Project #2: New Uses for Old Rock Collections

Too Many Rocks? Could it be?!


When i started thinking about the too-many-rocks problem a month ago, a few ideas sprang immediately to mind: giving them to someone who wants them, simply leaving them around town as a future treasure-hunt for yourself, or making awesome things out of your rocks. Unfortunately, i really haven't come up with much more than that in the time since, but here's the expanded version of those ideas:

1. Give Them to People who Want Them.
I also asked the Geology Livejournal Community what they would do with too large a rock collection, and most of the answers were 'donate to a school of some sort.' Which is a great idea, but not terribly useful given your general time-crunch. So, should you have extra time in the near future, calling up an elementary school science teacher or two and offering them some samples would be awesome....

Other people that may want rocks would be anyone who owns a house with a yard... and we may be getting old enough for there to be candidates for that?

2. Future Treasure Hunt!
Rock samples are generally pretty inconspicuous things, and if you really just want to minimize the ones you're storing, leave some around town at random places. Think of it as free decorations for a park or alley or whatever; or as unique urban geocaching. Eventually, you won't be in Madison anymore, but some day when you come back to visit, you'll have your own personal landmarks to watch for.

3. Make Awesome Things from Them!
Some of your samples could probably pretty easily be turned into awesome gifts or mementos. I called Burnie's Rock Shop, and talked to a very helpful guy named Dave. Burnie's has cutters, drills, polishers, and other stuff so that any project you can visualize, they can do. Their prices are really reasonable if you want to make a few bookends, or possibly unique containers or something. Pretty much anything you can think of can be made by them--Burnie's Dave said that they've even made shower hooks for some lady.

And since two of my bestest girlfriends are getting married next year, pretty much all i can think about is wedding gifts... and having a unique gift made ahead of time would take that last-minute 'what do i buy these people?' stress away (this idea is, i grant, fairly ridiculous, but inevitably the situation will arise again). A set of matching bride-earrings/ groom-cufflinks would be awesome, and if you had them made now from a decent olivine sample, you'd have a most memorable gift ready before the next wedding happens. Again, i'd bring samples to Burnie's and see what they can do.

Other (probably more expensive/high-end) choices in Madison would be Goldmasters, Jeweler's Workshop or one of these other gemologists. Also on the jewelry topic, the simplest thing to do would be to ask any art majors you know (Alex?) if they want to do a lapidary (art from rocks) project for you--artists love commissioned projects, and recent grads would probably be cheaper than the shops.

3b. Weird/Wonderful Ideas from the Internet of Other Things to Make!
The Ultimate Thing Costume:



Lamps!

and Lamps! again


Vases!

Vases Again!


Office Accessories or Clocks



i really like the last vases, and something similar could be made just by having Burnie's drill a hole in one of your samples! Other ideas? Magnets, windchimes, frames... stuff....

4. Keep the Samples, and Display them Awesomely

Completely randomly, i'm currently making a mini-rock collection for my mom for her dollhouse. Which made me think about different displays of scientific collections, and how pretty they can be. Rather than thinking that you have too many rocks to store, consider that you already own potential home decor.

My favorite display lately is from Jay Walker, as recently profiled in Wired:

Yeah, our collections are not going to look that fabulously amazing any time soon, but really, i love his library so much i'd take any excuse to link to it.

a slightly more reasonable future display case:


5. Impress Your Friends Next Time We're Camping
If i remember correctly, you have a ton of fluorite. And fluorite happens to display interesting thermoluminescence, which conveniently lends itself to
cool campfire tricks.