STONE FLOWERS

Step 1 Sort through the stones and lay them in flower shapes with petals and a large round centre.

Step 2 Once you are happy with how they look, paint your stones. make the centre stone a different colour from the petal stones. Paint everything plain or add a beautiful pattern.

Step 3 Paint one side of each stone, allow to dry, then turn the stones over and paint the other side.

Step 4 Once the painted stones are dry, arrange them back into the flower shape.

Step 5 lay the chopstick or bamboo pole through the centre of the stones.

Step 6 Using a strong waterproof glue, join the stones and chopstick or bamboo pole on the edges where they meet. Glue the back of the centre stone with a thick coat of glue and press it on top of the petal stones and the chopstick or bamboo pole, making sure the glue has good contact with each stone. leave to set for as long as the glue instructions say.

Step 7 Once the glue has set, turn the stone flower over. Cut a circle out of an old ice cream container, big enough to cover the exposed edges on the back of the flower. Run a thick bead of glue around the edge of the circle and attach it to the stones, making sure there is good contact. leave to set for as long as the glue instructions say.

Step 8 Once the flower has fully set, decorate the circle to make the back of the flower look fabulous too. Try drawing a face, another flower, a bee or a butterfly or writing your name in a fancy way.

Step 9 Once the glue has set, check to make sure everything is held firmly and fill any gaps or holes with more glue and wait again. Once you are happy with the way each flower looks, take them out to the garden and push the chopsticks into the soil in a place where you can see them from a window, so on a miserable rainy day you can look out and see your cheerful stone flowers.