Party Pebbles

Party Pebbles

Need a quick party favor, napkin holder or decoration? Start by collecting interesting rocks from the nearest park, lake or beach, or purchase a bag from a floral-supply or arts and crafts store.
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Inscribe your party pebbles with the names of guests or other inspirational messages (see helpful tips) and display them as place cards or napkin holders on the dining table. Kids will love painting the rocks and being part of the party prep. And guests will enjoy receiving their own special rock to take home and nurture!

Materials

  • Small pebbles (or rocks)
  • Flat working surface
  • Newspaper (to protect work table)
  • White spray paint (for base coat)
  • Paint: water-based, acrylic or poster (your choice of colors)
  • Brushes (flat and round, as desired)
  • Container of water (to rinse brushes)
  • Metallic paint pens
  • Paper towels or napkins (to wipe off brushes)
  • Sealer (non yellowing type with a glossy finish)


Optional
  • Practice paper (scratch paper)
  • Chalk or pencil (to draw outline of design on rock)
  • Glass bowl or vase (for display)

Instructions

step 1Choose rocks that are smooth and round or oval and large enough to fit guests' names or inspirational words.
step 2Using white spray paint, apply a base coat to each pebble. Let dry about 15 to 20 minutes.
step 3Paint completely over the base coat with your favorite color. Let dry completely.
step 4Choose the message you want to write on the rocks (i.e., the first name of your guests or inspirational words like "love," "prosperity," "courage," "energy" etc.). You can even create a party icebreaker by having guests find other guests with the same or complementary word on their rocks.
step 5If you don't have a steady hand, trace an outline of the rock on a sheet of scratch paper and practice writing or printing your message in a size that will fit properly on the rock.
step 6To write your message, choose a paint pen with a color that "pops" against your top coat, such as one in metallic gold or silver.
step 7Let dry to the touch.
step 8Apply sealer and let dry again to the touch.

Variation

Doodlers' Pebbles
(Kids' Favorite)

step 1After applying base coat and top coat (see steps 2 and 3 above), take a paint pen and just doodle. However, you might want to practice first on a sheet of scratch paper. Try placing your marker on a sheet of paper and explore what kinds of designs you can make without ever lifting your pen off the paper. (Hint: ice cream cones and flowers are easy to make in this way.) Then apply your newfound technique to your pebble.
step 2Let dry and then apply sealer.
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comments (10)
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recent comments
3/3/2011 , 
Nicole  C.
I love painting rocks!
10/14/2010 , 
Charlotte  D.
I love to paint rocks I have been doing this for a long time and they make a wonderful gift to any age group and you don't have to worry about them ever messing up and they light up a face like you would not believe.
3/27/2010 , 
Janyce  S.
This is a wonderful way to spend time with your children on two levels. First of all you can make the trip to get the pebbles into a all day trip, an afteroon or even just for the morning. Pack a picnic lunch, don't forget to bring your camera. Then make decorating them into another special way to spend with your children. You could do it for all sorts of different occasions, ie, Christmas, Valentines Day, Mother's Day, etc. Have you camera handy for this too. Both of the trip and the craft are wonderful ways to make fond memories with your children. Then with the pictures you take, you can have another project for them, putting them into scrapbooks. Also I have used these kinds of pictures in calendars I have made up for the grandparents, family and friends. So you see something like this can snowball into all sorts of activities for your family to do. (P.S. Please feel free to edit this as you see fit. But I hope you get the jist of what I am trying to say)

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