For those who have a need to be creative, there are times when the creative well seems to run dry. With so many artistic creations out there, how can you possibly come up with something unique? Stone creations are creative masterpieces that are inexpensive to make and an easy way to make extra money. Each one offers up a unique, one-of-a-kind conversation piece which adds a touch of beauty to any home.
The Beginning
I am a rock collector. Everywhere I go, I cart home rocks of all different shapes, sizes and color. At one point, I had at least ten boxes full of stones and no idea what to do with them. Then, after a dream, everything changed.
Upon awakening, I began building the stone creation from my dream. Using a small rectangular board, I began building with the stones, using a tacky glue to hold the stones in place. In my mind's eye, I could see the finished product. In this case, it was a cave protected by wolves. Once the cave was finished, I wood burned wolf paw prints on the top of the board around the cave. The last step was to create a short story that went with the stone creation - a type of legend which brought the stone cave creation to life. This was placed on a small laminated card to be sold with the creation. I was very pleased with the finished creation and others loved it too. I have continued to build and sell these stone creations, though I kept my first one, allowing my imagination to be my guide.
Building Stone Creations
Building stone creations is not difficult, but it can be time consuming. All it requires are a multitude of stones, varying in size, shape and color, a board to place them on, Tacky Glue, and Minwax Satin or Clear Finish water soluble polyurethane.
If you are using a board for the base of your stone creation, be sure to sand it down to avoid splinters. You might consider using a piece of marble tile also, or some other kind of tile, as some people enjoy putting the stone creations in a terrarium.
Once you have decided on your base, create a plan in your mind about what type of creation you wish to make. It could be a river scene, or a sacred cave with a magic stone, or a Mayan temple, or a meditation circle with windowed columns - your imagination is the limit.
With your idea in place, begin going through your stones, picking out the ones that will work best in your creation. Try to vary in color with your stones to give your final creation natural appeal. Understand that round rocks can be difficult to work with and flat rocks easier to work with but, with patience, both can be utilized.
Begin laying out your rocks to form the base of your creation, gluing them in place. As you begin to build up the layers, you will have to allow the glue to set up somewhat to avoid having the upper layers of stones slide from their intended positions. Continue building until your stone creation is complete.
The Base Design
After completing the building, if you are using a wooden base, you will want to give it a design of some sort. You can wood burn on it as I did or decorate it with dollhouse sized plants. Whatever you use, keep your decorations tasteful and flowing with the theme of your stone creation.
The Finishing Touch
Allow your stone creation to dry thoroughly for several days. Keep it out of the sun as the heat will soften the glue. Once it is dry, use the polyurethane and a small paint brush to coat every part of the stone creation. After the first coat dries, coat it a second time. This will give your stone creation a beautiful sheen, make it easy to dust, and hold it together even more strongly.
Making Extra Money
As many of my craft selling friends can attest, the maker often does not receive the kind of money expected from a handcrafted item. Do not let this deter you. If you feel what you have made is worth $60.00 then, by all means, put a price of $60.00 on it. You can always drop the price a bit later. Start reasonably and allow people to get to know your work.
You can market online, in local consignment shops, at flea markets, or host a stone creation viewing party. Utilize your imagination in your creations and how to sell them. Making extra money with stone creations is easy if you are willing to put your best effort into creating and marketing them.
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