Are you ready to Get Creative with The Lorax? When we were asked to come up with a DIY project in support of Universal Pictures’ DR. SEUSS’ THE LORAX we had no shortage of ideas. This story is filled with fun characters, beautiful imagery and a powerful environmental message. At the end of the story the Lorax leaves you with a single word carved in stone. UNLESS. Since it’s time to get green in the garden, at least in Texas & California, we are here to show you how to make an UNLESS garden stone. Of course you don’t have to do UNLESS but Lorax fans will love the inside reference. Doesn’t every garden need a little Seuss? And if a little Seuss isn’t enough for you, be sure to catch The Lorax in theaters on March 2.
It’s time to make an UNLESS Garden Stone. Are you ready?
Pick up some cement. Since I didn’t want a giant bag, this little 10lb box from Michael’s was perfect or have some delivered to your door.
I measured out 2.5lb on my handy food scale
Add one cup water. Just enough to moisten all of the cement. No more.
Stir until no cement is left dry.
Prepare your mold. If you are using something inflexible like these mini loaf pans, coat them with oil or Pam. If you are using a flexible plastic mold or milk carton or such, you shouldn’t need to do so.
Add cement to pans and smooth top. Tap mold on hard surface to level and release trapped air, if possible.
If you are going to add tiles to your stone, now is the time to do so.
If you are just going to do the stamped “engraved” letters, set a timer for 30 minutes.
Maybe use this time to clean your tools. Clean cement outside so you don’t destroy your plumbing.
If you want your stone to look like ours, pick up these Stepping Stone Stamps
Take a peek at your cement. If water is accumulating on top, dab it dry with a paper towel.
At about 30 minutes, scratch the surface with a toothpick, if it makes a “dry” mark, you are ready. If not, wait about 10-15 more minutes. I did one stone at 30 minutes and one at 40 minutes and the 40 minute stone held its letter shapes better.
Stamp your letters. You can make small lines to use as guides, to stamp on a straight line or to find your center. Start with the center letters and work your way out to the edge.
Am I a nerd for thinking this is awesome? yes.
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keep stamping. If you mess up, you should be able to smooth out the surface and restamp. At 30 minutes, I was able to do so.
LOVE! But see how the little piece of the “E” broke?
Try to fix that with a toothpick.
Worked pretty well!
Now smooth any unwanted marks or guidelines with a clean dry fingertip.
And that’s it! Let it dry undisturbed for 24 hours.
But now you have all that cement, why not make more?
Are you excited about cement? How about The Lorax? If you want more Lorax, follow The Lorax on Facebook.
Still need more? Watch the movie trailer. Adorable!
Still craving even more Lorax? Visit the rest of the stops on the Get Creative with The Lorax tour:
Today’s Creative Blog Temporary Tattoos
Katydid and Kid Puppet & Puppet Theater using recycled materials
zakka life Truffula Tree Pencils
Smashed Peas & Carrots The Lorax Game [using all the body parts from The Lorax]
WhiMSy love Pom-Pom Pillow with Lorax Mustache
Little Birdie Secrets Garden Planter
Art Projects For Kids Yarn Pom Pom’s on Twigs (Truffula Trees)
Dabbled Stenciled T-Shirt
TonyaStaab.com Lorax-themed Party Table (tomorrow)
This post is brought to you by Universal Pictures
Posted By Jacinda |12 Comments
12 comments
I’m kinda in love with this
And I can’t wait to see the show!
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I love playing with cement from stones to pots for plants. this past fall i helped my grandkids make stepping stones and a couple of pots that they decorated with small stone and gems. We have let them sit outside to weather so that they can plant them this summer. Keep up the great job of stoning,. I enjoy seeing what everyone comes up with.
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Love this! These would be super fun ways to label plants in the garden! Can’t wait to try!
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What a brilliant idea. I plan on doing a lot of work in our garden this Spring. The kids will love making some of these.
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I am reading through the book “Edible Front Yard” by Ivette Soler and this would be PERFECT in my front yard garden!! (http://www.amazon.com/Edible-Front-Yard-Grow-More-Beautiful/dp/1604691999/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329227996&sr=8-1)
Can’t wait to plant my garden and then make it awesome with your “rock” idea!!
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Jaime Reply:
February 14th, 2012 at 12:02 pm
Ivette is so awesome! She told us how to plant a lettuce lawn instead of grass. So glad you are enjoying her book!
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SUCH an awesome idea!
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This is one of the best DIY gardening projects I’ve ever seen! I always love cement stones but thought they would be too difficult to make myself. I think my backyard needs a bunch of these strategically hidden in every nook and cranny.
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I’m a bridge engineer, so I’m always excited about concrete – precast, prestressed, reinforced and otherwise. In other news, the building material that you made those garden doodads out of is concrete, not cement (actually it was probably technically mortar, which is cement and small aggregate, whereas concrete also includes large aggregate). Cement is the binding agent used to create concrete. Once you add other stuff like that aggregate and water, it becomes something else entirely. It would be like calling cotton thread cotton – it’s made of cotton, but it is not cotton anymore.
Sorry to be all annoying and technical, but if I weren’t then I wouldn’t be an engineer (ha! technical – see what I did there?). Seriously, though, that concrete/cement thing, that’s a big deal for us civil engineer types.
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Jacinda Reply:
February 24th, 2012 at 5:44 am
Not annoying at all. SO interesting…. and I live with an engineer so I’m accustomed to being corrected. HA!
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Love it! There is so much potential in this project. I especially love the stamps! Thanks for sharing.
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Cement production is actually one of highest greenhouse-gas emitting industries we have today. The CO2 production of cement factories is pretty astounding. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/co2_human.html I know that data is from 2006, but things haven’t change THAT much in the cement industry in the last 6 year. I don’t want to be a grinch, and I know you’re only making a couple garden stones at a time, but every little step in the right direction counts… Is there another material you could use?
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