How to make a DIY garden steppingstone

A Midwestern mom and grandma, it is clear DIY blogger Sue Eldred knows how to make the most of a messy situation: when things get broken, she simply picks up the pieces and reuses them. 

Below, we see a thrift shop find that didn't make it home unscathed, but luckily only five of the big red toile plates tumbled out of the box. Since red toile plates are Eldred's thing, discarding the pieces is not an option. So she steps up with a garden option. 

Yes, we're talking high-class steppingstones. 

First, gather all your pieces, it's best to use the flattest ones. Eldred relies on petroleum jelly and coats the bottom and sides of the old cake plan below.

Then place the shards, design down, and add in glass stones. If you favor a colored stone to offset the print, try that. Even some pearly stones or lace attached to the back of the shards would add a shabby-chic feel.

You will need quick-setting cement (go to Eldred's site for her help) to get the lovely creation below.

By the way, her idea can be tweaked — do you have colored glasses that are chipped or broken? Pots that are plumb tired? If the pieces are the right size, maybe you can adapt with a sheet cake-size pan and create a cement patio artwork. 

But what if classic plates aren't your thing? Well, it is for the garden, so why not go natural? eBay shows off a cement steppingstone that gets its fossil-like design from a leaf print (you might also use the hand and footprints of your kids or grandkids). Additionally, the folks at Hative suggest using unusual items like heater grates, wine corks, and old weights to create steppingstones. It all really just depends on your own personal style!

Regardless, spring is not that far away, so grab your safety gear, get busy, and make sure to SHARE if you loved this idea as much as we did!