From Dialysis to Design — And Learning to Sell Online

Stop rhyming, I mean it… Anybody want a peanut?

Three years ago, I picked up a hobby.

Not because I had extra time.
Not because I needed another project.

I picked it up because I was on dialysis.

When you sit in a chair for hours at a time, multiple days a week, you start thinking about what you can do — not what you can’t. I needed something creative. Something I could do from my desk. Something that involved my hands, my mind, and my curiosity.

That’s when I started working with natural stones.

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Learning the Stones — One Bead at a Time

At first, it was simple.

I ordered a few strands.
Watched some videos.
Made a few bracelets.

I had always been fascinated by precious metals — gold and silver — from collecting coins when I was younger and learning about scrap metals through family connections. But working with gold and silver is not easy. It takes tools, training, and patience. Melting the metals is my favorite, it pleases my inner pyromaniac. I made a few rings, and continue to experiment with Sterling Silver Wire. The Wire Bracelets currently on sale https://www.marcusgeiser.com/product-category/handmade-wire/

Natural gemstones?
That was different.

I found online suppliers online and placed orders for a variety of precious and semi precious stones. They are delicate and beautiful. I enjoy working with them in non traditional manners.

The round, polished stones felt timeless. Ancient. Intentional. The very first stones I ordered came in a variety of sizes from 4mm to 10mm and larger. When I look at the stones I can feel the powerful forces that created them in the evidence of their formation. I’ve read and listenedto all the stories about the power of the stones. I can’t personally prove the power they have but they bring me a sense of peace.

Before long, I had accumulated hundreds of stones — amethyst, labradorite, garnet, jade, jasper, quartz, tourmaline — along with spacers, charms, Tibetan beads, sterling silver accents, and gold-filled components. Each shipment felt like Christmas morning.

Every stone has a story.
Every color has a mood.
Every combination creates a different energy.

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Trial, Error, and Finding My Style

I experimented constantly.

Some bracelets were too loose.
Some too tight.
Some combinations didn’t work at all.

But that’s the beauty of creating — you learn by doing.

What started as simple stretch bracelets turned into wire-wrapped designs with lobster clasps. Then custom sizing. Then mixed-metal combinations. Then layered stacks.

And through all of it, my wife has been my biggest supporter.

Most of the first bracelets I made were for her.

She wore them.
Her friends noticed.
They asked questions.

Then I posted a few photos on social media — and people responded.

That was the moment I realized this wasn’t just therapy.

It was becoming something more.

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Then I Had to Learn How to Put Them Online

Making the bracelets was one challenge.

Selling them online?
That was a whole different education.

I had to figure out:

• How to build product pages
• How to photograph stones so the colors looked accurate
• How to write descriptions that explained the materials
• How to set up payments and shipping
• How to structure categories
• How to connect blog articles to product listings

It became an unexpected extension of the hobby.

Web design.
E-commerce.
Content creation.
Photography.
SEO.

All of it tied together.

The bracelets are now available at:
👉 marcusgeiser.com/shop

That page represents more than products.

It represents learning something completely new while sitting in a dialysis chair — and building it piece by piece.

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Handmade, One of a Kind, Made for You

What makes these bracelets special isn’t just the stones.

It’s that no two are alike.

Natural gemstones vary in tone, pattern, depth, and character. Even beads cut from the same strand have subtle differences. That means every bracelet is truly one of a kind.

But more importantly — many of my pieces are made for you.

Custom sizing.
Specific stone requests.
Exact design preferences.
Hard-to-find materials sourced intentionally.

If someone says,
“I want something with deep purple and a little gold, 7 inches exactly,”
I build it that way.

This isn’t mass production.

This is bespoke, small-batch, intentionally curated design.

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What’s Coming Next

What began as a hobby during dialysis has grown into something that brings real joy.

But we’re just getting started.

Here’s what’s coming:

• 📚 A growing Stone Library — detailed articles about each natural gemstone
• 🎥 Behind-the-scenes videos of sourcing, unboxing, and making
• 🔴 Live selling shows where you can see pieces up close
• ✍️ Expanded custom design options
• 💎 Limited small-batch curated drops

If you want to follow along, make sure you join the mailing list. That’s where new drops, custom openings, and live show announcements will go first.

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The Kidney Journey Continues

Many of you have been following my kidney transplant journey as well.

Three years ago, while starting dialysis, I started making bracelets.

Today, we are still at the top of the transplant list.

We’ve had the calls.
We’ve made the trips.
We’ve been close.

And we’re still believing the right kidney is coming at the right time.

Through it all, creating has been therapy. Focus. Gratitude. A reminder that even in waiting seasons, you can build something meaningful.

Thank you for riding this transplant journey with me. We are at the top of the list!

Donate to the Go Fund Me to Aid Post Transplant Recovery

Thank you for supporting the work.
Thank you for wearing the bracelets.
Thank you for encouraging me to keep going.

This is the first post in a new series — one that leans deeper into the jewelry, the stones, and the craft behind it all.

We’re building it — bead by bead, page by page.

— Marcus R. Geiser Sr.
The Jewelers Bench
Handmade. One of a Kind. Made for You.

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