“Choose your favourite animal” I requested. The creative juices flowed and so began my journey into mosaicing. It was a really fun activity with my three young children 24 years ago.

Arguing over who was going to hold the hammer to smash the tiles (the favourite job of all), mixing the adhesive, then with paddle pop sticks at the ready, gluing on the tiles. The gecko, the platypus and the shark came to life when the grouting was complete. These treasured stepping stones travelled from Darwin to Murwillumbah and now take pride of place near my front verandah.

Meandering through my garden are several gravel pathways, but the rough, sharp surfaces are like walking on a coral reef. The solution? Why not more mosaiced stepping stones with their smooth, cool surface welcomed by my bare feet. Abstract designs, animals, mandalas and flowers all feature, using all the colours of the rainbow.

Sitting out on my back verandah, water feature gurgling, birds twittering, water dragons scampering and leaves rustling, mosaicing is a rewarding, relaxing activity. Both practical and attractive, it adds another dimension to my garden.