Sorting Rocks

      I may have mentioned my sorting rock collection, I can’t remember, and I currently have no desire to go and look. But I figured, even if this is the first time you are hearing about it, that I would talk about it. This was a purposeful project that didn’t start out that way. But it has become a very fun part of my collection. One of my favorite things about it is it’s a box of rocks. I love rocks, I always have. I have always enjoyed adding new pretty rocks to my collection. Even if it was just a couple here and there over years. 

     When I started buying from wholesalers I also discovered I really love scoops. They are basically mystery bags of rocks! And I do love a good mystery bag. So I would choose the type of scoop, usually based on a shape I liked, and I would order that. 

     When you order enough scoops you end up with a whole lot of random tumbles. And, if you are like me, you then wonder what to do with them all. I already have a decent amount of tumbles, since I bought groups of gemstones I like when I was doing a lot of stone wrapping, but this was A LOT of tumbles. Or chips, but I try not to buy scoops that have chips as filler. Though I got some great ideas for what to do with tumbles, and chips, from different crystal groups I belong to. Somewhere along the line I decided that having a box of rocks to look through (which I have had in one form or another my whole life) would be really fun. So I started my sorting box. These are currently all of the tumbles in the box. 

      There are a few cabochons in there, that have also come in scoops (probably).

     These pieces are all slightly larger than tumbles and more palm stone size. Though the sodalite on the bottom, and the labradorite  on the top left, are close to tumble size. 

     I have moons in a couple of sizes, all of these were ordered on purpose. Though some of the larger moons came in scoops. 

     I have stars and have considered getting some other sizes of these. 

       Most of these are “chocolate bars” because I got a couple of pieces in random scoops and wanted more. I like the shape a lot. But the “chocolate bars” are not quite the same as the shape I really like. They sure would be easy to wrap if I got back into that. 

     All of these are cubes, or rectangular cubes, that I think are naturally that shape. I could be wrong, I didn’t tumble them myself (but that is coming soon). 

      This is my current collection of mini towers, both the normal kind and the double pointed ones. 

      I have a whole collection of hearts and I don’t believe I ever ordered any on purpose. They all came from scoops. And I will likely end up with more that way in the future. 

      These are seeds. I really like the shape of these. They aren’t anything special, just little round disks of rock. But I like them a lot. 

     As many have likely noticed from the photos of my crystal collection, I really like spheres. I have these mini spheres in my sorting box, and they are often the first thing I pull out. 

      I added some wands, not as many as some shapes, but they are a good mix. 

      And mini eggs. I really like crystal eggs. I have a small bowl of mini crystal eggs and several chicken egg sized crystal eggs in my collection. I also have a natural, nearly egg shaped, carnelian that I have had in my collection for years. 

     I added a few chickens to the box, though they are pricier pieces so I added only a few. 

    The same story with the conch shells. These are not my favorite shape, and I don’t know if they will stay in the sorting box or not. 

    Same story with the 9 tail foxes. They are cute, but I don’t know if I want them to stay in the sorting box. 

     It’s funny how I can absolutely love certain shapes but then when they get added to the box I am not sure I love them in there. Like the ravens. 

     These pyramid towers are fine in the box. And I have a lot of them. I have gifted many stones this shape to people I work with.

      The dolphins may be some of the most expensive individual pieces in the box. And another shape that might not stay in there. 

      The same thing with the balloon dogs. Which were more than I thought when I was claiming them, but I do like them. Just maybe not in the box. 

     I also have my collection of Tiggers. I wonder if I need a box that is just mixed carvings. Or if any specific carving (other than stars, hearts. Or moons) might just need to come out. 

       I have a variety of carvings where I only have one or two of them. Some were purposefully chosen, like the pixiu and the swords, though the others were chosen for me or in a mixed scoop. 

      I have this one little dinosaur in there. He’s yooperlite, so also UV reactive. I also just realized how terrible a photo this is. 

     I also have my little collection of dragon skulls. I have some of these, even in this size, displayed in my collection. These were bought specifically for the sorting box, and unlike some of the other pieces in there, they don’t feel like they don’t belong. 

     I enjoy looking though all the stones in the box. Sometimes I will sort them out by shape (as in, choose a shape and pick through to just find those), or maybe by material. Sometimes I will just go through and pick up random pieces to look at. There are some really cool pieces in the box. I have also made mini sorting boxes for a couple of people I work with. Because sometimes it’s just fun to play with rocks.