In today's story, Arthur loved to collect, draw pictures of, and draw pictures on stones. Just normal stones that anyone can find anywhere. Those stones might seem boring and ordinary, but if you look close enough, any stone can be a treasure, especially if you find neat ways to decorate it. Let's go on a quest into our backyards or neighborhoods and see what kinds of treasure stones we can find!

This Instructable offers a lot of options for your treasure stones. Not everyone is going to have paintbrushes and paint, but if you do, you can break them out. Otherwise, pencils and markers work, too!

Supplies

-stones

-markers

-pencil

-paint

-paintbrushes

Step 1: Go Outside and Find Some Stones!

Treasure stones are everywhere. I walked out of my back door, took two steps, and there they were!

Step 2: Find the Stones You Like Best.

I was spoiled for choice. You will be, too, once you start looking. I picked out a handful that were different colors and neat shapes. You might find other treasures, too! For instance, I met this tiny slug. I left him and his stone alone, though. He'd already claimed that treasure stone.

Step 3: Wash Your Stones.

How do the colors change once you've removed the dirt? Do they look different when they're wet? After washing my stones, I discovered that one of them had SPOTS! How cool!

Step 4: Let Your Stones Dry.

You can towel them off if you're feeling impatient, but I just left mine out on a paper towel for about half an hour. Look at all of those neat colors and shapes! Did your stones change color now that they're dry?

Step 5: You Can Decorate Them With a Pencil.

In the story, Arthur drew eyes and a tail on a stone with a pencil, and it became a mouse. I did, too! It's surprising how clearly pencil will show up on your treasure stones. What other kinds of animals can you make your treasure stones look like?

Step 6: You Can Decorate Them With Markers.

One of my stones looked flame-shaped to me, so I colored it with markers to make it look like a flame. I wondered what would happen if I traced around all of the spots on my spotted stone and then connected them together. It looks like a magic symbol, now! How neat! Do any of your stones have spots?

Step 7: You Can Decorate Them With Paint.

Acrylic is best, but you can also use tempura. I chose to paint a flat, round stone, because I knew that would make a nicer painting surface.

Step 8: You Can Not Decorate Them at All.

Once this stone had dried, I discovered that it was orange and black, with teeny weeny bits of bright green moss growing on its sides. So I decided that it was enough of a treasure just the way it was!

Step 9: Treasure Your Stones!

You could put them back outside around your walkway, or you could put them around your chalice on Sunday. Or you could give them to a friend. Have fun!