gifting with rocks

Here are some ideas to stretch your gift budget. Some of them may be literally in your backyard. For years I collected rocks and kept them around my home. Every trip I made to the beach, I would bring back agates and other interesting stones. With the economy the way it is, here are some ideas that are inexpensive or free.

Finding Stones

You can find stones anywhere. If you live near a river or stream, look along the banks. Ever year the water will deposit fresh material. Sometimes you can find agates in gravel piles. They usually are the cloudy kind, but sometimes there are pretty ones. Look for the stones with unusual shape or color. I once found a piece of Radiolarian Chert while sorting through river rocks. Sometimes there are pieces of Jasper with the river gravel. Plan to spend an afternoon looking and be picky. It’s easy to collect a bunch of rocks, but remember you’ll need to haul them back home.

Remember to stay safe when you’re rock hunting. Stay away from rivers and streams during the flood season. It’s better to wait until the water is lower. Don’t go onto some one’s property without permission. If a gravel pile is in a construction site, it’s probably off limits. The stones will need to be washed before using. I recommend soaking them in a 10:1 bleach water solution overnight.

You can display the stones and gift them using an old glass jar. Small pickle jars and gravy jars work best. Use the lid to keep the stones inside or make a decorative cover out of scraps of cloth. The jar can be filled with water. This enhances the color of the stones.

How to Paint Rocks

The most obvious gift to make with a rock is to paint it. You can actually take care of most of your Christmas gift list this way and spend very little money. All that you need to make these gifts is a rock ( I recommend a smooth flat one for beginners), some acrylic craft paint, at least one small paint brush, and an area to work in. I recommend acrylic paint because it is waterproof and dries quickly. You can use oil paint, but it will take some time for the project to dry, not to mention that oil paint stinks. If you use watercolor paints or tempera, expect your masterpiece to be temporary.

I suggest putting down a layer of Gesso or white paint first. Most rocks are a dark color and may obscure the colors. If you’re an artist, great! You're ready to have a go at this miniature canvas. But if you think you’re artistically challenged, why not pick a simple design to start with. One of my favorites is a sunset. It doesn’t need to be fancy; there may not be enough room for details. Stars, silhouettes, and hands are simple enough. One technique that I’ve used with painting rocks is to use a base coat and then paint over it with a lighter color. I don’t completely cover the base coat. I add successive coats until I feel the design is finished. At that point I let the paint cure for 24 hours and then apply a clear acrylic finish to protect it. Three coats should be enough, but if your planning to put the painted rock outside, I recommend 7 coats. Make sure the paint is dry before you gift wrap it.

A Challenge to Rock Painting

For a more interesting work of art, chose a rock that has an uneven surface. The natural surface of the rock can be used to enhance the picture placed on it. Pock marks and holes can actually compliment the design. In fact, they may even give the picture an organic quality, as if it was always part of the rock. There may be suggestions of objects on the rock’s surface. Look for simple designs, like mountains, to start out with. If you find a rock that vaguely looks like a face; put some paint on it and bring out the picture. Sometimes there are other shapes like bugs and flowers. It's like looking for pictures in clouds; anything could be there if you let your imagination loose.

Agates

These stones have been used as ornaments for centuries. They are fairly common and come in a variety of colors. Agates are a type of Chalcedony which is a silicate mineral. The official chemical formula is SiO2 but there are usually chemical impurities which cause the color variations in the stones. Agates form when silica is deposited in a cavity or fissure in a rock. They usually form in volcanic rock. Where I live, there has been volcanic activity for millions of years, my home is at the base of a set of hills created by a volcanic event that flooded the Pacific Norwest several million years ago. The rock consists of Basalt and is typically known as a hard rock that erodes slowly. The results are the tall cliffs of the Columbia River gorge and the falls on the Willamette River. In certain conditions, Vesicular Basalt forms, it resembles Swiss cheese. Agates can form in the vesicles and will take on that shape. I’ve found the best ones on the coast where the ocean pounds away at these rocks, loosening up agates and depositing them on the beach. There are always agates in the tidel area. They are usually light brown and translucent.

I prefer to use the agates in their natural state, but they can be polished. The tiny ones work best for craft projects. They can be glued to anything and will stay on the project. I recommend a craft glue because it is thicker than standard glue. Wooden surfaces take the glue best, metal or fabric may need priming. I don’t recommend a glue gun because the stone will just pop off when the glue cools