10th Anniversary and Valentine's Day Special Offer!

As mentioned a few weeks ago, January 2023 marked the 10th anniversary of Alchemy Stones “formally” becoming a thing. Yes, I have been painting mandalas on stones for longer than that, but prior to 2013, it was just "an occasional hobby."

As a special Thank You to the many who have supported, encouraged and otherwise been part of the Alchemy Stones journey, we’ve created an Anniversary/Valentine’s Day offer: 

Visit the Etsy Alchemy Stones shop and use the coupon code “23IN23” when checking out and get 23% off your purchase! And if you spend $35 or more, you also get FREE SHIPPING (USA only)!

The Etsy store is freshly loaded with many previously unseen stones I painted during the “Pandemic Period” during which we didn’t go to shows, including heart stones, pendants, sets and much much more… with new items being added daily!

But don’t wait too long! Everything IS one-of-a-kind, and the offer expires at midnight on Valentine’s Day, February 14th!

Happy New Year 2023!

Well, the calendar page has flippped over to a new year again — and now we write 2023!

Happy New Year to everyone who has been part of the journey, and who has supported Alchemy Stones over the years!

2022 was a year of "rebuilding" for us, primarily in the form of our return to doing outside face-to-face shows and festivals. Due to the pandemic, we did not attend any in-person events between December 2019 and July 2022.

It was really nice to feel that it was "Safe to come out and play again!"

It was also lovely to see some old familiar faces, as well as to make new friends! Hopefully 2023 will allow us to continue taking Alchemy Stones to shows so we can meet you all in person. 

Naturally, we still rely substantially on the Alchemy Stones online shops, in particular on eBay, Etsy and Amazon Handmade. Yes, you can buy Alchemy Stones on Amazon!

Wishing everyone a beautiful and prosperous 2023!

Christmas in July: First Show in 2 1/2 Years!

We usually take Alchemy Stones to a number of fairs, shows and festivals every year. It's a great way for us to meet people, and for folks to actually see (and touch!) the stones in person!

Because of the Pandemic and the attendant health risks, there pretty much were no shows during 2020 and 2021. All we ended up with was a list of cancellations, and then an empty events calendar.

Of course, that's perfectly understandable: a large group of people attending a show in an enclosed space would pretty much have been what they label a "superspreader event."

So we stayed home and did our best to share Alchemy Stones online.

The opportunity to finally "get back on the show circuit" presented itself here in July, when our local Unity Spiritual Center had their first event after the pandemic... a "Christmas in July" arts and crafts sale, featuring primarily local artisans.

It was nice to get back out, and we enjoyed a very nice event!

It was also the first time the growing collaboration between Sarah's "Faery Howses" and my own Alchemy Stones came together.

From this point forward, you can always expect to see the two quite different — but complementary — creative endeavors side-by-side, when we are doing outside shows!

Our next major show will be one of the biggest on our calendar: "Crafts by the Dock" here in Port Townsend in September. It's one of the longest running events in our area, and runs in tandem with the annual Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, which draws tens of thousands of visitors to our town, every year.

As always, thanks for stopping by, and we hope to see you at the next event! In the meantime, why not visit one of our online shops to see the latest Alchemy Stones and Faery Howses?

Happy New Year 2022!

 Everyone here at Alchemy Stones — that would be myself, Sarah and the ever-helpful studio cat Shadow — would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year!

Let us hope this coming year is a good one for all of us!

2021 was not the busiest year in our history, largely because the ongoing pandemic situation in the world kept us from attending outside shows in person. We did our best with online sales, but it's just not quite the same as allowing people to actually hold an Alchemy Stone in their hands.

We plan to develop our online presence further in 2022, as it does not look like the world situation is going to change much.

In the meantime, if you happen to be one of the fortunate people who now owns an Alchemy Stone whose back number begins with AS*21, you own a piece from the smallest production year we have had!

Over the next 3-4 weeks, I shall be working to add "Heart Stones" to the online stores in time for Valentine's Day! 

In the meantime, a heartfelt "thank you" for your support over the years!

Alchemy Stones + the 2021 Labyrinth Society (Virtual) Gathering

This coming weekend — October 23-24 — is the annual Gathering of The Labyrinth Society (TLS), and Alchemy Stones is pleased to be part of the Gathering! 

Normally, these gatherings take place in physical space, but for "obvious reasons" this year's gathering will be virtual. Alchemy Stones will participate via a "Virtual Table" in the Vendor Marketplace that's part the TLS "World" on the Topia web site.

