Photo: Dana Hargitay L.A.
background in classical music shows through in her jewelry collections with an aesthetic guided by trying to find the balance between positive and negative space. "I became fascinated by the idea of suspending stones, the way music notes are suspended on a staff. There's the sound of the note and the silence between. Stones need space, too, for a harmonious design." To me, the pieces "sing" in harmony, and become edgy, yet classic pieces suitable for a woman of any age. I think Margo says it best when she says "I believe that jewelry should not overpower a woman's natural beauty; it should simply enhance it."
Having a look through Margot's
website, I found myself not only captivated by the simplistic beauty of the semi-precious stones and pearls, but also at the amount of energy they seemed to generate. I then thought of the magical lore of stones, and how one could easily mix these beautiful pieces into one's wardrobe while also incorporating some of the more mystical correspondences. Click on any of the pictures courtesy of
Margo Morrison to go directly to the information page for that piece. All photos used with permission from
Margo Morrison.
Most everyone is familiar with turquoise as its been used by the Native Americans as well as other cultures where it is found. Traditionally, turquoise is considered a protective, lucky, money and love drawing stone. It's great for traveler's protection. Its said if you surround a green candle with a turquoise necklace and visualize wealth, it will be drawn to you! It's also worn to attract friends, for personal happiness, and to increase one's beauty, as well as for its balancing properties, and assistance in communication (hmm as a writer perhaps I need more turquoise in my life?) Sounds like a great all-around stone, and the addition of this necklace could be the start of something big in your life!
Fancy moonstones? Moonstones are known as "goddess" stones that connect you with feminine energy and your inner "goddess" (and might I add; all of Margo's creations will definitely make you feel like a goddess!) Great for self-confidence, weight loss, self-esteem issues. Its a stone for wishes, bringing what is needed rather than what is wanted. It can also help to foster psychic abilities, bringing flashes of intuition to its wearer. Circle a pink candle with a moonstone necklace to draw love to you. By its name, you can also surmise that it's associated with the moon. But its moon association is with the New Moon to the Full Moon, known as the waxing moon period. This is traditionally the time when magical work is done to draw things to you, so wear moonstones during a waxing moon to draw any of the above qualities to you! Moonstones vary in colour from grey, rainbow, to pink and peach.
Labradorite is closely connected to moonstones as they are both in the feldspar family. Where moonstone helps to enhance ones psychic abilities, labradorite will help to transform this intuition into intellectual thought so that it can be used to its fullest benefit by the wearer. If you lack patience, labradorite will help you to realize when the right time has presented itself. Labradorite also helps one to understand and accept one's destiny.
Chrysoprase is another all-purpose stone good for bringing happiness, luck, success, friendship, protection, healing and money. Whew, that's a tall order from these stones that range in colour from apple green to amber!
Bet you didn't know that wearing rhyolite enhances your creativity and helps you to bring it forth to fruition, did you? It's also known to help one to enjoy one's own vast potential, and is useful with meditation to help process the past and clear the way towards proceeding into the future. Rhyolite is also a stone of resolution which helps to bring the unresolved within one's life to completion. Tall order for such a beauty!
Going through a rough patch? Try aquamarine to soothe and calm the emotions. It also brings courage, and alertness of the mind. Aquamarine is connected with the sea and can be used as a protective amulet for those traveling by water or flying over water.
If you're shy, wear carnelian to bolster your confidence! It can also be used by those who do public speaking to give one courage and eloquence. Carnelian is also used to deflect negative thoughts one may be having. Want to spice up your love life? Wear carnelian!
Smoky quartz is a mood elevator, and is great to keep one grounded. It can also help to overcome depression and other negative emotions. Its also got energizing properties, so if you feel you need a boost, wear this smoky quartz piece!
If you're in sales or own a business emeralds will help increase the public's awareness of you or your business. Its also worn to strengthen the memory, for wisdom, and as a protective stone. I've always found emeralds to be beautiful and in their raw form they dazzle in a completely new way!
A good deal of
Hollywood stars have discovered Margo's designs as everyone from Blake Lively to Eva Longoria, Gwyneth Paltrow to Julianne Moore have her designs and wear them with panache. While this is never a deciding factor for me personally, I enjoyed seeing the pictures of how each star put together different pieces to create different looks. It shows the pieces versatility in not only going from casual to formal, but also in being able to mix and match pieces to create different looks. Think of the energy you can create by choosing to mix labradorite and moonstone, or turquoise with smoky quartz!
I tend to like chunkier pieces as seen above, but you'll also find many delicate pieces to suit those whose tastes lean in that direction. I can also see mixing some of the more delicate strands with a stronger chunky piece for a very unique look.
You can find Margo's designs online as well as in shops around the world, just click
here for details.
Additionally, as a bonus to readers of Idee Fixe, you can get a 20% discount on anything ordered through
Margo's online shop! Just enter the code "Idee Fixe" to get the discount. Offer good until 31 July 2009.
I hope you enjoyed discovering
Margo Morrison's jewelry and reading about the more mystical side of stones. Stay tuned for a fabulous giveaway available only to Idee Fixe readers!
Cheers!
Suzanne
Books used for reference for this piece are as follows:
Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic by Scott Cunningham
Love Is In The Earth -- A Kaleidoscope of Crystals by Melody
Previous published articles written by myself.
This is a small square window on the side of the house. She used stained glass paint to create the beautiful design. I think she did a fabulous job, and luckily for us, its the side that faces our house! I really need to get a good picture when the sun is shining... we've had more rain than sun this summer!
This is one of those non-descript unpainted pine computer hutches. She stained it, then did stenciling, making it look antiqued.
Close up of the stenciling and wood stain.
I took this to show the view from the kitchen through the dining to living rooms. The curtain matches the ones in the dining room and she used inexpensive beaded trim to tie them back.
Close-up of the beaded trim.
Candle sconces spruced up by bringing in the same beaded trim.
Close up of the candles with beaded trim.
A plain fabric lampshade made fresh with some gold paint. She simply took metallic gold paint and went to it painting over the fabric. Gives a lovely golden glow when the light is on!
Close up of the etching medium. Makes the glass front door more private.
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