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You could say that Jason Sivak's work isn't complete until it's set in stone.

The Youngsville, Pa., native owns Sivak Stonemasonry, a local business that recently received national attention for being featured in "Log Home Living" magazine. He now lives in Lakewood, where the majority of his work can be seen.

The idea to enter the world of stonemasonry came about while Sivak was on his honeymoon. The couple spent some time in Scotland, and Sivak was impressed with the architechure of buildings that had withstood the test of time.

"I just thought the stonework was awesome," he remembers. "Just the permanentness of it and seeing historically that these buildings have lasted a thousand years. I always wanted to do something with art and music but it never seemed practical. This seemed more like a practical artistic outlet."

When he returned to the States, Sivak was eager to venture into this new interest. He picked up a book about the craft and began working on small projects with his parents. The hands-on experience taught him how to work with stone and craft it to the consumer's liking.

"I'm all self taught," he explains. "No one has ever taught me anything. I never worked under anybody. I've never taken any classes or anything like that."

In 1999, he made his business official by creating Sivak Stonemasonry. The only permanent employee of the business, Sivak hires subcontractors for different projects. The best jobs, he explains, are the ones that allow him to unleash his creative side.

"For me, I definitely get more enjoyment (with) the more creative the job - actually building it and seeing what's in your head," he says. "I usually do them right off my head without any sketches or anything, which is a surprise for the customer as to what it is going to look like at the end."

This method is acceptable for some customers, but others would like to see what the project will look like first. In the past, Sivak has told his ideas to his cousin, a sketch artist that will put his ideas on paper for others to see. Then, using stone from a variety of places ranging from woods to demolished buildings, Sivak and his team complete the task.

The business philosophy at Sivak Stonemasonry is simple yet effective. On its Web site, the business states that "all our work requires mutual trust with our customers, as we prefer to conduct business with a handshake." Sivak continues to stand by that philosophy.

"The only people I've ever had a problem with paying and honesty are the people who have made me sign things," he admits. "In general, that's kind of why I got away from it. We are fine even if we don't have to shake hands - we just agree to something. I tell them this is what we are doing for this. I've never had an issue on that stuff."

Because of the obvious problem with moving a stone structure, Sivak and his team work right on site. Plus, working with stone does not leave room for error, and although he works from ideas in his head, every decision Sivak makes on the job is well planned and thought out.

"When you lay something in stone, it should be there for 500-plus years," Sivak says. "So we try to make everything is perfect and right because it's not easily changed or moved."

Throughout the past 10 years, the work of Sivak Stonemasonry can be seen on various homes in the area. Although he has worked with commercial buildings and landscapes in the past, he prefers to work with residental property.

"We can tend to be more creative," he explains. "There is a whole lot more stuff you have to worry about with commercial jobs. It's not really worth the stress. We kind of like to do our work while enjoying our lives and what we do. There's a lot more money in the commercial, but our quality of life would go down."

One of the most unique aspects of Sivak's stonemasonry business compared to others is his ability to dry-stack. By using stones and gravity, Sivak is able to create long-lasting structures without the use of mortar. He is most proud of his work that doesn't involve using mortar to hold the stones together, and has installed fireplaces and stone walls using this method.

This past month, Sivak Stonemasonry received national attention by being featured in an article in "Log Home Living." The article tells the story of Sivak, from his honeymoon to his current business.

"We like the free advertising," he admits. "I don't pay for advertising anywhere. Our whole thing is word of mouth. If you do good work, people will talk about it. It falls right in line with what we want. We want our work to speak for itself, and if it's good enough for magazines and stuff, I think it's good."

Recently, Sivak created a new bar for the Southern Tier Brewing Company in Lakewood, which is relocating across the street. Using all natural stone, he designed the bar with those at Southern Tier by incorporating some of the brewing company's graphics into the structure.

"It looks amazing," said Paul Cain, head brewer at Southern Tier. "It totally passed our expectations by a thousand percent."

For more than a decade, Sivak has been able to express his art and talent through stone creations that he hopes will last for centuries like the structures he saw in Scotland on his honeymoon. Now, he continues to do what he loves with a simple business philosophy and a bunch of stones.