Announcement
Hi! I'm Maya, the new proprietor of Solid Rock Memorials & Gifts as of November 2023.
Alas, Howard and Carolyn have decided to retire from the rock & brick engraving world. Carolyn is spending time doing painting at her own pace and Howard is tinkering with some old ideas that he never had time for.
My husband and I are excited to continue the business they built from the ground up. We spent months working with them to learn the trade. Many engraved rocks made in the past few months were actually our handiwork. We are happy that Howard and Carolyn agreed to an extended transition period to help us out when needed (as long as it does not involve picking up heavy rocks).
We are looking forward to handcrafting your custom rocks, slates or pavers!
Carolyn & Howard's Story
Are you wondering how we got started with this adventure of carving memorial rocks? We have had pets all our lives, including dogs, cats, and horses — each and every one of them a once-in-a-lifetime relationship. Their unconditional love fills our hearts and the connection is without boundaries. I have asked myself many times, "How can my darling pet know what I'm thinking or feeling, and then communicate so clearly and lovingly with only those gorgeous eyes? How can I return a love that is so immeasurable?"
In 2006, I was grieving the loss of yet another loving wonderful companion and asking myself, "How can I go through this another time? How many more heartbreaks can I endure?" While sharing my grieving experience with my sister, I came up with the idea of making a memorial garden with rocks. This was not an instant idea, it happened over the course of a few weeks. I shared this idea with my husband and then just kept it on the back burner for a later opportunity. The memorial garden seemed like a great way to express my grief as well as my love and gratitude for all our pets from the past. As long as one of us is still alive, the love we shared still exists.
As our nation's economy started tanking in 2009, I was laid off from my sales job. After a year of unsuccessfully searching for a new job, I began researching the possibility of turning an idea of creating custom carved memorial rocks into a business. At the local community college, I took a class designed to help people like me get started and I learned how to project and analyze costs, overheads, expenses, and profits. Then I put together a business proposal and we borrowed enough money to buy the equipment and learn how to use it.
So far, the rocks we have created have demonstrated to us that there are no rules to how you can use your rocks or where you can place them. Some are kept indoors on a bookshelf or windowsill, others are in a garden spot specifically designed as a memorial garden, some are next to a pathway, and some are part of a pathway.
Carolyn (and Howard)
In 2006, I was grieving the loss of yet another loving wonderful companion and asking myself, "How can I go through this another time? How many more heartbreaks can I endure?" While sharing my grieving experience with my sister, I came up with the idea of making a memorial garden with rocks. This was not an instant idea, it happened over the course of a few weeks. I shared this idea with my husband and then just kept it on the back burner for a later opportunity. The memorial garden seemed like a great way to express my grief as well as my love and gratitude for all our pets from the past. As long as one of us is still alive, the love we shared still exists.
As our nation's economy started tanking in 2009, I was laid off from my sales job. After a year of unsuccessfully searching for a new job, I began researching the possibility of turning an idea of creating custom carved memorial rocks into a business. At the local community college, I took a class designed to help people like me get started and I learned how to project and analyze costs, overheads, expenses, and profits. Then I put together a business proposal and we borrowed enough money to buy the equipment and learn how to use it.
So far, the rocks we have created have demonstrated to us that there are no rules to how you can use your rocks or where you can place them. Some are kept indoors on a bookshelf or windowsill, others are in a garden spot specifically designed as a memorial garden, some are next to a pathway, and some are part of a pathway.
Carolyn (and Howard)