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OMG!! These are beautiful! But wait till you see what I am bringing home for you! Some of the best rock hounding I have ever done. Clarity and color you will not believe. Collected from Lake powell, Grand Canyon, lees ferry, quartzite, lake havasu, painted desert, Holbrook Arizona, southern Utah, and eastern Nevada. It will blow your mind! But, in the meantime, tell Jax that I will be starting up my polymer clay jewelry again…I am truly inspired.

Neurochemically Challenged

With the bulk of the shaping work done, I wanted to snap some pictures of the stones as they are nearing the middle of the cycle. They have a little more than 2 weeks to go, and are really starting to take on their beautiful final shapes.

Even though they may not look it, these stones are perfectly smooth. Any detail you see is a visual effect made possible by clear portions of the stone contrasted against a more solid inclusion or separate mineral area. The take shown here was collected from various sites all over California.

Fire Agate, collected in the Coyote Mountains, due north of Ocotillo, CA.

A stunningly clear Smokey Quartz, collected at Lone Pine, CA.

Yellow Jasper, collected at Red Rock Canyon, off state route 14 in eastern California’s Mojave Desert.

Red Jasper, collected in the foothills north of Jacumba, CA, in the Table Mountain volcanic…

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People of the Southwest

Yes, it’s true…the Southwest is breathtakingly beautiful, but scattered amongst the red rocks and sandstone spires are yurts, and trailers and stick corrals…homes to these beautiful people.  On the side of the road are ram-shackled stands that once held hand-made jewelry crafted with the materials nature has given them.  Necklaces made from Juniper Berries and native stones, like turquoise, jasper and from the sea, such as mother of pearl and red coral.  But all that remain are the skeletons of jewelry stands with make-shift signs and tattered flags saying “open”.  It’s winter you see…not many venture out at this time of year.  Let’s face it…it’s COLD! This does not detour the people that live here…they thrive the best they can, picking up odd jobs and making the most of what they have. Most would consider this poverty, and looking at the way these people live, it’s easy to assume that.  But don’t be fooled by what you see…the people here are kind, generous, industrious and genuinely happy. It is a humbling experience to see these people work so hard for so little return.  But, I guess that living in this sacred place is the gift they value the most.  The home of their ancestors. Nature at her finest.

Leaving Monument Valley

Monument Valley

The Cube

Monument Valley

Monument Valley

Crumbling Spires

Monument Valley

Jeep ride through the Valley

Monument Valley

Three Sisters

Monument Valley

West Mitten

Monument Valley

View from the car…