River Rocks – Mommy Ramblings

Candy Corn Painted Rocks-DIY Craft Tutorial

Carolyn — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 00:24:11 +0000

It seems that rock painting is all the rage now. I certainly was ahead of my time and ahead of this craze. I love painting rocks, river rocks are my favorite. Gathering them is a fun family adventure we all look forward to.

Sometimes I know exactly what size and shape rocks I want. This is due to the fact, that I have a specific project in mind. Other times, I try to find rocks that inspire me. You might not think rocks can inspire people, but they can! I see them as a blank canvas and they speak to me…well, some of them do.

I can clearly visualize the masterpiece they can become. Sometimes it is a fish, ladybug or owl, and other times it is a heart. One of my favorite projects was making rock candy corn.

It was so much fun to find the shapes I needed. Since I wanted to make a candy corn family that represented ours, when I found the especially tall and thin triangular river rock, I literally squealed with delight. That rock clearly represented my son Michael, it was so easy to see. I asked my youngest sons, who were gathering rocks with me, and they wholeheartedly agreed. It was definitely Michael, no doubt about it.

All you need is some acrylic craft paint, paint brushes, paint markers for detail painting and ModPodge sealer. If you want you can paint your rocks white on both sides first. It will take at least 2 coats of paint to get nice coverage.

When the tri color rocks are dry, you can then add personality with the paint markers.

Use ModPodge to seal and protect your creations.

Please let me know if you try this project, I would love to hear about your results.

Make a Painted River Rock Cactus Garden-Fun Craft Idea

Carolyn — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 03:31:13 +0000

If you liked our earlier post where we made candy corn out of river rocks, you will love this new river rock project! Let me show you how easy it is to make this Rock Cactus Garden. This is a fun craft for all ages and best yet, this cactus garden will thrive even if you have two brown thumbs.

When I was gathering river rocks, I looked for shapes that resembled cactus plants. Flat oval or round shapes are best. Choose a variety of sizes. I painted the rocks on both sides with craft paint that you can find in any craft store or in the craft aisle of mass retailers. Pick a green you like and get to work. When the green paint dries you can embellish the stones with some accent painting to make them appear more realistic. Seal the rocks with a Mod Podge or similar sealer. After the sealer is dry, choose a container to showcase your cactus garden.

I used clean play sand as my base and packed it tightly in layers. When the sand reached the top, I arranged the rocks and used decorative stones to cover any sand that was showing.

The result was a beautiful, bright, non-prickly cactus garden that I placed on the ledge alongside my whirlpool tub. Now, when I am relaxing in the tub, I can look over and smile at the memory of fun summer days at the river and crafting at home.

So what do you think? If you make one, please share your results.

Our Painted River Rock Creations!!! Rock Painting Tutorial

Carolyn — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 04:15:14 +0000

If you have been reading out blog for a while you know that I love painting river rocks that we “hunt” for along the Delaware and Beaverkill Rivers. This year I also started picking up truck loads of huge river rocks for a landscaping project I am working on. More on that soon. I wanted to share some of what I have been working on so far this summer.

The Boys Have Loved Our Rock Collecting Trips!!!

Did not want to get his shirt full of paint, lol.

A few rocks I made for my daughter.

The one that started it.

Yep, it was the start of…

A Trip to find triangular rocks.

And that led to this:

They needed personality, so I gave them some!!!

He reminds me of Bozo!

This guy makes me laugh!

I have a neat project I am almost done with and will show you soon, it’s a great idea for someone who loves plants but has a brown thumb.

If you want to try this, it’s easy. Just collect your rocks, paint and seal them with Mod Podge. I just use craft paint you can find in any craft store or even Walmart. Also, for details you can use the Elmer’s Painter Pens. Share with me if you try this, I would love to see your creations!

River Rock Painting – Fun Craft Project

Carolyn — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 02:52:57 +0000

In the fall, I stopped with my family on the banks of one of the many rivers that run through the beautiful mountains where I live. I had an idea to paint some river rocks. Collecting them was great fun for the whole family. Our little guys had fun throwing and skipping them into the river too! I have had such a good time giving these smooth rocks some personality. I cannot wait for the weather to warm up so we can collect some more!

I collected a very large bucket full and when I got them home I washed them in a bucket of MelaMagic and Tough and Tender, then rinsed them and put them on brown craft paper to dry thoroughly.

When they were fully dry, I painted a base color on both sides and when dry I decided on what to transform them into. My first was my little yellow fish, followed by a couple of pink fish. After painting a few more fish, I tried my hand at a butterfly, some ladybugs, a couple of frogs and owls.

For painting the base painting and larger details I used an acrylic craft paint. I found that the Elmer’s Paint Markers are excellent for painting smaller details. When they are completely dry I sealed them with Mod Podge.

They are all so cute and look great on a desk as a paperweight, in flower pots, on windowsills, in decorative bowls or just about anywhere you want some color and character. My little guys even started painting some of their own and it was so precious. If you are looking for a great activity the whole family can get involved in, try painting river rocks.

Let me know if you try this.