Here’s how I made these fun garden stones:

• Head to any of our ReStore locations and look in the pots/pans area for decorative cake pans or vintage copper molds.
• Follow the directions on your package of stepping stone mix in order to use the correct cement-to-water ratio. Stir up the mix and spray the insides of your pans/molds with cooking spray-make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies!
• My box of stepping stone mix was eight pounds. I used approximately half the mix and half the recommended amount of water, and it was nearly the perfect amount for two small copper pans.
• Pour the wet concrete into your pans and tap them down on a flat surface to ensure the mix goes into all of the crevices (just like you would a cake pan full of batter). Use the stirring spoon to smooth down the top of the concrete (i.e., which will become the bottom of the stone later on).
• After the allotted cure time (mine was 24 hours), carefully turn your pans/molds over in your hands. Your stones should come out right away (that’s the secret behind the cooking spray)!
• Use a paint brush to remove excess dust from the tops/sides of your stones before painting! I like to spray paint a base color on my garden stones first.
• Once you’re done painting your stones, use a good quality waterproof topcoat on all sides of your stones before placing outside!