Natural Stone

pretty natural white black zebra jasper pendant bead stone i8189
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US $2.99

Round Diamond Cut 310Ct Natural Earth Mined Gem Stone Bluish Purple Tanzanite
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B 61 040 carat loose gemstone gem stone Blue Topaz Baguette cut stone natural
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B1 060 carat loose gemstone gem stone Blue Topaz Round cut stone natural rock
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300 Ct Natural Rare Gem Stone Round Diamond Cut Mixed Colors Fancy Sapphire
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US $24.99

310 Ct Natural Earth Mined Gem Stone Round Diamond Cut Bluish Purple Tanzanite
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US $23.99

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Supply List:

1. Raised Plaster Stone stencil: Raised Plaster Stencils are now readily available on the internet (simply do a search for "Raised Plaster Stencil" to find all of the available sources). If you can't find just the right stone stencil design, you can make your own.

2. A bucket of joint compound (or more, depending on how large the intended wall is).

3. A small mixing bucket

4. Wide masking tape

5. A 3" wide plastic scraper

6. Darkly colored craft or wall paint in natural colors such as brown, rust and beige to pre-color the joint compound. The colors you choose will become the "base" color of your stones, with beautiful variations through out each stone.

7. Clear, Polyurethane sealer.

To create your own stencil, first decide on your stone pattern. Practice with pencil and paper until you have just the right design by creating various size stones in different patterns or simply copy a pattern from a garden book or magazine. Create a square or rectangle design since it will be the easiest to repeat over the wall.

Your stencil can be made out of just about anything that is large, flat and reasonably thick. Durable plastic sheets work the best since they will hold up to repeated use and can later be used with concrete over your existing patio to create a new stone surface..14 mil or thicker plastic does the trick and will basically last through any abuse.

Though the openings for your stones can be cut out with a sharp craft knife, a stencil burner (available at your local craft store) glides through the plastic with ease, making the cutting chore a breeze.

You can create a more temporary version of your stencil by using heavy duty poster board from your local craft or art supply store. Tip: Spray the poster board lightly with aerosol hairspray or matt spray varnish to seal the paper surface which will help prevent the moisture in the joint compound from penetrating it before you have completed your wall project. A craft knife is all you need to cut the openings out of poster board.

Transfer the design on to the stencil material and cut the openings out.

Apply wide masking tape to adjoining walls, the ceiling and baseboards to protect them from unwanted joint compound. Be sure to protect the floor with a drop cloth or plastic sheet, then apply your stencil to one upper corner of the wall and tape in to place.

Transfer 1/2 of the bucket of joint compound in to a clean mixing bucket. Squeeze about 1/4 cup of each of the three paint colors you chose in to the bucket.

Stir the joint compound only enough to "swirl" the colors in to the compound. Do not over mix. You want to see the literal variations in color.

With your scraper, apply a thin coat over all of the stencil openings. The action of smoothing the compound over the stencil automatically blends the paint colors in with the joint compound which colors each stone through out.

As you smooth on the compound, allow it to be bumpy, with dips and crevices, swirls and ridges. This will help to create very natural looking stone. Remove the stencil and allow the compound to dry before repeating your stone pattern. Turning the stencil in a different direction or flipping it over helps to vary the stones and prevent the "repeated" look.

To speed things along, we do the first repeat, skip the second, apply the third repeat and so on. To accomplish this, simply measure over the width of your stencil openings and apply the stencil at that point.

Once all of the stones have been completed and are dry, apply a coat of clear polyurethane to seal and protect. Enjoy the look of a stone wall you created yourself and hear the comments from friends and family who won't believe it!

Victoria Larsen is a professional wall stencil designer and interior specialist. Her products and ideas have been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, Womens Day, Craft Trends, Creating Keepsakes, Rubber Stampin Retailer and Memory Maker magazines and The Wall Street Journal. Victoria's website features ideas, techniques, stencils and ornamental wall molds for easy and beautiful home decorating. Visit Victoria on line at http://www.victorialarsen.com. "Decorating with Class on a Budget" Blog: http://victorialarsen.typepad.com

DIY Natural Stone Patio Install