If you find yourself here via a link from TLS, Welcome!

For your convenience, here's a list of our own "Alchemy Stones Virtual Shops" around the web:

Alchemy Stones on Etsy

Alchemy Stones on eBay

Alchemy Stones at the Amazon Handmade Marketplace

Alchemy Stones at the Facebook Marketplace

If you are a TLS member, you can also find me "live" at the Alchemy Stones "Virtual Table" in the main TLS Topia World! I can "show things for the camera" and also show you some of the smaller stones ($4 to $10 each) that are not in the online shops!

Alchemy Stones are not only pretty to look at, they are also excellent meditation objects to hold while walking a labyrinth. In addition, many people like to leave one of our "petite" stones as a "gratitude offering" when walking a labyrinth in a public place!

The most recent thing we have added to the world of Alchemy Stones is wearable! Very few beach stones are flat, thin and light enough that they can be drilled to be used as pendants, but a limited selection is now available through the Etsy shop — check it out!

Thanks for your continued interest in Alchemy Stones — lots more to come, before the holidays!

All the best, Peter & Sarah

Visit our "Other" Blog on the Hive Social Content Network!

Today, we'd like to take a bit of a "sidetrack" to introduce everyone to our "other" blog, which is part of the Hive Social content universe!

The purpose of this post is actually two-fold: 

First, we'd like to let you know about another venue where you can read more about Alchemy Stones: this "alternative" blog focuses more on the making of individual stones, as well as on greater "philosophical" topics in the world of art and creativity.

Second, we're also extending an invitation to fellow artists and readers alike to consider getting involved in a unique but rapidly growing niche within the Social Web.

You can find our other blog here: Alchemy Stones on Hive (opens in a new tab/window).

A bit more background and explanation:

Alchemy Stones originally got involved with the Hive Social Ecosystem almost three years ago. Whereas Hive is similar to a Facebook in some ways, it is also a little "different" because it's not run by a "company;" it operates via the consensus and creative efforts of its users and your content can't be banned, censored, taken down or demonetized. 

What's more, when you post content to Hive, you also have the opportunity to earn rewards for your efforts, in the form of the network's native cryptocurrency, "Hive." 

No, this is not some new-fangled, fringe-dwelling venue... Hive first saw the light of day in mid-2016 and has somewhat in excess of two million users. 

So, if you're a blogger, writer, poet, artist, vlogger, musician, gamer or other creative content wizard, why not come join us? We mostly create our posts using a very user-friendly interface called "PeakD," which is part of this next generation of social content where YOU retain ownership and control, so do stop by and learn more about Hive and make an account! 

At least, check it out! The above is a "referral" link, but we don't get anything for putting it here, and you won't get any email or sales pitches... if you use it, it simply allows us to know that you came from our web site, so we can find you and welcome you in person!

Alchemy Stones for the Holidays! Where to Find Them...

As the 2020 Holiday Season draws closer, most of us face the unusual situation that we don't get to "go places" to shop for unique gifts, the way we have in years past.

Similarly, we have been taking Alchemy Stones "on the road" to Holiday Arts and Crafts Fairs for many years, but we don't get to do so this year because all our regular show venues have sadly been canceled, meaning that we have not only lost much of our holiday business, but we are going to miss the opportunity to meet up with a lot of old friends!

However, there are still many ways to buy Alchemy Stones from our online stores, and we have an exceptional selection this year... so we invite you to visit one — or all — our online shops! Although I keep adding new Stones as quickly as they become ready, let's not forget that they are all entirely done by hand, so there's a limit to how many I can paint!

Anyway, thanks in advance for having a look, and for "buying handmade" during these difficult times!

Alchemy Stones Etsy Shop

Lots of new designs in the Etsy Shop, and new items being added daily. There's a Holiday Special of FREE SHIPPING (USA only) on all orders totaling $35.00 or more, which will be calculated automatically when you check out.

Alchemy Stones eBay Shop

Also an extensive selection in the eBay store, and more being added daily. If you're looking for something spectacular and impressive, most of the "big" stones from my "Signature Collection" can be found in the eBay store. Check it out!

Alchemy Stones on Facebook

With Covid-19 keeping many of us at home, people are spending more time than ever with social media, and particularly Facebook. To make things easier, we now have an integrated shop on our Facebook page, so you can shop Alchemy Stones without even leaving Facebook. It's a smaller selection than the other two shops, but it's growing. Have a look!

