I love rocks
I started out as a mineral collector, getting interested in my youngest years from an uncle who worked in an Arizona copper mine. I attended college at Northern Arizona University and spent many weekends traveling to the old mines around the state to collect. Then I was distracted a few years while I worked for NOAA, married and raised two kids. We lived for 38 years in Vermont where I was always active in the gem and mineral club there. About 18 years ago I decided to give lapidary a try. I acquired an old Highland Park machine that was not user friendly, but it gave me an introduction and incentive to continue, so I bought a 6 wheel Cab King. Two years later I opened my Etsy shop and at the same time we became winter snow birds to Tucson. It worked out well as I did all my manufacturing during the summers in my Vermont basement. Then things changed radically for me as my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Two years ago I sold our Vermont property and moved us to Tucson permanently. My husband of 46 years passed away six months later. Now I have my manufacturing setup in my home and I can work year around inside. A good way to spend hot summer days. Tucson is a great place for acquiring material with all the shows in February and the mineral clubs in town.