The Martian Chronicles

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Martian Miniatures

These beautiful landscape stones strongly resemble the foothills of Mount Sharp, the ragged Murray Buttes, the slopes of Gale Crater, the steep valleys of the Noctis Labyrinthus, and the endless plains of Utopia Planitia on Mars. 

I hang the jasper pendants with other stones such as leopard skin or Kambaba jasper, onyx, agate, sunstone, and goldstone. I add Czech crystal, metal, retro acrylic and glass beads, and storytelling charms related to space travel. I also include two stones or charms that represent Phobos and Deimos, the moons of Mars.

It is difficult to find jasper with a clear landscape pattern that is also cut in a landscape orientation, and especially difficult to find matching stones. So far, I have collected only 30 sets, but hope to find more!

Red River Jasper

This variety of jasper is found in the Red River valley and Cherry Creek Mine in northwest China's Qinghai province. Iron oxide gives this stone the same red and gray coloring as the rocks and sands of Mars. When cut to include the border where two colors meet, the pattern looks like the horizon where ground meets sky.  

Found on all continents and under the ocean, jasper was formed over billions of years under heat and pressure. The process began when silica-rich fluids seeped into porous rocks or sediments, depositing tiny quartz crystals, and filling in the spaces. The influx of different minerals have created the many colors and wide variety of patterns that jasper is known for, such as dendritic, galaxy, leopard skin, snakeskin, orbicular, picture, Picasso jasper, and others.  

I've been reading science fiction since I was old enough to hold a book, and this naturally led to an interest in space travel. I have been following our missions to Mars with wonder and awe.

Crafting  jewelry comes naturally to me. I trained as a painter and printmaker. I love working with my hands, from  stretching canvas to making frames, from stained glass to silk-painting. I have also tried my hand at ceramics, and mosaic. 

I'm genuinely excited by wearing and making wearable art,  and I lose myself at craft fairs and hardware stores, always picking up  techniques and being inspired. 

My current jewelry lines include: 

Binary Byzantine 

The Martian Chronicles 

The Elements