Family Stepping Stones

16 years ago

Hi everyone! I was given boxes and boxes of stained glass. In one of the boxes were small pieces and chips of stained glass. So, I asked everyone in our family to make a stepping stone. It's fun to see how they're all so different. Can't wait for our 5 month old son to add to our family path with his stepping stone in a few years! (Excuse the groundcover...I need to cut it back.) We love our family path! Hope you enjoy seeing our family trail of stepping stones! Kirk

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Comments (27)

Purplemoon
16 years ago
What a great idea, and memory maker for years to come. So did Tyler make one of these too or is this a 'new' project and he's got to make his later? I love this.

hugs, Karen
kirkus
Original Author
16 years ago
Tyler's is the very bottom stone in the bottom picture. I have to say he really didn't want to do one, but he humored me! Ha! He did a nice job! Kirk
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craftylady-2006
16 years ago
Awesome family project, those are so pretty.
mylalaland
16 years ago
I am so jealous about the boxes of stained glass. This is a wonderful family project. Thanks for sharing.
princess_mimi
16 years ago
Great family project! With our five sons we would have a nice long path. Hmmmmm...maybe when we get some acreage! Thanks for sharing another inspiring window into your life!

~~Mimi
wired
16 years ago
What a neat family project and memories each time you look at them.

Are the stones purchased ones and then the glass adhered? Just wondering how they were constructed. I have some purchased stones I would like to 'dress up'.

Thanks for sharing and what a super conversation piece.
kirkus
Original Author
16 years ago
No, I had a basic mold...the glass is pushed into the wet concrete. Simple and fun! :o) Kirk
marikay
16 years ago
That is such a great idea! My four kids are getting pretty bored with summer vacation...this would make a fun project for them to do! Thanks for the idea Kirk!
scottymam
16 years ago
Newbie here,

Like all the stones, I just did the same sort of thing with my grandkids here for a visit. We went to the dollar store and bought some treasures, to push into our "concreek" (per Hunter) Hunters has army men mired in the stone, but the others all choose stones and seashells. We had fun, and they all have a treasure to take home for Momma's birthday gifts.
Pop gets to keep Hunters Army Men!

Now if I could just figure out how to post pictures I could share some of our treasures.

Ellie (granny)
nanatink
16 years ago
HOw neat Kirk!
I have to ask... how thick do the stones have to be to avoid cracking apart when stepped on? I've wanted to try my hand at this, but never know the answer to that question.
goldenpond
16 years ago
I have been trying to get my family to do this for me but with no luck.I did have my 79 year old dad over and got him to make a frog and mosaic it.
I told him when he dies I will get him cremated and cast his ashes into a stepping stone so he can be in the garden with me. If I ever move he can move too!
cindiloo
16 years ago
Neat! What a great family project and memory making idea! You have such cool creations and I appreciate you posting your pictures....
Bright199
16 years ago
Wonderful creations. Your whole family is soo talented!
Purplemoon
16 years ago
Nana, when I bought stepping stone molds, most of them were 1 1/2" thick and a couple were 2". They sure seem plenty sturdy for walking on. Tho my family laughs at me cause I tell them to stay off my stones, they're "decorations". LOL. All my work painting them! Actually some of the rabbit ones I stood upright against a fence, to really see the rabbits from across the yard.
I can just see Kirk's grown son humoring his dad and making one, and I bet pretending all the while he wasn't getting a kick out of it himself. LOL. Tyler needed to put an army man in his!

Karen
djscrapbooks
16 years ago
Kirk, I love this! I actually made a mold the size of our patio stones a few years ago (when the patio was started...it's still not done! LOL!!)and I was going to have the kids do their handprints for Father's Day.

Now, I think I need to kick it up a notch and actually get it done! Having had 3 kids in 3 1/2 years and having the craziest, scariest time ever with our oldest the past 6 months, I think it's time for a "you're doing this for Mom whether you like it or not" project :) Thanks for sharing! My kids will not be happy but I will! LOL!! We have tons of concrete on the way to build our pool deck, some will be used for this project :) I'll share when I finally get my kids to cooperate. Thanks again :)
kirkus
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks everyone for your nice compliments! We love our family stones. A treasure.

