Boy...Did I Get In Trouble - by Denise Geigner

I was 7 years old and the neighbors had recently laid decorative rock along side their house. The rocks were so beautiful, I decided to take some. After the careful inspecting and selecting of each rock, I came up with an idea. If I thought they were beautiful then surely others would too.

I immediately went to work on my new rocks. After a good cleaning, I priced each rock according to the size, shape and color, then strategically lined them up along the stairs of the front porch. Once satisfied with my display of rocks, I put my "for sale" sign up. I was positive my new store would do much better in sales than any lemonade stand I ever had. Sure enough, kids stopped by wanting to buy my rocks. They went home to get money out of their piggy banks while spreading the word about my new store resulting in excellent sales. I was so excited! I knew what I was going to buy with all that money…candy!

My shining moment did not last long when my Mother found out. I had to apologize to the neighbors, return the money to all the kids and take my punishment. I learned a lesson that day, but I also had the opportunity to learn what each kid saw in those rocks…whether the rock was perfect or not, each was chosen by individual taste and the beauty only he/she saw from within. Watching their reactions from the feeling their new rock gave, it made me realize how unique our personalities were just like those unique rocks…somewhat the same, yet so very different.

I still have a fascination with rocks to this day, only now it is my husband who tells me to put them down. In 2004, I moved from Illinois to Arizona where I am surrounded by rocks, boulders, mountains & mines with gold, silver, copper, turquoise, peridot, Chrysocolla...the perfect environment for my passion. Naturally, this is where my love for gemstones comes in.

I studied Earth Science in high school (no surprise there) where I learned to tumble and polish my own rocks, making jewelry out of them. It amazed me how the average-looking rocks turned into something so beautiful. I loved the class, the teacher, the rocks…not so much the homework. In 2004, I decided to take my passion for rocks to the next level by designing gemstone jewelry.