One of our favorite activities in the heat of the summer is spending time at the creek. We find tadpoles, minnows and rocks, and cool off in the cool, spring-fed water. This year I donned my awesome Icebug Eli sneakers (that double as water shoes), gathered up my kids, dog and our creekin’ supplies (nets, sunscreen and garden basket for holding treasures) and set out to find rocks for a craft project I had in mind.
We spent the morning splashing and exploring, and came home with several choice rocks. These rocks will be painted to resemble strawberries, and set out in the gardens to deter berry-loving birds.
My children are six, five and two. They enjoy a range of activities at the creek. The older two are great at catching tadpoles, swim bugs and snagging an assortment of sticks. On this particular outing, they found strawberry-shaped rocks and placed them inside my perforated garden basket. This allowed the creek water to prewash the rocks before we took them back home.
My youngest loves to find (and throw) rocks, dirt and mud and dip his chunky toes in the cool waters. He also enjoyed this outing!
Back home, and ready to craft, I looked up Jessica White’s previous post on creating art with rocks. Our publisher created a similar rock art project with her grandkids, in the form of succulents. Following their method, I first gently cleaned the rocks with soap and water and let them dry thoroughly.
Next, I set out old newspapers to protect the worksurface, and assembled acrylic paints in the colors red, green and black. A strawberry from the garden served as inspiration for our budding artists.
My two older kids went to town painting their versions of strawberries on the creek rocks.
When the rocks were painted to perfection and dry, I used a glossy sealer spray to protect each masterpiece. My kids are so proud to add these little pieces of art to their garden bed!
Jackie Baird Richardson is an interior designer, editor at The WON and avid junker. Watch for her design tips and occasional crafting ideas, bringing the outdoors indoors. View all posts by Jackie Richardson
