Faux Living Stones (Lithops)

XPS foam, also called insulation foam or foamular

X-acto knife, or straight edge knife

fine grit sandpaper

matte mod podge (not pictured)

pure acetone (optional)

paintbrushes

dull stick to make impressions in the foam

toothpicks

various acrylic paints

planter or something to display your lithops in

Cut off small chunks of foam, no more than 1 inch across.

Carve into a rounded cone shape.

Google pictures of lithops to give you a better idea of the variations in size and shapes, but ultimately, like my children are fond of saying, "they look like butts!"

Here I am making each one different, but a pot full of the same "variety" would also be very striking.

Be very gentle with it, even smooth sandpaper can snag and tear the foam.

Fold the sandpaper over and use that folded edge to carve away the midline.

Use a dull pointed stick to doodle marking on the top of the lithops. I used a hairstick, but the end of a paintbrush will also work.

This step can potentially ruin your piece, so it's fine to skip it, but I think it smooths the foam and gives it a thin shell that makes it a bit more durable.

Pour acetone into the cap, you won't need much.

Use a large, soft brush and dip it into the acetone.

WIPE OFF most of it, until it's barely damp, and brush over the foam.

The acetone will MELT the foam, so you want just the tiniest bit. Excess acetone will melt too much of the foam, and might deform your lithops. If that happens, just sand it smooth and try again.

The mod podge will help the paint stick to it, and also make it a little more durable. Add a toothpick to give you something to hold. You can glue or hot-glue the toothpick in place if you have time.

This is the fun part! You really can't go wrong because there's nearly infinite variations in the real lithops, so get creative!

Pick any color.

Mix it 50/50 with white paint, and paint the whole piece. Let dry 10 to 15 minutes.

After it's dry, take the original color and thin it out with water. Use this color to paint the indentations at the top of the lithops, and also the midline crease.

This step is optional, but it adds to the realism.

Mix a tiny bit of white paint and mod podge and wipe most of it off your brush.

Dab all over the surface of the lithops, and if you get too much on there, dab with paper towel. The point is to cover with faint layer of white dusty-ness to tone down the brightness of the paint.

Cover the whole piece with mod podge again and let dry.

Use whatever planter and toppings you like, just make sure that the raw edge at the bottom of each lithops is covered. You can also glue or hot glue them if you want them more permanent.

Good luck, and happy making!

(If anyone has tips for painting these things, by all means, please chip in your cents. Thanks!)