NEW! SobrietyStones Blog!

Well, Ive been threatening to do this forever, so I made it my New Years resolution!

I wanted a place for you to be able to ask me your questions about the Meanings of Gem Stones, Recovery Jewelry, Spiritual Jewelry, and Inspirational Gifts for all 12 Step programs. Actually, I hope you see it as a site for all Spiritual Paths and Journeys, not just the 12 Step Community.

I started a BLOG because I get so many of the same questions, and feel bad that I just cant keep up with the requests via emails anymore, and STILL be able make custom jewelry for those of you who ask. I now get over 200 emails a day!!

I thought if there was a way to publicly answer your questions, you would more readily get answers, and not think I was ignoring your emails. I'm just overwhelmed with your wonderful interest and positive response to http://www.SobrietyStones.com!

I hate not being able to write to each and every one of you personally any longer, but Sobriety Stones Recovery Jewelry has grown beyond my wildest dreams, way beyond what I anticipated when I started it 7 years ago. Thank you to my wonderful customers! This 2006 Holiday Season was a record breaker for sales, and I owe you my deepest, most sincere thanks for making it possible to make my living by helping others to remember how wonderful they are and how far they have come in their spiritual journey. (NO, I am not getting rich, but I am able to pay all my bills, AND take a vacation, lol)

I am hoping to be able to post new 12 Step Recovery Jewelry items here. I also would like you to post your personal requests for custom jewelry here, AND your request for information regarding the Meanings of Gemstones that you don’t find here:

http://www.sobrietystones.com/resources/GemBook/Stones/

I am adding to the definitions as quickly as I can, but maybe I can respond to your request via this new BLOG, so that others who may be interested in the same piece, or the same gem stone, may also request it.

By the way, you guys have such great ideas! Many, many times I get requests for custom jewelry, and it turns out so much nicer than I even anticipated, ( art can be like that, sometimes it takes on a life of its own) that I make it a regular stock item for the site.

I will also start an area of the website for showing custom orders, which is something Ive never done before. Sad but true, many times I never even took pictures of them before they were sent out. Shame on me, but that is something I am changing now. Nothing gets out the door without getting its picture taken! Lol

Now, its goes without saying probably, but you get to post your thoughts as long as they are nice. If you are mean, its going to get deleted. Why? Because I make my living doing this, and your venting may mean I don’t eat this week, and that’s not OK with me. You can email me privately and yell at me all you want, ok? (I hope your don’t feel you need to do that)

Oh, one more thing. I TALK A LOT!! Ask anyone in my family, and they will tell you that’s my primary issue, I talk a LOT. This is going to be great, because I HATE the telephone, lol. Go figure, but I do, I HATE it. You have a much, much better chance of reaching me if you post via this BLOG, then if you call me on the phone. Really. That’s how much I HATE the telephone. And its easier for me to type you a reply at 1AM when I'm clearing off my desk and having a midnight snack, than call you at that time. Oh, you think so too? GREAT! Lets do that then, ok? You write to me here, I write back. It’s a deal!

Well, then lets get started, ok? Any of you have any questions for me? Oh, and by the way, if you click on the Google Ads for the stuff you're interested in reading about or purchasing on this BLOG, I get about 25 cents a click, and that pays for my time, so it’s a WIN WIN for both of us if you click on the Google Ads on this BLOG. You get more information and I get paid for my time and can spend more time working on the BLOG, ok?

I'm telling you that because I totally HATE it when people post links on a bunch of forums and blogs under the guise of being "helpful" and don’t tell you that they make money if you click on it or use it! I think its sneaky, and for better or worse, have you heard of that thing called "The 12 Steps"? Lots of stuff in there about HONESTY. Yeah, yeah, I know it’s a business, but I don’t agree. If your going to make money on it, your supposed to say so. Ok, I covered that.

What else? OH yeah, the "12 STEP STONES" "Twelve Beads for Twelve Steps" are picked by me. YUP, ME! AA, NA, ALANON, and all the rest of the 12 Step programs did NOT pick them, and does not say "Yeah, those stones represent us". I am the one who picked the stones for each program, based on their ancient metaphysical properties, and then I made it into jewelry for that 12 Step Program. YES, it is COPYRIGHTED AND TRADEMARKED (for those of you who make jewelry and really think it’s a GREAT idea)

I created SobrietyStones because I wanted to create ANONYMOUS JEWELRY for ANONYMOUS people. If is SAYS AA on it, its not anonymous, right? Well, that’s the whole point of Sobriety Stones Recovery Jewelry. I was celebrating 10 years, and I wanted a really nice, expensive piece to commemorate such an auspicious occasions, and wanted to be able to wear it everywhere I went, but didn’t want to announce that I was..well, a drunk. (you know, not every employer thinks its an assent to have an alkie working for them...go figure). So I made something nice in Amethyst, and spent good money making it, and used that to celebrate privately. AND, I wanted a way for your loved ones, your husbands, daughters, sons, and friends who have watched your struggle AND success to purchase something for you to show their support that you could proudly wear without announcing your status to the world.

I take this ANONYMITY thing pretty seriously.

And about that anonymity thing as a merchant on line. I tried really hard in the beginning to stay anonymous, but people wouldn’t spend money at a place they couldn’t verify was legit. I have to post my name, phone number, address, etc, or they wouldn't give me their credit card information! Can you imagine, they would only give it to a site they trusted???? So, lets not all get into a tizzy over knowing who I am, ok? I couldn’t help it, if you figure out a way to own a business and not have any one know who you are, and still convince them to give you money, let me know, ok? I couldn’t figure that one out.

If there is anything else you'd like to know about WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and WHY, just ask me here, and Ill do my best to answer you.

Sincerely, and with much gratitude,
Shirley G./Owner

http://www.SobrietyStones.com
http://www.GemstoneGifts.com