The Lowcountry summer heat is in full bloom, the kids are out of school and you might be out of ideas to entertain yourself and them at the same time.

Making stepping stones takes a little patience: you will have to wait around 48 hours for your stone to be dry enough to be ready for stepping, but it is definitely worth it.

Footprints, handprints, paw prints, or simple messages can be added to add life to your garden not to mention preserving summer memories.

Materials

â ' Cement mix

â ' Stirring stick

â ' Bucket for mixing the cement (try recycling an old ice cream container)

â ' A plastic plant tray, round baking pan, or other mold of your choice

â ' Measuring cup

â ' Jewels, pebbles, shells or other decorations you want to add

â ' Nonstick cooking spray

â ' Optional: Waterproof acrylic paint, if you want to paint your stone when it's finished

Project Guidelines

Mix your cement. Pour water in the bucket then add the cement mix, following the recommended measurements on the bag. Be very careful not to add too much water; the mix should not be soup-like. Next, spray the nonstick cooking spray on the mold. Then slowly pour in the mixed cement. Make sure there are no air bubbles by giving the mold a little shake. Let it sit for about 45 minutes before moving on to the next step.

Make your mark. After you have let the cement mix settle in the mold a little, press in any stones, shells, handprints, jewels, rhinestones you name it softly into the cement.

Allow to dry. It is necessary to let the stone dry for 48 hours before attempting to remove it from the mold. After waiting 48 hours, simply flip the stone over a soft surface such as grass or a beach towel, and work it out of the mold. Flip it back over to reveal your beautiful finished product.

Add any final touches. You may want to paint your stone after it has dried completely for added flair. Be sure to use waterproof acrylic paint.