Rock on! Find the love with painted rocks

Four years ago, Alexis Beals found herself in a hospital, fearfully waiting for a loved one to be treated, when suddenly she saw a funny-looking rock. It was painted to resemble a caterpillar, with other tiny rocks glued onto the larger one to create tiny feet.

On the back was painted a sweet message. Beals was reassured and, a fan of all crafts, she was also inspired by the idea of painted rocks.

Beals is just one of the thousands of people across the country who have taken up the novel craft of painting rocks and placing them in places where they will be found.

It’s a somewhat selfless craft because, while the painter spends time creating the rocks, the finder can keep them. Or leave it to be found again.

On the back, the rock painters often post a message or a Facebook page where you can announce your find. On Beals’ Indiana Facebook page alone, there are 8,000 members, some of whom are finders.

The process is easy: Get a flat rock and clean it. Then use some inexpensive acrylic paint and some cheap brushes to decorate the rock. Some painted rocks are elaborate, some simple. In fact, if you aren’t an artist, you can always buy a stencil and paint a silhouette. On the back, use paint markers to write a message or social media page. Then use varnish to seal the design.

The next time you go for a walk, put your rock on a bench or along a path for someone to find.