Rockin' on...

Hi There! Welcome to " Your Spirit Rocks!™ " Not to be confused with the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Fairfax, CA. which is a beautiful place in Marin County founded by Jack Kornfield for the purpose of bringing Peace through quiet meditation.

 This blog is about rocks, painted and decorated to be used as meditation objects, talismans, place-holders, heirloom gifts, etc. It is my hope that these items will bring peace and joy to those that find them useful.

If this is your first time here, you have arrived at a time when Rock painting has really taken off. Ever since Covid struck, people have been looking for an activity that brings them much satisfaction in accomplishing something while they "Shelter in place". It sure beats watching the news on TV or stuffing your face with food.

If you have followed this blog, you will know that I have been doing this activity now for over 12 years. The moment that this become relevant to me was a short time after my employment had ended and my unemployment had run out. Now I have something that continues to unfold in new and exciting directions. 

Some will counter with, " Well, I'm not an artist so this would be pointless for me to get involved". This is exactly the point. Everyone creates from nothing. No thing is a thing. Just try it. What do you have to lose? a rock?

 Start by finding a rock that speaks to you ( figuratively, of course ) then get some acrylic paints and some small brushes and get to work. This activity fosters new ideas, even if you never paint another rock again. I can attest to the transformative properties of taking that first step.

I wish the same for you. Ideas are powerful but only when we put them into action. As the old saying goes, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" so take some time to convince yourself that you can do it, whatever it takes to get you started. Remember...

Your Spirit Rocks!

 

Your Spirit Rocks (even under water)

     For a long time, I have warned kids not to put their Spirit Rock in the aquarium, especially if there are fish in it. Sometimes they will find a nice spot for one if the aquarium is not filled with water and are using it for plants or a little gnome village. I also sell these cute little mushroom rocks for that purpose.

  

    In my last post, I mentioned that I have been using resin as a clear coat on my painted rocks. This type of clear coat has replaced an acrylic coat called " Triple Thick™" which dries quickly and leaves a lovely gloss finish. Unfortunately, it can be bad news for live fish. This clear coat can soften over time, whereas resin won't.

 

    Aside from its coating, sealing, and moisture-proofing qualities; the epoxy resin is completely safe and inert once cured - making it a perfect solution for aquatic areas. Waterproof or Marine-grade epoxy resin is widely used both in and around aquatic tanks by aquarium professionals as well as home hobbyists.

 

 Resin,  aside from being waterproof when dry can yellow over time. For this reason, I will use only dark colors or yellow for a base coat. Now if you have a rock garden, an aquarium, or even a fish bowl, this may be just the upgrade your painted rocks need. Naturally, this will look stunning (when activated) at night in the garden or on a sun deck. 

    Oh yea, did I mention that Your Spirit Rocks glow in the dark? ( you knew that ) Check the previous post to learn more about clear coating with resin or Triple Thick™