About Rocks & Runes

Meet the Staff:

• Wendy - Owner and founder of Rocks and Runes. Has a small petting zoo in her back yard (peacocks, dogs, lizard…just to name a few) An eccentric rock-a-holic who does not seek recovery. Loves her opals and we love her designs.
• Dave - Our resident electrician. Handles all of our technical needs and looks after the egg farm in his spare time.
• Amy - A most gifted jeweler and trusted friend. You will see much of her magic on this site. Amy rocks!

Rocks and Runes (formerly known as Designs of Down Under) is a company that specializes in the metaphysical properties of semi-precious gems and minerals. We believe that physical upsets, imbalances, and diseases are created from emotional stress or trauma. To counteract that stress, we seek natural remedies, in the form of gemstones and crystals. (To read how gemstones can affect you, click on “About Chakras” and “About Gemstones” in the navigation bar to your left.)
Our philosophy is:
“If your car is broken, consult the manufacturer; if your body is broken consult the earth.”

Our product line includes jewelry for the physical being and specimens for the home and workplace. Custom orders for specific jewelry requirements are welcome (contact us via e-mail or phone). We also have handcrafted runes, which are created in the old way, designed to enhance communication with the spirit world. (To see details, click on “About Runes” in the navigation bar to your left.)

Wendy Ansel, creator and founder of Rocks and Runes, has over twenty years experience in the trade. Born in Boston, she left her family at the age of 18 and toured Europe. She then moved to Australia, acquired dual citizenship, and traveled the Outback for over twelve years. There, she developed her relationship with nature and learned the art of listening to the earth. She also traveled extensively through Southeast Asia. Her travels include Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Korea, Nepal, and an 8-month stay in Japan.

In 1990, Wendy Ansel moved back to the United States and worked in San Francisco, designing fine jewelry for “Opals and Gems of Australia” for five and a half years. There, she specialized in Australian Opals, fine tuning her skills in jewelry design, customer service, business management, and product knowledge. Finding the need for expansion, Wendy became involved in the start-up business of “Eartheart Healing Jewelry” on Union Street. In that metaphysical store, she managed consignment artists and was in charge of purchasing and sales. Wendy used her creativity to design displays and expand her personal product line to include semi-precious gemstones and exotic specimens from around the world. After five years, the company was sold and Wendy moved to Los Angeles to expand her own business.

To escape the binds of retail locations, Wendy chose trade shows as her means of contacting clients. Now, to maintain better communication, she offers to you this website so you can keep in touch. You can contact her personally via e-mail, phone, or by visiting her at a local trade show. (For a list of upcoming shows, click on “Upcoming Shows” in the navigation bar to your left.) We look forward to hearing from you soon.

~Rocks and Runes