Crystal Life began back in 1995, selling at local street fairs in New York City. Hard to believe it all started because I needed stones to help regain my health – and there were very few choices around. So I started to carry them and handcraft therapeutic gemstone jewelry for myself!
Here’s Kate, my assistant of the time, watching our booth at a windy outdoor fair in Peekskill, NY. Wow. I thought we had so much product to sell – it took us so long to get it all together – handcrafting barrettes, making energy pendants! That was back in the late 1990s
From there we took the plunge to do the New Life Expo in New York City – here is the booth then. Note we’ve graduated to flats displaying our energy designs! This was 1999.
I moved to the Chicago area in 2001 and by then was traveling the New Age Expo circuit, showing my wares at the “big” shows like the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show and the wholesale-only INATS (international new age trade show) in Denver. Here’s my INATS booth with my prayer beads and new packaging.
My new book was out – We Are Not Alone – and I was doing the lecture circuit as well. Here I am with legendary dowser Walt Woods – I was offering workshops in energy dowsing at the American Society of Dowsers Annual Convention.
I started carrying more mineral specimens. Eventually, carting these about to shows started feeling heavy. So, in 2003, it was time to settle down in a store. My first store was in St. Charles, IL in a community store complex
In 2005 I moved to the beautiful historic shopping destination of downtown Geneva Illinois, and our store today looks like this, as seen on Google Maps:
It’s been a wonderful journey, and I have thoroughly enjoyed creating product, offering workshops – and meeting so many wonderful, thoughtful, eager to grow fellow travelers along life’s path! Here’s to a glorious future for us all!