"Sun Stones" are a new type of design from this fall.

Please note that each shop carries a unique selection. 

Until it's "safe" to go out again, we will continue to rely entirely on online sales; unfortunately, we no longer have the stones in any outside retail locations.

If you're not in the market for a stone right now, but would still like to support independent art and artists, please consider becoming a "Patron" of Alchemy Stones via our Patreon appeal, for as little as $3.00. All support is gratefully accepted, and will help us keep moving forward!

Visit the Alchemy Stones Patreon page

A heartfelt "Thank You" for your interest in Alchemy Stones, and please to have a Happy (and safe!) Holiday Season!

End of the Road for Our Retail Location at The Candle Store

It is with great sadness that we must inform everyone that Alchemy Stones will no longer be available from the physical location at The Candle Store, here in Port Townsend.

Long-time proprietor Ruthy Marlow recently lost her battle with cancer, and her store — which carried a fairly large selection of Alchemy Stones — is now closed, very likely permanently.

We're sad not only to have lost a dear friend, but also to no longer have a physical location for people to see the stones in person.

Until we can come up with an alternative solution, Alchemy Stones will only be available through our online shops. If you were looking at a particular item at The Candle Store, you'll most likely be able to find it for sale in our Etsy shop.

Thank you for your understanding!

Alchemy Stones: Your Energetic "Room Diffusers!"

You are probably familiar with the room diffusers — often marketed under the name "Scentsy" — people use to freshen a space, and perhaps get rid of an undesired odor.

Sarah recently made the interesting observation that Alchemy Stones work very much like energetic room diffusers; pushing away undesirable energetic influences in a room or space.

We often see this "in action" when we attend fairs and show with Alchemy Stones. We watch kids — in particular — interact with the stones, and their entire demeanor and energy changes. I believe this holds true because kids are not yet hampered by artificially introduced belief systems, telling them what they "can" or "should" believe is real. They don't have to wade through the quagmire of their "mental gumbo" in order to decide what's real, and what's not — they simply interact, from a natural place!

I am also reminded of one of the very earliest shows we to Alchemy Stones to, as a vendor. A very nice lady stopped by our booth, thought the stones were amazing and bought quite a few of them, on the spot!

We were delighted, of course, as it was one of our very first "large" sales.

Several years later. we saw her again (at a different show) and she shared that she was actually a child psychologist working mostly with troubled teens.

She kept her small basket of Alchemy Stones in her office, and whenever she had and angry and unruly youngster in the office, she'd ask them to pick a stone and go sit on the couch and just look at it. Amazingly, their mind would become calmer in a matter of a few minutes, and she would be able to "reach" them and start a real conversation!

This was a completely unsolicited testimonial, but it really gave credence to the idea of Alchemy Stones as being able to change the energetic atmosphere.

On the whole, it just makes me happy that the stones can do their part to create positive vibes!

Buying Alchemy Stones When Visiting Port Townsend: The Candle Store

On June 26th, 2019, our Red Dragonfly Gallery in Port Townsend's Undertown closed its doors for the last time.

A large Heart Chakra stone

Over the years, we have developed quite a local following for Alchemy Stones, and our fans have been wondering where they will be able to buy Alchemy Stones IN PERSON now that the Red Dragonfly is no more.

Good News!

We have come to an agreement with the Red Dragonfly's neighbor Ruthy Marlow — proprietor of Port Townsend's marvelous Candle Store — to continue offering a selection of Alchemy Stones in a "brick-and-mortar" setting in Port Townsend!

Starting around July 20th, 2019, The Candle Store will have a well-stocked dedicated display case with examples of all our most popular stones, including our "petites" (great little handmade gift items for under $10!), Chakra Stones, Pocket Hearts, Chakra Stone, Altar and Protection SETS and more.

These will be all the same hand painted Alchemy Stones we have always had, just a new venue, and we plan to add new designs as they become available, so the selection will stay "fresh!"

We're excited about this new collaboration with the Candle Store! Ruthy is a good friend and a fellow fan of Alchemy Stones. And while you're visiting, be sure to also check out the one of the finest selections of incense and hand dipped candles in the Pacific Northwest!

The Candle Store is located in Undertown in the heart of Port Townsend; down the stairs under the green pergola at the intersection of Water and Taylor Streets. For opening hours (Closed Tuesdays), call Ruthy at (360) 344-4144.