How to Make a Memorial Stepping Stone With Pet Ashes

This one isn't hard.

Concrete. Something for a mold. A little of your pet's ashes.

That's pretty much what we're doing.

I used a plastic plant saucer for the mold. You can buy an actual stepping-stone mold if you want, but look around the garage first.

You probably already own something that'll work.

And before we go any farther:

Don't open the ashes outside on a windy day.

I almost learned that one the hard way.

I had everything sitting there, opened the bag and a little breeze came through. I'm grabbing for the bag thinking, well this is great.

Zoe is about to be all over the driveway.

I had a cup of coffee sitting there too.

A little extra creamer.

It's not like we probably haven't eaten a dog hair or two.

That would have been a hell of a way to start the project.

What You'll Need

• Concrete or stepping-stone mix
• Plastic plant saucer or another mold
• Bucket
• Something to mix the concrete with
• Mold release or cooking spray
• Gloves
• Eye protection
• Dust mask while working with dry concrete
• A small amount of your pet's ashes
• Something to scratch their name into the concrete
• Glass stones, collar tag or anything else you want to add

Spray the inside of your mold first.

Don't remember this after the concrete is already mixed and sitting in the bucket.

Mix the concrete according to the directions on the bag. Don't get carried away with the water. You can always add a little more.

Once you've made concrete soup, you're going the wrong direction.

Wear the gloves. Wet concrete can burn your skin if you leave it on there.

Get the concrete mixed first and then add a small amount of the ashes.

You don't need much.

Mix them through the concrete.

Pour it into the mold.

Give the sides and bottom of the mold some taps. You'll see some of the air bubbles work their way up. I usually give it a few more taps because there's always one hiding somewhere.

Now leave it alone for a little while.

Stop messing with it.

Let it set up. It's not wet paint where you have to touch it to see if it's wet.

That's probably the hardest step.

If you try writing your pet's name in it too soon, the concrete will just slump back into the letters and you'll make a mess.

Not sure how I know that.

Wait until the surface will hold the mark. If you're adding a collar tag, stones or something else, this is when you can start figuring out where you want them.

And if you put something in crooked, congratulations.

You made something by hand.

Let the concrete cure according to the directions on the bag before taking it out of the mold. Don't get impatient and break the corner off trying to see it early.

Once it's properly cured, you can seal it if it's going outside.

Then put it somewhere that makes sense.

Under a tree.

By the garden.

Next to the porch.

Wherever your dog probably would have peed on it anyway.

Read next

• Ideas for your pet's ashes
• Can You Bury a Pet in Your Backyard?
• The 11 questions to ask before the cremation