Subscriber Lisa C. has an enormous basket of stones, collected from her rocky beach in Maine – my name is on one. It is painted in a child’s handwriting. It means that I belong in this place and I love it. Lisa began this tradition a long time ago (maybe Martha Stewart recommended it) and I am going to copy her. I like the idea of having the names of friends and family piling up in a basket. The painted stones serve as enduring markers. They welcome people back. The best decorated rocks are vintage – made by kids.
Oh – the stones also serve as place cards. Perfect.
So what do you need? Stones – flat, smooth stones – big enough for names, small enough that all of your friends can fit into a basket. Now let your imagination run wild. Spray paint a rock and write a name with paint or magic marker. Add some shading, polka dots or leave it in a simple, primitive style. Finish up by spraying it with lacquer.
If you can get over your need for control – let each person paint his or her own rock. Keep a bag of unadorned rocks, with supplies, to let guests add their names to your basket.
Make some rocks for one-time guests. Here are some suggestions:
Babe
Big Cheese
Big Chief
Big Dipper
Big fish
Big kahuna
Bling
Bookmark
Bright star
BT – Big Tuna
GC – Great catch
Geezer
Goodnight
Gorgeous
Greedy Guts
HG – Honored Guest
HG from hell
Hot stuff
In-law/Outlaw
Loose cannon
Meryl Streep
Moondog
Never again
Princess, Prince
Professor
Provocateur
SS (Super star)
Star
Stud bolt
Swim to the sea
TD – Top Dog
There is no finish line
Three strikes
VVVV (Va, Va…!)
Winner/Loser
From your hardware or art supply store you’ll need:
Permanent markers that won’t run if they get wet
Metallic markers
Spray paint
Waterproof paint with small brushes for letters and drawings
Lacquer to finish
Rocks – smooth, flat – from your garden, beach or collected on exotic trips
If you do not have a rocky beach or mountain nearby, you can buy stones at: www.stonedecorative.com
