Stenciled Steppingstone

Materials and Tools:

round concrete steppingstones
large sheet of mylar or acetate
electric stencil cutting pen
16" x 20" piece of glass
DecoArt Patio Paint:
- antique mum
- golden honey
- sage green
- pinecone brown
- wrought iron black
- mistletoe green
- terra cotta
craft paper or paper bag
sea sponges
stencil brushes
paint palette or plate

Steps:

1. Trace the steppingstone on craft paper. Draw some random shapes like rocks to fit into the outline of the stone. This is your pattern.

2. Allow the stencil pen to heat up about 5 minutes. Place the pattern face-up on a flat work surface, and place a piece of glass over it. Secure the glass to the work surface with a few pieces of tape.

3. Place mylar shiny-side-up or acetate on top of the glass, covering the designs and allowing for at least a 1-inch border around them. Secure with a few pieces of tape. Cut out all the stone shapes.

4. Repeat this process to create a turtle stencil.

5. When your stencils are ready, place the stone stencil on the stepping stone and secure with masking tape if you wish.

6. Pour some pinecone brown, golden honey and antique mum paint on a palette or plate. Use a dampened sea sponge to randomly sponge colors onto the stencil, mixing colors on the stone areas.

7. Remove the stencil and let dry.

8. Align the turtle body stencil. Dip your stencil brush into antique mum and dab onto the stencil. Add deeper accents of black around outside edges of turtle. Remove stencil and let dry.

9. Paint turtle spots and face. Use a stencil brush to apply sprout green with highlights of cloud white on the turtle shell.