Rocks For Peace

Life can sometimes feel chaotic. I found a way to stop and relax with handmade peace rocks. This activity encourages me to tap into my artistic side while learning strategies to find peace and happiness every day.

I collect rocks where ever I go. After giving them a good washing and allowing them to dry in the sun, I paint bright and colorful peace signs on each one.

On the back of each rock, I write a happy message and then hide it out in the world to be found by someone else. To me, this spreads a little bit of happiness and cheer - You never know when someone needs a little bit of happiness in their life and hopefully finding a bright, positive rock will do just that.

Why paint rocks? Painting and crafting can be very therapeutic and painting rocks is no different. Plus, rocks are frequently free or very inexpensive and readily available. They withstand the elements (with a little clear coat) and are hard to break or damage. Why hide rocks? Hiding rocks is an anonymous way to make a person’s day. Just think of how excited a person gets when they find a penny or quarter on the sidewalk.

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical of painting rocks as a craft, but I really enjoy it! (it’s very calming)

First, you might want to join a local rock painting group. A quick Google or Facebook search of “kindness rocks” "peace rocks" "rock painting" etc. and your hometown will probably turn up something. If not, rev up the bandwagon and rock it on your own (like me).

If there is one thing any rock painting can tell you, it is that once you start rock painting you will be needing a constant supply of rocks to paint!

For those who collect rocks while out and about please make sure that you are following local laws etc. Grabbing one or two might not be a big deal, but once you start painting you don’t want to be taking too many stones away from nature.

If finding rocks in your area is difficult, you can buy rocks to paint or even make rocks to paint.

So you have your rocks. Next up is prepping them for painting! After painting many rocks I have found that the best way to do this is getting a vegetable brush and just cleaning them like potatoes under warm running water. Set on a towel to the side to dry. Make sure they dry completely before painting. This doesn’t take very long but does vary based on the size and thickness of your rocks.

Because I most certainly did read the rules for this challenge and "The only requirement is that your hobby must include a pair of scissors." Are scissors actually a part of rock painting? Well, the answer is yes!

I found a pair of old scissors in my junk drawer and decided that I needed to find a way to incorporate them into this hobby. I finally came up with a fairly neat idea! I painted my rock as usual and placed it out into the world with the scissors to be found by an unsuspecting person. Now you can't tell me that this didn't bring a smile to someone's face!

( I kinda wish that I had more old scissors laying around!)

The best part of rock painting is that it gives the artist a smaller safe space to create without feeling lost in such a large space. Learning how to paint rocks is simple and everyone can do it. Another bonus is that you don’t need a lot of materials to get started.

Whether it’s using acrylic paint or makers, painting rocks is full of fun and happiness. It’s a joy to create something simple yet beautiful with just your two hands and a fantastic way to explore your creativity without any added pressure.

From different painting techniques to drawing animals on rocks, there is so much to rock painting. Which is why I’m loving this hobby so much! You don’t have to be a mandala expert to enjoy this craft. I’m so glad that I started this new hobby. I have met so many friendly faces along the way.

It's a random act of kindness, to be honest. It's a nationwide scavenger hunt meant to promote positivity and kindness. For those of you going through hard times or simply needing a small pick-me-up, creative do-gooders are out to spread a bit of happiness through rock painting.

A sense of gratitude, or feeling thankful and appreciative of the good things in one's life, is an important social-emotional skill, and leaving these little treasures for someone else to find can really brighten up a day! It also makes me feel pretty darn good to think that I might be spreading some sunshine around.