My Stepping Stone Cottage Business

I have been working with stepping stone molds for a little over 2 years. I literally turned my garage into a cement mold factory. When I started my little project I didn?t have a clue about pouring and molding cement. The internet was a godsend as I researched and researched for good instructions and information. Ultimately my cottage industry became a nice supplement income.

I attend our local flea market each season from May through October. One of the challenges associated with creating my stepping stones was trying to figure out what was hot and what was not. I got a real wake up call, no two people wanted the same stone size, shape, or color. Well we all are different. As I progressed I figured out that personalized stones were the key to my success. Each and everyday I attended the market I packed up all my paints, brushes, glue, acrylic finish, and personalized plaques to the flea market with me. Well there you go, success. I attracted more customers by personalizing the stepping stones as they watched, plus my artistic talents attracted those walking by my stand.

Most people purchased my stepping stones to create walkways around their houses, fencing to enclose their vegetable and flower gardens, or as a decorative feature inside and around their gardens and entryways. I even made little stones using soap molds people purchased to hang on hooks.

From much trial and error I found that when purchasing stepping stone molds, there are certain features you should look for in your molds. The stone molds should be environmentally friendly, which means they are made from recycled plastic. Durability is the key when purchasing your molds because you want to have multiple pours from one mold. Make sure that you receive detailed and complete instructions with your molds. Depending on the design, it can be frustrating when your stepping stone has cracks and defects. Colorants added to your concrete mix enable you to design stones that complement the exterior of your home. Colorants come with easy to use instructions.

When thinking about starting a stepping stone business, do your homework research all aspects of your new business especially suppliers, and creating the stepping stones themselves. Be creative and most of all have fun.

Craft Stepping Stones

A World of Creativity with Craft Stepping Stones

Making craft stepping stones is an innovative and creative way of designing your garden or landscape with personalized accents. They also make great gifts and keepsakes. Craft stepping stones can be created with many designs and a lot of imagination.

Kits to make craft stepping stones are available at craft and art supply stores as well as through craft websites, but it is just as convenient and easy to buy the supplies you need to make them at home from scratch. Cheaper than buying kits, you can find molds, cement, decorations and embellishments. Everything you need to start making stepping stones.

Turn your craft stepping stone project into an activity that will bring out your child?s creativity and imagination. Under adult supervision your child can create stepping stones with their hand and foot prints as family keepsakes, either as family memorabilia or as personalized gifts given to grandparents and relatives.

You can convert everyday household items into molds. Plastic saucers, cake pans, and pie tins can be used for your craft stepping stones. Before you scoop the cement into the molds you will need to coat the molds with a layer of petroleum jelly. This helps the mold release easily. Your personalized designs and motifs will fit your decorative garden or landscape theme. Look for little knick-knacks you have laying around the house like beads and marbles. Broken and chipped dishware can be broken into smaller pieces and used to make a mosaic design on your stepping stone.

Always wear appropriate protection, especially when using cement. Wear rubber gloves, eye goggles, and breathing masks, and it is wise to wear pants and long-sleeved shirts when making craft stepping stones. When making hand or foot prints, coat the hand or foot with petroleum jelly beforehand.

Once finished, craft stepping stones need to set in the mold for 3 days, as they dry and then let them cure for a week before they are placed outside in the garden.

Stepping stones make a nice walkway or enterance to your patio or flower and vegetable gardens. To make Stepping Stones for a walkway I add a pieces of meshed wire to the cement mix, as it adds more strength to the Stepping Stones for more durabilty.

Garden Stepping Stones

Handpainted Stepping Stones

Lighted Solar Stepping Stones

Personalized Stepping Stones

Stepping Stone Molds