It all started with a Loaf of Bread
The earliest memory I (Alana) have of wanting to start this business venture is from a few years ago. Evan had a "bread loaf" shaped rock (his dad had brought it home one day because he thought it was neat.) One day Evan got out his saw and started "slicing" the bread loaf rock into coasters. I remember standing at the counter with Evan's mom gluing felt to the back of the coasters (funny side note - we actually were using white fabric paint in a tube that we THOUGHT was glue - but it worked! and the felt is still stuck to the rocks to this day) After the coasters were finish I remember thinking how cool it was to have such a special rock turned into something that we could use everyday. That rock had hung around the house for a few years and Evan's father had passed away in that time. This rock - something so simple - became something so special that we could use everyday. I knew I wanted to make these for other people but I didn't know how it was going to happen.
Fast forward about a year - June 2012..... One day Evan came home from work and said "I was talking with Tony (employee at the time) today, we should cut a rock into the shape of Maine." So we made a stencil, walked out back to the left-over-job-rock-pile and pulled out a piece of 2" thick Norumbega. It took Evan 30 minutes to make our very first Maine shaped rock. I couldn't believe how perfect it was! We posted it to facebook and got a TON of likes and comments. That's when we decided we had to start making more things. We still weren't sure How or Where to sell our items.
On August 7th, 2012 I was talking with a co-worker and she said "I've decided tomorrow I'm starting an Etsy shop" It inspired me to start one too - the very next day August 8th, 2012 I started our Etsy shop and have been in love with our business ever since! It has opened a lot of wonderful doors and connected us with some amazing people. In April of 2017 I was able to quit my full time job and now A&E Stoneworks is my full time job! Thank you for helping us get here!
Thanks for poking around our shop!
