So, I’ve always been a sucker for personalized gifts. They’re just more meaningful, ya know? My parents are about to celebrate 40 years of marriage (yep, FORTY years together!), and I knew I wanted to make something special that they could hang on their wall. Something simple but full of sentiment—kinda like them. After digging through some ideas, I remembered I had a stash of sea pebbles from a beach trip. And boom! I had this idea to make them a cute little pebble art.
It’s a super easy project, and you could enlist your kids’ help to make it. Let me walk you through it—don’t worry if you’ve never tried this sort of thing before. I hadn’t either!
What You’ll Need
- A4-sized frame (I used an IKEA Ribba, but any frame with a mat works)
- Sea pebbles (smooth ones are easier to work with)
- Hot glue gun
- Black fine-tipped marker
- Thick white paper (A4 size)
Step By Step Guide
First things first, let’s talk about picking the right pebbles. This is the part where you get to be a bit creative. The idea was to create two people sitting on a bench, hugging—something to symbolize my parents' bond. I found the best pebbles were oval-shaped ones for the bodies and round ones for the heads. For the bench, I grabbed a long, flat pebble that’s just wide enough to fit both figures comfortably. One tip here: don’t stress about finding the perfect pebble. I spent way too long overthinking it, trying to find stones that fit perfectly like a puzzle, but honestly, it looks better when it’s not too perfect. You want it to feel natural. I even used two smaller pebbles to form a heart for the balloon instead of waiting for the perfect heart-shaped stone (which is rare, let me tell you!).
Okay, this part is easy peasy. Take your frame apart and set the glass aside—you won’t need it right now. Instead of a picture, we’ll use a sheet of thick white paper as our backdrop.
Here’s something I learned the hard way—don’t use thin printer paper. I did that on my first try, and it didn't hold heavy pebbles as it should. Thicker paper (or even watercolor paper) will hold up better.
Now for the fun (and a little stressful) part: arranging the pebbles. I recommend laying out the stones first before you touch the glue gun. It’s like a puzzle—finding which stones fit where, but with no right or wrong answer. I spent a good 15 minutes trying to get the “hugging” pose just right. Don’t rush this part; it’s actually kind of fun once you get into it.
Once you’ve settled on the layout, heat up your glue gun. Start gluing the bench down first, then the bodies. Go slow, because hot glue dries fast and you don’t want your figures to look like they’re doing some awkward dance! Oh, and pro tip: don’t touch the glue right away! I thought I could fix a stone that shifted and ended up burning my finger. Ouch. And that isn't the first time...Let it set before trying to adjust anything.
Ask your kids to help. This project is a great way for them to show their grandparents that they love them.
Once your pebbles are all glued down, grab your marker and draw a string from the figures to the heart-shaped balloon above. This little detail makes the whole thing come alive. If you're feeling extra fancy, you could even write a date or a sweet little message somewhere on the frame. I did that, but later on.
One thing I added that I hadn’t planned was some tiny pebbles at the bottom of the frame, under the mat. I had a bunch of tiny black stones lying around, so I thought, “Why not?” Btw, they came from Iceland. Who would thought that's where they end up. These tiny stones gave the piece some texture and extra depth.
After everything dried, it came out even better than I expected! My parents absolutely adored it, and now it hangs in their living room. Every time I see it, I feel a little burst of pride knowing we made it with my son.
Honestly, it’s a super meaningful, easy craft project, and you definitely don’t need to be an artist to pull it off. Just a bit of creativity, and a glue gun! Whether it’s for an anniversary, a birthday, or just because—this DIY pebble art is a thoughtful gift that’ll make anyone smile. It’s a great addition to anyones’ gallery wall.