I enjoy decorating stones and pebbles

My DD does them and uses an outdoor varnish so we can put them in the garden. I think it’s Ronseal. It is white but dries smoothly and really works. We have one with a lovely poem on it.

Whenever we go on holiday to a coastal area in the U.K. we take a box of acrylic paints and do stone painting as a wet weather activity. We’ve amassed a few over the years from children and grandchildren. Some we leave at the cottage we’ve rented . You do have to varnish them to keep them outdoors.

I read the other day that removing pebbles from beaches is illegal.
I meant to check it but haven't yet!
What a terrible loss to little people (and adults like us)!

Large scale removal of beach material is illegal I’m sure, but the police aren’t going to be beating your door down for a couple of painted stones.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202406/medium-156706-img-0875.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202406/medium-171979-img-1165.jpeg

You are tight notspaghitti it has always been illegal to remove stones from the beach but I don’t think we are going to get swooped upon 🤣and we often have a tractor removing them from our main piece of beach so I m helping

The second picture is not me painting on them but just using the natural outlines of the patterns on the pebble to make a picture ( that I see)

I love all of these. So beautiful! There is a little girl in my neighborhood that paints stones with cheery messages on them for people to find encouragement. I was just thinking of starting this yesterday. Acrylic and Ronseal varnish - I will give it a try. There is also a painted stone "snake" in our village park where each person adds their own painted stone to the snake and now it's about 5 ft long.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202406/medium-570732-merlin1.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202406/medium-750839-merlin2.jpg

Another great artistic activity you can do with GC is polymer clay. When my children were small, we would set up a craft table outside and get to work with clay. Every child nearby would come visit to make their own creations. The girls especially liked to make beads and necklaces. You bake it at low temperature in your oven to harden it and the colors are very nice. 3 years old to adult it is really fun and can keep the little ones busy for hours. This is an example of one that my DS made when he was eight years old. It sits on a shelf in my bedroom. I think it is Merlin holding the world in his hands. Now, my DS is in his 30s and has just recently been diagnosed with incurable brain cancer. He was overjoyed when he saw Merlin. He said, "Mom, I think I made this!"

Oh my. After 27 years I am embarrassed by Merlin's appearance so I gave him a bubble bath to make him more presentable.

vegansrock

Large scale removal of beach material is illegal I’m sure, but the police aren’t going to be beating your door down for a couple of painted stones.

www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/c1wwgd6825qo.amp

But they can if they want to.
😕

I always understood that taking tractor loads was illegal but a few pebbles or a shell!!!

What a talented lot you all are!
I love the little cottages BlueBelle has painted.
Next time I'm at the seaside I will pick up a stone or two and have a go.
I'm hope they wont throw me in prison for stealing!

Macadia I am so sorry about your son. What a dreadful shock for you all. Merlin looks good

We bought these paperweights some years ago in Greece.
I am utterly useless at any sort of drawing/painting, so would never attempt any such thing myself - how lovely if you can, though.

Macadia Merlin is one to treasure for sure xx

Thank you Doodle. Thank you V3ra. 💕

My memory is not very good these days but I just remembered that my son wanted to paint rocks for the "snake" and I bought him paints for this. This week, we will paint rocks. Together.