There's a local holistic health fair held here every summer, and like last year, I enjoyed browsing the stalls again, making new discoveries. This time I was stopped on my tracks by stones that were best described as 'silently singing' when I walked past... well I couldn't walk past, of course, but gasped and had to stop. Ah, any photos just don't do justice to what I was able to handle, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

Chatting with Alexis, the creator of these Soul Stones, was like meeting a long lost friend. Her beautiful calligraphy and sensitive handling of the stones she works with, really bring out the best in them. Because I'm so enamoured with natural sea-tumbled Flint pebbles, it was delightful to see their spirit brought out in this way. I especially loved her 'Map' stones that reminded me of ancient treasure maps, showing an explorable terrain by accentuating the stones' natural patterning and shapes. Breathtakingly beautiful, including the chosen words that allow the stone to speak its message in a poetic yet direct way.  



Two of her stones whispered to me (very loudly) so I couldn't leave them, and thus my art studio now has two new stone spirits to keep me company. There could never be too many, right? The other one (with a natural dent that in time might have developed into a holey hagstone) says: "vortex, whirl, wheel, spin, coil, spiral" and the other one shows an intricately drawn compass, painted in gold, with words: "You are always exactly where you need to be." Aren't they special?

If you want to commemorate something or gift yourself with one of these treasures, Alexis creates custom stones too. You can get in contact with her through her website at soulstones.co.uk