insideKENT Magazine Issue 53 - August 2016 | Page 19

summer CRAFTS

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

THESE LONG, SLOW, ENDLESS DAYS OF SUMMER… THEY’RE WONDERFUL, AREN’T THEY? THERE
IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BETTER THAN HAVING SOME EXTRA DAYLIGHT IN WHICH TO GET
STUFF DONE – AND IF THAT STUFF HAPPENS TO BE SOME FABULOUS ARTS AND CRAFTS,
SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF, PERHAPS, OR SOMETHING TO GIVE AS A GIFT (WHY NOT START
NOW AND GET ALL YOUR CHRISTMAS (SORRY!) PRESENTS SORTED IN A HOMEMADE KIND OF
WAY?), THEN ALL THE BETTER. GETTING ARTY AND CRAFTY KEEPS YOUR BRAIN IN TIP-TOP
SHAPE, SO THERE’S A RATHER LOVELY BONUS FOR YOU TOO.

Take a look at some of our fun ideas for whiling away your spare time this summer.

Painted Pebbles
If you’ve been to the coast this summer (and if not, why not?) then you’ve
probably come home with piles of pebbles in your pockets. They just sort
of accumulate, especially when the kiddies are involved. This is your chance
to put them to good, fun use. And when they’re done they make lovely
garden ornaments, and can be a cute reminder of your day at the beach.

What you do:
• Wash the pebbles to get all the gritty bits of sand off, then dry
them completely.
• Choose your base colour and paint your first pebble all over. It shouldn’t
need more than one coat.
• When that has dried, it’s time to paint your design over the pebble. Do
whatever you like, whether that’s a jazzy pattern or perhaps a coastal
scene – it’s totally up to you.
• Once everything has dried this time, paint on a coat of outdoor sealer
so that your painted pebbles are weather-proof. Then pop them out in
the garden!

What you will need:
• Patio paint (any colour(s) you like)
• Pebbles (the smoother and rounder the better)
• Paintbrush
• Outdoor sealer

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