Bring Me a Story. I'll Set It in Stone.

Custom Pebble Art & Meaningful Artwork, Made Just for You

Sometimes you know exactly what you want to give someone.

Sometimes you only know that you want it to mean something.

That's where I come in.

I create one-of-a-kind custom pebble art by combining naturally shaped stones, sea glass, beach glass, driftwood, fossils and other meaningful materials to tell a story.

But before I ever start looking for the right stone, I get to know the story.

Because the best custom pieces aren't simply pictures of people.

They're about the people, the places, the memories and the little things that make them who they are.

It Starts With a Conversation

When you contact me about a custom piece, I don't immediately ask you to pick a picture and send me a deposit.

Instead, I ask questions.

When do you need it?

Who is it for?

What's the occasion?

And most importantly...

What makes this person special?

Tell me the things that make them them.

What do they love? What makes them laugh? Is there a special place, a favourite activity, a beloved pet, or a little detail that would make them look at the finished piece and immediately say, "That's so us."

Then we'll talk about where the artwork is going.

A piece destined for a nightstand may be better suited to a smaller frame, while something going on a wall may need a little more presence. The space helps me determine what size will make sense—not just what size looks good in a photograph.

And then there's the budget.

I ask about it because it helps me understand what possibilities we have to work with. A gift for a neighbour who's just moved in may have a very different budget than a piece celebrating a child's wedding. Neither is more important. They're simply different occasions with different needs.

Custom artwork starts at $225.

Every piece is different, so the final price depends on its size, the number of people or subjects, the level of detail and the materials we choose together.

But here's something important: your budget doesn't determine the quality of my work.

I put the same care into every piece, whether we're creating something small and simple or something larger with lots of unusual details and rare materials.

Your budget simply helps me determine what's possible. It may influence the size, amount of detail, rarer colours, unusual materials or special features such as fluorescent stones and UV elements.

The goal isn't to spend the most. It's to create something that feels right for you and the person it's for.

The Story Helps Me Decide What Belongs in the Artwork

Tell me what's important to them.

Maybe there's a special place.

Where they got engaged.

Where they were married.

A family cottage.

A favourite vacation.

A childhood home.

A lake.

A garden.

A hobby.

A pet.

A little detail that nobody else would understand—but they would recognize immediately.

I have stones and other materials from many different places, so sometimes I can incorporate something that connects the artwork to a meaningful location or memory.

And sometimes the most important detail isn't a place at all.

It's a relationship.

Where should Mom stand beside her daughter?

Should Dad be beside his son?

Where does Grandpa belong?

Does the family dog need to be right in the middle of everything?

Sometimes those decisions matter more than getting every physical detail exactly right.

Your Photographs Are My Reference—Not My Template

I'll ask you for photographs of the people or animals you'd like included.

Don't worry—I don't use them as something to simply copy.

Your photographs help me understand things like hairstyles, height, body shape, clothing, posture and, perhaps most importantly, the relationships between the people.

Sometimes a photograph tells me something that words can't.

And your photographs are never posted or shared without your permission.

Then Comes the Part That Takes Time

Once I understand the story, I start looking for the stones.

And when I say I look through a lot of stones, I mean a LOT of stones.

I may go through thousands looking for the one shape that works.

And trust me, I've brought most of them home with me. 😂

Living beside one of the Great Lakes certainly helps. Lake Huron gives me an endless supply of excuses to go for a walk on the beach—and somehow I always seem to come home with my pockets a little heavier.

But finding the right stone isn't simply a matter of finding the right colour.

It has to be the right size, shape, proportion and character—and it has to make sense in relation to everything around it.

I may find the perfect stone for someone's head, only to realize it doesn't work with the stone I've chosen for their body. Then I have to start again.

Sometimes the hardest part of a piece is finding one particular stone.

And sometimes that one stone determines everything that comes next.

I don't reshape the stones to make them fit.

I find the stone that already has what I need.

That's part of the magic.

Materials Can Tell Part of the Story Too

I use more than stones.

