Memories and crafts are equally created in all kinds of weather and seasons.  And preserving a unique memory using perfect stones stepping stones craft kit, created by Skullduggery, is the perfect craft that will last a lifetime.  This stepping stone will be a creative addition to any outdoor landscape, as well as serving as a reminder of that moment that is treasured in the heart.  A simple craft that is $19.99 and complete in itself.  Each customizable craft kit contains enough materials to create one stepping stone, which includes one plastic tray, sandpaper, cement mixture, paintbrush, paint, as well as black peel and stick foam stickers consisting of letters, numbers and a variety of pictures.  Additional bags of perfect cast casting material may be purchased separately if desiring to create a memory walk.

So easy to use, with the directions being clear and concise.  Although age recommendation is for ages eight and older, this craft could be modified for anyone younger with adult supervision.  My ten and eight-year-old were most interested in completing this project with my assistance.  From start to finish the length of time was about two hours, including drying time.  Arranging the foam letters were a little tricky at first considering we did not realize that the word needed to be a mirror image.  Re-reading the directions several times, as well as studying the picture provided underneath each step we were working on, clarified how we needed to set the words.  Once the letters and designs were arranged, we added water to the casting mixture and mixed by hand for several minutes.  Kneading the bag was a little hard while holding it, as some of the mixture leaked out.  Pouring the mixture into the tray was actually less messy than I realized, and after gently tapping the tray to release any air bubbles the casting stone was set to dry for over an hour. 

Once dry removing the stone from the plastic tray was simple, and surprisingly only a few foam stickers needed to be pulled out of the stone.  There is a small sandpaper square for smoothing the edges of the stone if they feel too rough.  The final step is painting, which was the most complicated part.  The paint brush the kit provides is the right size for painting small designs and letters.  However, some of the bristles will overlap outside of the design or letter causing a small amount of paint to smear onto the surface of the stone. If this happens, you can use sandpaper to gently rub it off. Wiping it causes the paint to smear more. Our stone turned out great except for the small paint smudges that are slightly near most of the letters. There are two sizes of letters and the smaller ones are by far the hardest to paint inside.

My kids really enjoyed arranging the design of the stone, mixing the casting mixture, watching it harden and finally completing this stepping stone with paint.  Even though the paint is quite tricky to work with, and a lot of self-control has to be displayed when painting, I still would recommend purchasing this craft kit.  It was a lot of fun on a rainy day to create something that focused our attention on a fond memory.  With virtually no mess and the length of time being less than two hours to complete, this is a great project to try or give away as a gift.  And perfect for anyone who enjoys doing any type of crafts in a school setting or at home.

The only improvement I would say is needed for this casting stone would be how the paint transfers onto the stone material.  We were as careful as possible and yet we still have small paint smudges around some of our designs and letters.  It would have been nice if in some way the paint mistakes could have been removed.  Although not perfect my kids were pleased with how their stepping stone turned out.

Thinking outside the box when it comes to preserving memories is a great way for that memory to last.  And using a craft kit such as perfect stones stepping stones craft kit, is just perfect!

-Product review by Pam Havens, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, August, 2018