This project is sure to be treasured by the gardeners on your holiday gift list.

Materials:
Alphabet cookie cutters
Water-based paint
Cement that contains gravel and sand
Container to mix the cement
Plastic planter tray
Trowel or small piece of wood
Colored aquarium gravel
Flat marbles
Glitter

Before you begin, plan your design. Cut a piece of paper the size of the planter pan and improvise with the aquarium stones and the marbles. If you are planning to have words on your stone, test the spacing of the letters by dipping them in the paint and stamping them onto the paper. If you don’t have alphabet cookie cutters and wish to write free hand, you should still practice the sizing. Ideas for inscriptions can be anything from “Grandma’s garden” to a simple saying like “Have a nice day”. Another idea is to use your child’s hand print and date it. This way you can make one every year as a record of you child’s growth.

Next, mix the cement according to the package directions. Pour into the planter tray and shake gently from side to side until the cement is evenly dispersed. Smooth with the trowel. Decorate as desired. Press firmly into the cement. Once the cement has settled, but is not yet hardened, you can begin imprinting the letters. This may not work right away if the cement is imprinted too early. Trowel over and keep trying until a clean imprint can be achieved. If water rises to the top of the cement, wipe it away with a paper towel. Once the letters or hand print is set, you may sprinkle it with some glitter. Let dry.