sand

• Bowl of Water • Cooking Oil

• Plastic Drop Cloth • Microfiber Cloth

1. Have forms prepared: If using store bought plastic forms — lightly oil the entire inside of the form. See B. below on how to make forms.

2. Prepare the work area: Use a sturdy level table and cover it with a plastic cloth, then cover with heavy duty paper such as builder’s paper. Have a large bowl of water available with a microfiber cloth and paper towel nearby.

3. Sketch your Design: Using a marker or pencil trace the shape of your form on the paper. Place the form aside, now sketch your design in the traced form. Gather the glass gems needed for your design and lay out the gems (and/or other decorative materials) and the letters on your paper design.

4. Mix cement: Put on gloves and mask (to protect lungs from cement dust). In a sturdy plastic container (wheel barrel or 5 gallon bucket for multiple stones) mix 1 part Portland cement, 2 parts all-purpose sand, 1 part Sand/Topping Mix. Using a sturdy wooden paddle or garden trowel, thoroughly mix the dry cement and sand. Add water gradually, stirring constantly, to obtain a creamy peanut butter-like consistency. If the cement mixture is too wet, gradually add more of the cement/sand mixture to obtain the correct consistency. If the cement is too wet it will not support glass gems or lettering during the design phase.

5. Scoop out the cement: After obtaining the correct consistency, scoop out mixture into form and smooth the surface by patting with gloved hands or damp paper towels. It is VERY important that you use as much of the cement as possible — as disposal of unused cement is difficult. Have small forms or disposable plastic containers on hand to use up cement and make small stones.

6. Transfer the gems (and other materials): Gently press gems and other materials into cement so that the surface of the gems/materials are level with the surface of the cement (this ensures that your materials will remain fixed in the stone once dried). Leave some space between the gems and don’t get too close to the edge of the form. There needs to be enough cement surrounding the gem to hold it in place. If there is too much moisture rising to the top — place a paper towel over the surface and gently pat/press the paper towel to absorb the moisture without disturbing the design.

If the cement is drying too fast — wet a microfiber cloth (or paper towels) and get the surface moistened enough to ‘work’ the cement. (Worst case scenario — remove gems/material, scoop the cement out of the form, add water, stir and then replace it into the form.) There is a very delicate balance to the correct moisture level/consistency for working the cement successfully. It is better to start off a little wetter and absorb away the excess than attempting to re-moisten the cement.

7. Stamping letters: After your gems/material are in place it is time to stamp letters. If you mess up — don’t panic. Use a damp microfiber cloth or paper towel and re-flatten the area and start over. Sometimes moisture will leach into the depressed letters — if this happens, gently use a paper towel to absorb the moisture.

If the stamped letters are too wet they will collapse — so monitor your stamping for at least 15 — 20 minutes after stamping. Check your stamps while using them to ensure there is no cement residue which will interfere with a good clean imprint. Rinse or soak the stamps in between use and wash thoroughly when done.

8. Unmold: Wait 24 hours for your creation to dry, if rain is expected cover the project with plastic and secure it from blowing away (make certain it does not come into contact with the cement). Remove stone from form. No magic here, if using a plastic form with a bottom — just turn it over and press it out. If using cardboard tubing you can either wiggle it out of the cardboard (and possibly re-use form later) or using a craft knife make one slash to cut the form away. Use a coarse steel wool pad to polish the stones and smooth any rough edges.

A. Decorative Materials: Glass Gems — the simplest to use in decorating stones. Just make certain that they are 100% colored or clear glass — and DO NOT have a painted surface. (Painted surfaces will fade away or scratch off.)

Broken Porcelain or Ceramic — small pieces of broken porcelain/ceramic can be used to make fun and colorful mosaic designs.

Leaves and Natural Objects — leaves, acorns, small pine cones etc. can be used to make natural impressions in the stone. The objects should be well oiled (but not dripping) before placing in the wet cement. For leaves, ensure the side with the venation is placed downward into the cement. To obtain the full benefit of leaf venation, weigh the leaf down so that all parts of the leaf make contact with the cement. This can be achieved by placing glass gems on the stone or small tightly sealed baggies of water on the leaf (leaves). Do not let the baggies or gems come into contact with the cement. If using acorns, pine cones, etc. — only press them far enough into the cement to achieve the desired impression using the same process/technique as stamping letters.

B. Forms: This is one area where you can be creative. Plastic forms are available at craft stores or online and are fairly inexpensive. If you wish to make circular or multiple stones at a time (if you are going to the trouble of mixing cement and doing all the set-up making several stones at one time is recommended), use a post tube form. The tubes can be purchased at any building supply store in 8-inch, 10-inch, or 12-inch diameters. Slice the tubes into 1.5-inch segments (the stones do not need to be any thicker than 1.5-inch).

A heart shape can be made from a circular slice. Score the outside of the slice once with a craft knife. On the exact opposite side of the circle score the inside of the slice. Bend the part of the slice with the outside score to become the point of the heart. Next bend the part of the slice with the inside score inward. You may need to gently shape the rounded part of the heart by hand. Finally use duct tape all around the outside of the slice to hold the heart in shape.

Any shape disposable plastic container is great for making smaller stones — just remember to oil them and no deeper than 1.5-inch.

C. Working with Cement: It is very important while working with cement that you don’t allow it to dry anywhere you don’t permanently want dried cement. So routinely check your clothing and work area for any fresh cement. It can be easily flushed out of clothing if caught immediately. Clean up all wet and fresh cement from any surface ASAP. Keep a bowl of water handy to rinse off hands or tools.

Once you are done scooping the cement into the forms, the container used to mix the cement should be immediately cleaned. Using a hose and old cloth or scrub brush — wash the container. Dispose of the dirty water (which will contain some cement residue) in a safe location. DO NOT drain into any sink or anywhere that will drain into a sewer system! DO NOT drain onto grass or landscaping. I drain my gray water onto my stone patio — as any remnants of cement will only help keep things in place.

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