Someone once asked me what my favorite stones was. I replied that it'd take me a few minutes to list them all. They said, "no no... your most favorite stone, above all others."

This was when I realized my friend didn't understand stones, because if she had, she'd know it's impossible to pick "just one stone" as your favorite. They're all wonderful! They are all beautiful! And most importantly, every stone has a unique story to tell.

Forget about what stone you think you're supposed to have. Forget about what crystal some chart says you need. Forget about how much a stone costs or how rare or precious it is.... if you find it intriguing, if it calls to something deep inside you, if you find joy in looking upon a particular stone ... that is the stone for you! This is the method I use for hand-selecting minerals for Origin Stones. If it sings, if it calls out to me, if it is saying "touch me, gaze into me, listen to me" then I scoop that stone right up.

The next step is photographing the special mineral so that everyone can "see" the specialness of the stone. Some stones are harder to coax out on camera (spheres for example), but other stones, those stones of deep color and natural edges... they are so fun to shoot. They ooze personality and they can't take a bad photo even in the dark. You will find my most favorite subjects to shoot in the Natural Formations section of my shop. It's pretty easy for me to see which stones have been the most fun to photograph over time, because though Etsy only allows me to post five photos per item, my favorite stones will have twenty or more shots on my computer. On my phone. On my Origin Stones facebook page. Printed and posted around my workroom.

Speaking of my workroom.... and my bedroom.... and my kitchen... yes, there are stones everywhere. Everywhere! Massive lingams line my floorboards, and my nightstand is cluttered with minerals I feel I must have next to me when I sleep. The centerpiece of our table is a stone. My desk is littered with every kind of rock and crystal you can imagine, from simple calcites to exotic tremolites. I can't get enough of stones and minerals, and every part of my life has been touched by them. They bring me so much joy, I cannot imagine doing anything else.

It is my sincere pleasure and honor to be able to share this joy with you. Welcome to Origin Stones!