Rock on

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about ways to bring the outdoors in when decorating your home. Few people take that tip as seriously as Spokane artist Patsy Pinch .

Pinch collects rocks while taking walks and either gives them a function (as cabinet pulls, soap dishes, candle holders or bookends, for example) or displays them as part of a whimsical collage in a shadow box. She’s always on the lookout for unique finds, and sometimes the rock’s shape says enough on it’s own, like the one she once found that looked just like a dog’s head and chest. It’s the first image you see here .

Pinch lovingly chooses the rocks, cleans them, then applies a varnish, giving them a finished look that’s neither too shiny nor too dull. (The type of varnish she uses is a secret.)

Pinch’s rocks are sold in boutiques and gift shops, including Mountain Comfort Furnishings & Design in Coeur d’Alene, Simply Northwest in Spokane Valley and at the Morning Star Lodge Gift Shop at Silver Mountain Resort. For a full list of locations, click here .

Her cabinet pulls, which she says look best on dark woods, alder or hickory, have been used in million-dollar homes. And around Valentine’s Day, Pinch’s heart-shaped rocks are popular with male customers looking for a unique gift for their sweethearts.

Pinch first started collecting and polishing rocks as a homegrown form of therapy while battling thyroid cancer. She’s cancer free now, but her love of rocks is as strong as ever.

Visit her Web site to learn more about her work.

Do you collect rocks? What’s the most unusual shaped rock you’ve found?

Photo of rock bookends courtesy of Patsy Pinch.