Violets grow on the fertile soil of Mount Etna. I love their delicate, tiny flowers and I created the designs for earrings and a necklace after a day spent lost amongst the fennel plants and other verdent, roadside plants, just below the black line of the lava.

Drawing from the French word "citron", lemon, a citrine gemstone emulates the vitality and freshness of the vivid yellow fruit, as a symbol for prosperity, success, and imagination. Burnished in shades of yellow, from clear glistening yellows to flaming oranges, they are thought of as gemmologist's gold. Pale stones remind Cassandra of white waterlilies, the brighter yellows of tumbling Banksiae roses, and the golden richer hues of autumnal dahlias. Natural citrine can be found in Brazil, Spain, and Madagascar. As November's birthstone, they are said to protect against evil thoughts, stripping away your negativity with a new-found zest for creativity and exciting pursuits.