Unique Ways to Craft with Stones and Pebbles
Updated on November 13, 2018
In our family, some of the most popular crafts that we do all year are the ones we make using things we found outside in our very own backyard. Sure, our kids definitely enjoy making things with the awesome craft supplies we let them pick our at the local store, but sometimes getting creating with unconventional materials like sticks and stones is just a little extra exciting to them because it’s much different than the kinds of more traditional cut and paste crafts they’ll probably make in school on the average day. Personally, our kids have always had a penchant for collecting rocks and stones whenever they spend time playing outside and we often come outside to find our porch steps carefully lined with the pebbles they thought looked the most interesting, so we sat down recently to find some interesting stone and pebble based crafts so we can help them get creative with things they enjoy!
Just in case you think your kids would enjoy crafting with stones and pebbles as much as ours do, if not more, here are 15 of the most creative ideas, designs, and tutorials we’ve come across in our search so far.
1. Family garden rocks
If you’re going to craft with your kids all together as a family, would you rather make something that is actually quite family based and works to bring everyone together? Then we have a feeling you might really enjoy this cute family rock garden idea outlined step by step on Serenity Health. They show you how to etch, paint, pr stencil the names of each of your family members right on the surface of a series of flat stones so you can arrange them out back like garden decor.
2. Message and letter rocks
Were your kids very interested indeed in the idea of writing right on the rocks they’ve collected but you can’t help but wonder whether there might be a way for you to make the craft a little more interactive after the fact, once the customizing is all finished? Then we think perhaps you’ll have a much better time making and using these letter and message rocks outlined on The Write Start! Arrange them after the fact to leave each other cute note messages by the phone or on the porch.
3. DIY backyard rock box
Are your kids actually quite little but you’ve definitely noticed that they adore picking rocks up and playing with them when you spend time in the backyard or at the park? Then perhaps you can get very DIY with stones and pebbles for the, by building an awesome rock rock box in one corner of your yard! Two Twenty One guides you through the process of using wood to section off a part of the yard and picking smooth, rounded stones to fill it with that are ideal for playing in.
4. Lovely painted mandala stones
Perhaps it’s actually you that’s intrigued with the idea of getting crafty with rocks and stones and you’ve always been interested in and quite skilled at hand painting? Perhaps you just find the idea of painting lovely, dotted patterns very relaxing? Either way, we think you might get along very well with Colourful Crafts‘ suggestion (and pattern guide) for painting stunning mandala designs all over the surface of flat stones of your own choosing.
5. Multi-rock caterpillar
If you’re going to help your kids get crafty with stones and pebbles do you think that, in addition to painting their rocks, they’d also like to actually build something with them as well? In that case, we think perhaps this funny, wobbly, and painted caterpillar idea outlined step by step on Nellie Bellie might be a little more up your alley! we love the way they’ve painted every rock in a different colour and affixed them all at jaunty angles.
6. Painted rock and stone Tic Tac Toe game
Are the crafts that usually go over the best in your home definitely the ones that your kids are able to continue using or playing with after the crafting process is done? In that case, we have a feeling you’ll all get along very well indeed with this adorable outdoor tic-tac-toe game outlined step by step on Atta Girl Says! They show you how to use a wooden slice as a game base and painted stones as your playing pieces.
7. Painted ladybug rocks
If you’re going to paint rocks that came right from your backyard, would you actually really enjoy putting those rocks right back into your backyard when they’re all said and done? Well, if your kids have ever loved the way ladybugs look, then perhaps they’ve enjoy creating some adorable technicolour ladybugs to place in your garden like they’re running around the flowers! See how they’re hand painted on Crafts by Amanda.
8. River stone planter
Are you still thinking about how much you liked the idea of actually constructing and building things with your rocks, pebbles, and stones but you just haven’t quite seen an idea that’s kept your attention completely? Then here’s another idea for your consideration! Check out how Instructables built these fantastic river stone looking planters by covering terra cotta pots using a mosaic-like fitted technique.
9. Cute stone footprints
Are the ideas that are catching your attention the best definitely the ones made from tones and pebbles that you can use to decorate your garden, but you’d prefer to find a design that moves away from the hand painting and animal themes? Then we’d definitely suggest taking a look at how My Modern Met made these amazingly adorable little rock footprints with glued on pebble toes and placed them about their garden and porch like gnomes might have visited in the night.
10. Stacked stone garden sculpture
If you’re going to go to the trouble of building something out of stones from scratch, would you rather build yourself some kind of impressive sculpture you can show off to visitors who comes to sit in your garden on a warm summer’s day? Then we’d absolutely encourage you to take a look at how This Old House fastened larger stones together to make a stacked stone garden sculpture that stands nice and tall.
11. Vegetable stone garden markers
Are you still completely enamoured with the idea of stone painting but you’d also prefer to make the stones you dress up practical or useful in some way? Then we have a feeling you’ll quite enjoy this garden marker idea featured on Adventures In A Box, especially if you’ve got a green thumb and have been looking for fun ways to get your kids in on the process and learning how to help you out. Paint a stone like each of the things you’re planting and place it by that part of the garden so your kids can easily recognize what the different plants look like as they grow.
12. Stone photo transfers
Have you always been interested in photo transfer and etching projects but you’ve tried many different kinds before and now you’re looking for a new technique? Then we’d certainly encourage you to take a better look at how DIY n’ Crafts used varnish, fabric, and transfer medium to take the ink from a black and white printed copy of a photo onto the smooth, clean surface of a relatively flat stone.
13. Pebble necklace hangers
Are you actually so in love with the idea of using pebbles and stones in crafts and DIY that you think you’d like to incorporate them in the smaller details of your indoor decor scheme? Well, we can’t say we blame you because we actually did the same thing, but we quite enjoyed the concept of making the piece practical and something we’d actually use as well. That’s why we enjoyed this simple sticky stone wall hanger idea that Find A Way used to organize necklaces and other jewelry all over their bedroom wall.
14. Ocean stone bath mat
Speaking of stone and pebble crafts that are actually practical and fun to use, check out this awesome ocean or river stone pebble mat outlined step by step on Tattooed Martha! They show you not only how to arrange the stones and affix them but also how to fill the cracks in between with silicone so that water can’t get down in between the stones and cause mildew. This tutorial even shows you how to arrange them nice and flat so none of the stones stick up and poke your feet!
15. Hand drawn stone candle sticks
Were you a huge fan of the previous idea where we showed you how to stack stones on top of each other as a statuesque piece of garden decor but you actually live in an apartment where you don’t have a yard and you’re just not sure the piece will look quite right sitting on your balcony? Then perhaps you’d prefer this miniature version created by Galets Qui Chantent that they show you how to turn into candlesticks. We love the way they used permanent markers to individually hand draw each stone before stacking them!
Have you made other kinds of fantastic stone and pebble based crafts that you adore the look of and that you were very happy with and still use to this day, but that you don’t see here on our list? Tell us all about what you created and how you did it or link us to photos of your work in the comments section.