Reuse Pie Pans For This Easy But Beautiful Garden Project

Wondering how to add unique charm to your garden without sweating it out with complex plantings or getting wrapped up in elaborate garden decorations? Brace yourself for your answer could be tucked away within your kitchen. It's none other than pie pans. Yes, those overlooked kitchen staples can steal the show in your backyard with a splash of ingenuity and barely any fuss. And just how do you pull this off? Enter an easy TikTok-inspired garden hack: crafting round garden stones on these metallic molds using quick-setting cement and a bit of cooking oil, jazzing them up with color and patterns, and then scattering them around your garden however you see fit (via TikTok).

You might be surprised to discover how undemanding this DIY is on the purse strings. For instance, If your kitchen cabinets are out of pie pans, a quick trip to your local Dollar Tree is all it takes to snatch up a Cooking Concepts tin pie pan for a cool $1.25. As for the backbone of your project (read cement or mortar), the 10-pound bag of Quickrete Mortar Mix goes for a modest $4 at Lowe's. And then, there's customizing — here, let your imagination run wild based on what your wallet is feeling up to. For example, you could slap on specially formulated paint for concrete or even Mod Podge-sealed art. A little oil ensures the garden stones pop out of the pan without a hitch, and a concrete sealant provides that protective finishing touch.

Kick off your garden project by pouring the dry concrete into a bucket. Take it slow as you add water and stir the mixture. You're aiming for a consistency that's thick yet fluid enough to flow into the nooks of your pan. Now, lightly grease the pan with cooking oil. No cooking spray or oil on hand? A bit of petroleum jelly will work in a pinch. Scoop the prepared mixture into the pan, all the way up to the brim. A quick swipe with a piece of cardboard can smooth out those surface irregularities. With a bunch of pans, you're all set to whip up a batch of stones in a single go. If limited to one pan, patience will be your virtue as you craft one stone at a time. Allow at least 12 hours for the curing.

Next up, flip the pie pans over a cardboard and let the stones gently fall out. Now comes the opportunity to let your creativity bloom — think of a splash of paint or stick-and-peel decals with your favorite designs or quotes. Before the masterpieces take center stage outdoors, show them some love with a few coats of waterproof sealant, so they brave the elements. Dixie Belle Gator Hide, of which an 8-ounce bottle will run you roughly $19 at Dixie Belle, is a good bet. Finally, scatter these homemade treasures in prominent spots in your yard or arrange them into a cool DIY garden path.

Sprucing up your garden with homemade stepping stones is a slick hack that can quickly turn messy. Then, how about spreading out a tarp or old newspapers before you start? Remember, this isn't just about saving your workbench and floors from becoming an unintentional abstract art; it's also about making the cleanup a breeze. And let's be real, wet concrete can be a bit harsh on your skin too. So, do yourself a favor and wear gloves before diving into mixing. Speaking of which, why not mix things up a bit by adding some cool texture to your stepping stones? Grab a piece of cardboard, drag it over the wet concrete, and voila, you've got yourself non-slip masterpieces you could use for various garden stepping stone ideas.

Your garden stones don't have to be bland circles. Try shaped pans (think stars, butterflies, and hearts) for that extra bit of character. You even might stumble upon some pie pans with neat designs in the middle locally, perfect for this project. Feeling a bit more adventurous? Embed some shells or colorful glass stones into the wet mortar or go for a truly personal touch by imprinting handprints, footprints, or even your furry friend's paw prints. And how about carving the date you made the stones? Even take things a notch higher by mixing in a few glow-in-the-dark stickers in the wet mortar for stepping stones that light up your yard at night like a mine galaxy.