How to Make a Texas Stained Glass Stepping Stone

Stepping stones don’t need to only be simple pieces of cement dropped in your garden or yard. They can be creative statements about yourself, things you love or places that mean something to you. A Texas stained glass stepping stone is a unique way to announce to the world that you are a fan of the Lone Star State. These also make a unique gift for a Texas gardener.

Things You'll Need

• Cement stepping stone with a smooth surface
• Pencil and paper
• Ruler
• Permanent ink marker
• Sheets of stained glass in different colors
• Paper grocery bags
• Hammer
• Shoebox or other container to hold broken glass
• Drop cloth or shower liner
• All-purpose glue
• Pre-mixed grout
• Metal trowel
• Old washcloth
• Water

Instructions

1. Select the stepping stone you want to decorate. Stepping stones in the shape of Texas can be found in gardening stores in Texas or ordered online from places like TC Stepping Stones or Keller Material, Incorporated. If you can’t find a Texas-shaped stone, any shaped stone will work.

2. Draw different patterns that represent Texas. These could incorporate the Lone Star, the shape of the state, the state flag; whatever you like. Larger shapes-like a star or the state flag-are easier to do with stained glass. Be careful not to make your first stepping stone too elaborate. A bluebonnet would be tricky to do in stained glass.

3. Use the pencil and rule to draw the pattern you chose onto the stepping stone. Once you are happy with it, go back over it with a permanent ink marker. Be careful; if your stained glass is clear, a mistake with a permanent ink marker would show through the glass. Allow the ink to dry.

4. Place one sheet of stained glass in a paper grocery bag and fold down the top of the bag. Hit the bag with the hammer to break the glass into pieces. Open the bag and check the size of the pieces. You want a variety of sizes, but nothing that is very small or extremely large. Be careful not to hit the bag so hard that you tear it. Pour the broken pieces into the shoe box or container for storage while you work with it.

5. Spread a drop cloth or shower liner to protect the area where you will be working. Place the cement stepping stone in the center of the work area with the box of broken stained glass pieces nearby. Put some of the broken glass pieces on top of the stepping stone-work with a few pieces at a time-and arrange them however you like, varying the sizes and shapes of the glass. Go back and glue the stained glass pieces to the cement stepping stone, leaving a narrow space around all the pieces of glass for the grout. Continue breaking, arranging and gluing the stained glass pieces until the stepping stone is covered, leaving a narrow space around the outer edge of the stone. Allow the glue to dry completely.

6. Use a trowel to spread the grout over the broken stained glass pieces. Be sure to get it in between and around each piece of glass and all around the edge of the stepping stone. Be liberal with the grout, as you want it to cover all the edges of the broken glass.

7. Wet the old washcloth with water and-while the grout is still wet-wipe the surface of the stained glass to remove any grout that got on top of the pieces. Do not remove the grout from between the glass pieces; it seals the edges of the broken glass. Use the wet cloth to smooth the grout around the edge of the stepping stone. Allow the grout to dry thoroughly before setting the finished stone in your garden.

Tips & Warnings

• Depending upon your pattern, you might have to work with more than one color of stained glass at a time. If this is the case, then you will need more than one shoe box or container to hold the different color glass pieces.

• Handle the stained glass carefully to avoid getting cut.

• Due to glass shards that might cling to the cloth, discard the washcloth once you are finished.

• This is not a safe craft for young children.

Resources

• Keller Material Incorporated
• TC Stepping Stones