Rock Eye Peepers
The spooky season of Halloween is upon us… So it seemed logical add to my collection of scary concrete stones! Whip up a bunch of these Rock Eye Peepers and they will keep a watchful eye on your place. And thanks Buzzfeed for noticing my crazy ideas, but really I’m not that crazy…
The Stuff:
Hunt around and you probably have some of these decorative clear glass vase filler pebbles in the house somewhere. They come in a few sizes but I chose the largest I could find.
Dig out some nail polish as well especially tones of eye colours and plain white. Any colour of zipper will work but you will need about 6″ (upcycle from your old jeans). They can be cut shorter to suit.
The impatient part of me is using a fast setting concrete again, but you may check here to see what other choices you may have.
Add some tin foil and old plastic bags, hot glue & glue-gun, as well as the usual safety equipment like gloves and dust mask.
The Eyes come first:
The process for making the glass eyes involves working on the flat side of the pebbles which will be the back. Think backwards as the first layers will be the most visible. A drop of black will be the pupil and then a combination of colours will make up the iris. Look into your eye and see all the small details. Multiple layers and some scraping back will give the details
The subsequent layers will show through nicely and combining a few colours make it more unique. Add a final thick solid layer of white to finish it off. Don’t rush the drying. If you need to fix edges an xacto knife will scrape away any errors.
Here’s looking at you! And I love that they are glass and not plastic.
The Rock Eye Form:
As a filler I have repurposed some of the plastic bags and then covered them with a layer of tin foil. It makes them lighter and it does not absorb moisture which is good. Crumple up a suitable shape and then hot glue the ‘glass eyes’ in place.
Setting the Eyes:
Since these will probably find a home in the garden the inside eye section needs to also be permanent. Mix a very stiff amount of concrete (this mix sets quick so don’t mix too much) and then spread it around the eyes to completely cover the foil.
It does not need to cover then entire rock though. Let it cure which with this concrete is about 1 hour (yay!)
The Zipper Eyelids:
Now the fun part; making some crazy eye expressions. Angry, sad, whatever you like. They can also be flipped since the poor fellows don’t have noses… Tack the zipper sections in place with hot glue and cut off any extra length.
Each one has a personality. There’s just something about looking into someone’s eyes… mesmerizing.
Patty-cake Patty Cake:
Do you now realize that playing in the sandbox (real sand and muck) was preparation for real life?! With a brush wet the zipper before spreading the stiff concrete mix up against the zipper. That way it will not rob the concrete of it’s moisture to make it crack. A knife or tongue depresser works great.
Fill in the rest of the ‘rock’ and use your hands if needed. This concrete will start to get stiffer and become quite moldable like clay. Not all rocks are perfectly round so leave some texture.
To smooth out any little lumps and have a clean edge to the zipper use a wet brush. Clean off any concrete on the eyes too.
They aren’t clean:
Rocks are not meant to be perfectly white or clean so a thin ‘drippy’ wash of a mud-colour acrylic paint will make it look like authentic rock. Let it run and drip into the details; could not be easier!
Where will you put your’s?
I’ve had some of the Smiling Stones in rock garden for a while now, even under the snow. Passersby get quite the chuckle. These will join the gang…
Unexpected little surprises in the garden are so much fun. Especially since they look natural, except for maybe the brilliant blue eyes. Oh I did see you smile… So it’s worth it!
Happy Concreting. Check out more concrete projects here
(Intended for personal use only: Publishing of this design is prohibited without permission)
Barb you are amazing. Love Love this project.
Oh thanks! It’s been a popular one. ‘And a popular one to copy. It was so fun taking pictures at the beach…
These are fantastic!You are such an inspiration!
That’s actually why I do all this! Creativity can be so beneficial!
I just live this project! I don’t understand about the foil and plastic though. Do you attach them to the glass eye with glue? Or what? Thank you! Can’t wait to start these with my kiddos & Hubby.
It is a common practice when sculpting to fill with thin foil, often to save on the material. Same here, the eyes are glued to it as a base shape.
Hi there, How did you make the teeth? That one is a riot! My granddaughter and I are going to create some of these for our garden. Thanks for the inspo 😊
All the info is here and the mold is also here. Just make sure to use a strong concrete mix, not regular concrete. Have fun!
OMG! I know you’ve heard all this before, but you are incredible, and your artistic pursuits just get more and more creative as you evolve. I remember when you first put out the excellent tutorial on your cute, adorable “Rock Eye Peepers.” I kept thinking to myself—Maybe if I wait long enough, Barb will have some of her “Peepers” for sale on her web-site and I won’t have to get involved in that new project. I know you’re busy coming up with new ideas, and I’ve been patient but…………..Is there any chance you could be persuaded to put some of those little critters up for sale????? Heck; maybe we could do a trade/barter and I could mail you this beautiful, 99% cream-colored, dry-cleaned 100% wool blanket (perfect for your eco-dying projects) I picked up at an estate sale, then perhaps you could mail me a couple of the “Peepers” and …….. I’m not the only one that would be interested in adding them to my rock garden. Please think about it (in your spare time) and let me know.
Thanks for reading this, Sue
Can’t wait to try these. Love them
Do make sure you use the fast setting concrete mix, not all concrete is equal! Have fun!
these are wonderful! I see a crafty party coming up soon! Thank you so much for sharing!
Be aware of safety as well, for dust and gloves. It can be done. These tips may help, as clean up needs to be easy and not ruin your pipes! Good luck!
instead of the foil and bag part, have you ever done this on real rocks for the weight? im needing mine to be heavy not light.
If you don’t mind the extra use of concrete and need the depth for the eyes. The other Smiling stones would need the middle void for the teeth. Make sure to use the right mix as some do shrink. Also, the rocks tend to absorb moisture and steal it from the mix which needs it to sure properly. To remedy that, dampen the rock first. That’s the same process for adding to cured concrete. When in doubt, do a tiny test, and see before investing the time/cost. Rapidset Cementall is quick impressive and strong. Have fun!
Barb, I have been a fan of yours for a few years now. Love your imagination and crafts. The other thing I appreciate is how well you explain and show your work. I still read your stuff several times because I want to make sure I don’t miss anything. I have done several cement doll heads! They are a hit with many of my friends too! It took me a while to go through the whole process but I started with a doll I purchased at a thrift store and made the mold myself _ Thanks to your process and have managed to make several molds now. I’ve made several other items which you have made and posted as well. Love all of them. My next is to make the zipper rock eyes. Can’t wait to find the time to make a bunch to place outdoors in my gardens. Thank you for being you!
Sometimes I think I need to stop as I get so exhausted… But then I get a note like your’s and I know why I am doing this! Thanks so much! It does get ‘quiet’ behind the screen. I know my projects are not the usual kinds which might put me in the less travelled category. It’s getting tougher all the time!