Nana, I agree with Karen. I measured them today and our stones are 1 1/2" thick. I have some that students made me that are 2" thick. I know fellow teachers who have made stepping stones with their classes using octagonal pizza boxes. I love that idea! We walk on ours and they have held up.

Thanks everyone! I love my GardenWeb friends! Kirk
lacensuch
16 years ago
What a wonderful family tradition. I'm sure those stepping stones will be treasured always.
ml
SEWigardnut
16 years ago
Your family did a great job on their stones. They are something to treasure forever.
nonacook
16 years ago
When I was about 10, my mother wanted to make stepping stones, so she used 2x4's to make square molds. We mixed the cement by hand in the wheelbarrow. We would make 2or 3 every Saturday,using the same molds over and over. Just set the molds on the ground, poured in the cement to the top, and used another board to level it off. The last time I looked there were still some around. but that was before hurrican Ivan, and I don't know if they washed away or not. I am 70 now, so they lasted a looong time. We didn't put anything in them to keep them from cracking.
tootiet
16 years ago
What a wonderful family tradition! You've got some talent in that family!!! Great job!
kirkus
Original Author
16 years ago
Nonacook, I really love your stories and appreciated your stepping stone story! That was special! Don't know if you'll see this post again but could you tell me the teacher stories about your parents on the Conversations side? You had once said you would share some great stories about them. Being a teacher, I would love to hear your tales!!! Oh, please. Many thanks! Kirk
kudzukween
16 years ago
What a great family project. We've been making some with two of my grandchildren. I bought a stepping stone kit just so I could have the little alphabet stamps,lol! That was a couple years ago,bought at Michaels,but they still sell the same kit( gotta love that 40% off coupon) I made some with my sisters grandchildren,we used those disposable round aluminum cake pans,sprayed with cooking spray(oil)and she set hers in the ground for people to walk on. A couple broke in half,but are still there.They came out with a nice little ruffled edge.I love all of yours,your kids must have really had a blast making them! Lucky on getting all that stained glass!
wired
16 years ago
I'm a little 'duh' when it comes concrete. I know there's that quick stuff, some with gravel and that's about it. What would be the best to use?

Thanks
kirkus
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi Wired! Great questions! I used the Quikcrete mix. I made my first stone with one of those kits from Michael's. A student gave it to me as an end of the year gift. (I love my students! Always so thoughtful!) Saved the mold (I save everything! LOL) and used it for these stones with my stained glass pieces. Here's a great link from our GardenWeb Junk friends! Hope it helps! It has some great ideas and tips! Hope you make some stepping stones! They're fun to make! :o) Kirk

Here is a link that might be useful: Stepping Stones
meadel
16 years ago
That is such a nice family craft! The memories will endure forever!
Lori
( but I still can't get over "boxes and boxes of stained glass ..given..Oh, what a dream)
arcy_gw
16 years ago
We did the same thing about six years ago. We used cut off ice-cream pales and 5 gal. buckets for molds. We bought a bag of quik-crete and we were in business. We even had all the family visitors and special friends design if not make one as they came to see our new home. Our path leads down to the garden so I get to see my children's art work every day. 8/8 or 9/9" cake pans work for molds too. We have had a blast over the years collecting molds from garage sales. Jello for years put out a mold. (I am in hot pursuit of their bunny mold, I have the rest!) The plastic potatoe chip trays at paper product store/party stores work great too. I have flowers, fish, a holiday assortment. On good days we even have collected a few Wilson cake pans. Here we have a recycle center that gives away unused laytex paints. The summer AFTER the path way summer we made all sorts of shapes and painted them up all for next to nothing. Beats those spendy store bought stepping stones any day. After five years the painted ones all still look good as new. I also have made message paving stones by using loaf pans with plastic alphabet magnets. Eventually I got some letter stamps, from a craft store.
countrygrl
16 years ago
Kirk, I love your stepping stones! I tried getting my daughter to make one, but ended up doing one with our little neighbor next door! She just doesn't appreciate my junk!

Family Stepping Stones

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