How to Make Christmas Stepping Stones

You decorate the inside of your home for Christmas. Decorate the outside as well! Creating Christmas stepping stones can be a beautiful project that will be noticed by everyone coming to visit. Your friends and family will never believe you made them yourself. The stepping stones don't take long to make and will last for years. Since they are so easy and inexpensive, you may want to make a few extras to give away as gifts.

Things You'll Need

• Cardboard box
• Duct tape
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Concrete mix
• Bucket
• 1 inch wooden letters
• Super glue for wood
• Artificial poinsettia flowers
• Pine cones
• Pine sprigs
• Trowel
• Concrete sealer
• Paint brush
• Wire bakers rack
• Spray bottle
• Plastic wrap

Instructions

1. Get 2 cardboard boxes. There is no rule on size here, but a box that measures a square foot is fantastic. Cut the boxes down to be about 3 or 4 inches high. Tape all the sides with duct tape to make it stronger. Place the boxes on a hard surface.

2. Super glue the letters "Y," "O" and "J" to the bottom of one box. They have to go into the box backwards so when you take it out and turn it over it will spell joy. Glue the "L," "E," "O," and "N" to the other. Place something heavy on the boxes until they are good and dry.

3. Spray the inside of the boxes. Cover the letters with non-stick cooking spray. Coat the sides of the boxes and letters, too. Place a couple of pine cones and pine sprigs in the box. Lay some poinsettias face down in the box. Coat the leaves with cooking spray and place them on the boxes. Don't use too many decorations, or it will interfere with the cement holding together.

4. Mix the cement according to the manufacturer's directions. It should not be runny. Pour the cement in the boxes over the decorations until it is 2 inches thick. Use your trowel and smooth out the cement. Let dry for 2 days.

5. Take each stone out of its box. Place them on a wire baker's rack. You should have indents where the letters were. The pine cones, sprigs and flowers should be able to be seen. Spray with a light coating of water and cover with plastic wrap. Do this each day for about a week. Let it dry completely.

6. Paint on concrete sealer. You will need to do at least 2 coats to keep your stone protected. Place your stones in the desired location.

Tips & Warnings

• You should wear a dust mask when pouring the powder and mixing the concrete.

• You should wear gloves when working with concrete and concrete sealer.