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Make Mosaic Step Stones

© Barbara M. Martin

Please note: Thank you for visiting my Cottage Garden topic and reading my columns, published here from February 1997 through spring 2003! This Cottage Garden column was written by Barbara M. Martin and is Copyrighted, including any photos, by Barbara M. Martin. It may not be altered or copied or published elsewhere in whole or in part without specific permission from the author. I regret I am no longer actively editing or contributing to this suite101.com topic as of mid-2003. Happy Gardening!

Making your own mosaic step stones is a great way to customize and personalize your garden, add some accenting yard art and have a good time, too. Tacky or tasteful, it's up to you. Best of all, you don't have to be "an artist" to get great results.

It's a fun project for an afternoon -- this do it yourself project is so simple that eight year old children can manage it (with adult supervision). That means any adult should be able to do this with a little concentration. If I can do this without getting hurt, so can you!

The general idea here is to glue your mosaic design onto an ordinary concrete step stone, then apply mortar mix to fill in the gaps between the decorative pieces, then polish away any excess mortar with newspaper, paper towels or rags. That's it.

You'll need: an ordinary premade concrete step stone, mortar mix, and a two part epoxy labeled for gluing glass, concrete, and metal. You will also need some mosaic pieces for your design.

Additional miscellaneous must-have's: small containers to mix glue and mortar, popsicle sticks to apply glue with, stirrer for the mortar, a cheap or worn out bristled paint brush for applying mortar (the brush will be ruined), rags and paper towels to polish with. Rubber gloves might be a good idea. Note: we consider this an outdoor project.

The stones, mortar mix and epoxy should be available at the lumber yard, hardware store or home and garden center. You may find mosaic tiles there as well, but you might want to look for some "original" mosaic pieces, too. (See below!)

Start with a plain ordinary concrete step stone in the size and shape you want. You could make your own, or they cost a dollar or two apiece at the lumber yard or home and garden center. We used round ones, but any shape will do. Make sure your stones are clean and dry.

The copyright of the article Make Mosaic Step Stones in Cottage Garden is owned by Barbara M. Martin. Permission to republish Make Mosaic Step Stones in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.