PERFUMED AND STONED
WE SPENT THANKSGIVING IN NAPLES ON THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA. (THANK YOU ANTONELLA AND ROLAND FOR A DELICIOUS TIME!)
THE COASTLINE HAS BEACHES OF WHITE CORAL SAND WITH SHELLS AND PEBBLES OF AGATE, LIMESTONE, LAVA AND COQUINA (CEMENTED SHELL FRAGMENTS)
WE COLLECTED THEM ON THE BEACH AND WERE SURPRISED BY HOW LIGHT THEY ARE BECAUSE OF THEIR NATURAL HOLES AND EROSION FROM THE SEA
THESE STONES WITH THEIR HOLES ARE NATURAL HOLDERS FOR PERFUME. THE PERFUME INFUSES THE SURFACE AND RECESSES AND RELEASES SLOWLY. WORN AROUND THE NECK A PERFUMED NECKLACE IS A MODERN POMANDER, BELOVED OF RENAISSANCE NOBILITY
WE ARE CURRENTLY MAKING SOME OF THE STONES INTO PERFUMED NECKLACES FOR USING WITH LARIA
PERFUMED STONES CAN DECORATE A ROOM WITH ORGANIC SHAPES AND FRAGRANCE
WE WERE REMINDED OF THE MONIES STORE IN PLACE DU PALAIS ROYAL IN PARIS WHERE WE DISCOVERED THE BEAUTY OF RAW NATURE EXPRESSED IN JEWELRY
ANOTHER INSPIRATION FOR WORKING WITH WILD STONES WAS THE WORK OF ANDREW GRIMA. HE WAS AN ITALIAN BORN JEWELLER WHO HAD A MAGICAL SHOP ON THE CORNER OF JERMYN ST AND DUKE ST IN LONDON IN THE 1970S. GRIMA’S SHOPFRONT, DESIGNED BY HIS BROTHER, WAS MADE OF ROUGH-HEWN SLABS OF SLATE ON A MODERN BLACK STEEL STRUCTURE
WHEN PRINCE PHILIP WENT TO BUY A BROOCH IN 1966 FOR HIS WIFE QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE WOMAN WITH THE BEST JEWELRY IN THE WORLD, HE WENT TO ANDREW GRIMA
HER GRIMA CARVED RUBY BROOCH IS STILL A FAVORITE OF THE QUEEN. SHE WORE IT FOR HER 70TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY PHOTOS
THE STONE HUNTERS ON THE BEACH. NOW WE’RE BACK IN NEW YORK WRAPPED-UP WARM AGAINST THE COLD. SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR