Information Technology Consultant for a great team in North Carolina.  While working full-time, she follows her passion for designing new things. Moving to North Carolina in 2017 after living in Texas most of her life, she and her husband fell in love with the mountains and beaches around the state. During her time recovering from medical concerns, they visited many gem mining locations throughout North Carolina. With each visit, they fell in love with finding and identifying the gemstones.

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The passion for rockhounding grew into learning how to make the rocks shine by cabbing, jewelry making, and faceting. During these medical events, Nicole coined the phrase, “When life gives you rocks, make them shine.” Not knowing that this phrase would be apropos to the worldwide events of 2020, she started sharing her designs with her family and friends on Facebook. Everyone loved her work and started to support her, asking for a page to see all her current and previous designs. It was then "I Heart Gemstones" official hobby/small business was born.

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As seen on the site, their prices are kept just above cost to make items affordable to everyone. Their profit comes from the joy people get when receiving something so unique and made with love. They have been known to give close friends and family name your price within reason to cover costs. While Nicole is the leading lapidarious and jewelry designer, her husband William, who is retired, oversees the tumbling process and ensures those rocks shine nicely.

They have proven that even when life gives you rocks, you can make them shine!