I’m Sheri Newman, the founder of Terra Gems Designs. My lifelong passion for collecting rocks began in childhood—much to the dismay of my parents, who frequently discovered forgotten geological treasures rattling around in the washing machine!

For years, these stones served as cherished mementos of our travels. However, it wasn’t until I reached ‘Gramma age’ that I uncovered the wonderful world of lapidary art. I fell in love with the deeply rewarding craft of cutting, shaping, and polishing raw semi-precious gemstones to transform them into beautiful jewelry and wearable art.

Every piece in my collection is entirely handcrafted. The journey begins by using a large lapidary saw to cut raw stones into workable slabs. There is an unmatched sense of wonder and anticipation in opening up a stone to reveal its hidden interior—an exciting surprise every single time, even if the results aren’t always traditionally flawless!

After cutting the slabs, I carefully select the most compelling sections to feature in my accessory and jewelry designs. Each stone is individually cut, contoured, and polished by hand before being set using custom wire-wrapping techniques.

Rather than relying on pre-made templates to create uniform shapes like many lapidarists do, I prefer to work free-hand and let the natural structure of the rock guide my design. This artistic freedom allows me to create truly one-of-a-kind settings that highlight the unique characteristics, patterns, and beautiful imperfections inherent to the earth.

To minimize waste, any remaining scraps or less-than-perfect remnants are gathered and refined in rock tumblers, finding new life in home decor items and other creative projects.