Depending on your story and the piece we're creating, we may incorporate:

• Lake Huron stones
• sea glass
• beach glass
• sea pottery
• driftwood
• fossils
• coral
• unusual stones and minerals
• other found materials

I'll also explain the difference between materials if you're not familiar with them.

And sometimes the material itself becomes meaningful.

Your budget also helps determine whether I can explore rarer colours or more unusual materials.

Some stones are relatively easy to find.

Others are not.

And sometimes we can take the piece somewhere completely unexpected.

For example, I can incorporate stones that fluoresce under UV light, including materials containing sodalite, and even include a UV flashlight with the finished piece.

So sometimes the artwork has a little secret waiting to be discovered.

Sometimes the Hardest Part Is Finding the Words

A beautiful piece can become something completely different with the right words.

Sometimes it's a quote.

Sometimes a saying, a line from a song, a Bible verse, an inside joke or just a few simple words that mean everything to the people involved.

If you know exactly what you want to say, wonderful.

But if you know what you want them to feel and can't find the words, that's okay too.

I'll help you look for them.

Because I've learned that the right words can bring people to tears—in the best possible way.

Sometimes the words become just as important as the stones.

What About a Wedding Photograph?

Sometimes people come to me wanting their wedding photograph recreated in pebble art.

And sometimes that's exactly what we should do.

But sometimes I ask them to think about something else first.

If you already have a large, beautiful photograph of that exact wedding moment hanging in your home, do you really want another version of the same image?

Maybe.

But maybe there's another memory from that day that deserves to become the artwork instead.

A moment you didn't photograph.

A place.

A detail.

A feeling.

Or, if it was a wedding from many years ago and that photograph is no longer something you have displayed, then recreating it can be a wonderful way to bring that memory back.

My job isn't just to make what you ask for. It's to help you decide what will mean the most.

When the Artwork Is About Someone Who Has Passed Away

I've had many people come to me wanting to create something after losing someone they love.

Sometimes they ask for an angel or a traditional memorial image.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

But I often ask them one more question:

"What did you love about them?"

Because sometimes I think the most meaningful way to remember someone isn't to create something that reminds you that they're gone.

It's to create something that reminds you who they were.

Maybe it's the garden they loved.

The lake they always wanted to visit.

The grandchildren who made them laugh.

Their favourite place.

Their dog.

Something they did every Sunday.

A vacation.

A funny memory.

A moment that still makes you smile.

I want you to eventually look at that piece and feel more than the sadness of losing them.

I want you to remember a great moment.

I want the memory to make you smile.

Because a life is so much bigger than the moment it ended.

You Get to Be Part of the Process

Once I've started creating your piece, I don't disappear into my studio and simply hand you the finished artwork.

I'll keep you updated along the way.

I'll share the progress when appropriate, ask for your feedback and make sure I'm capturing the vision we talked about.

After all, you know the story.

I'm the one who gets to set it in stone.

And Here's Something a Little Different

I don't require a deposit for custom artwork.

And there is no obligation to purchase the finished piece if it doesn't capture your vision.

I believe that's important.

I'm asking you to trust me with something personal.

You should be able to see the finished artwork and know whether I've captured what you were hoping for.

If you love it, wonderful.

If it isn't quite right, we'll talk about it.

The Finished Piece

My frames are good-quality frames selected to complement the artwork and protect the finished piece.

Custom artwork can be created in a variety of sizes depending on where you plan to display it.

I ship worldwide, with delivery arranged through Canada Post.

Shipping costs depend on the destination and size of the finished piece.

So, What Do You Have in Mind?

You don't need to have everything figured out before you contact me.

You don't need to know exactly what size you want.

You don't need to have the perfect photograph.

And you definitely don't need to know which stones should represent which person.

That's my job.

Bring me the story.

Tell me what's important.

We'll figure out the rest together.

Bring me a story. I'll set it in stone.

Contact me to start your custom piece.  Ruth at shapedbymyjourney@gmail.com