'Penn' Part II Collection
Introducing my new upcoming collection ‘Penn’. This is the second chapter of this story. Much like my life, a new beginning of sorts.
I first introduced this theme to you back in 2021, and now, 5 years later I’ve chosen to bring this back. I needed to regroup, and what better way than to talk about what I love, nature, and my home. Penn is an homage to the places I love most and a way to tell about the home I live in. My safe place. It’s a new beginning, and it starts from home. Right after the ‘death’ collection, a year later comes the ‘life’ collection of sorts. Kind of comical to think that I literally almost gave up my art and my last collection was about ‘death’. I’m giving it another shot with ‘life’, 11 months later. No, like, literally. The past few years, some of you remember I had the immune system of a Victorian child, so much that it was a joke at my day job. ‘Giulia always has something’. Thanks to my stubbornness i decided to have surgery (which doctors said it was a waste of time, so yeah, I did have to pay out of pocket), turns out that something was cancer. Guess who’s been 300 times better since then? Me! A few years ago, the first time I had been seriously ill and woke up not being able to move a muscle (fun!!), I lost who I thought were my best friends of 19 years. So coming back here after a year of silence is a scary feeling, have I been left out again? Has everybody forgotten my art? I hope There’s still space for me here, and I truly hope you will have 10 seconds of your time to check my work out-.
Frog Tree House Locket Necklace
A small frog has taken residence in this old tree trunk and transformed it into this beautiful house we see today. He built a staircase in the back to help him hop on the roof of the house and into his rooftop-pond.
This sterling locket opens thanks to the small frog that serves as a handle and closes via a small magnet inside
The stone is a quartz with fuchsite inclusions from Ambatofinandrahana in Madagascar.
The Forest Green Rainbow Necklace
In the woods you stumble around millions of shades of green, the different types of moss, the leaves, lichens… here’s a crystal colour wheel for you to keep the memory of them always with you. The center is an aventurine stone, while all around it there’s 13 crystals of rough tourmaline, in their natural form. The back is carved as if it was wood and the center cut to shine even more light on the main stone!
Tourmaline & Chrome Diopside Snakes Statement Necklace
If you’ve been following me for a while, you may already now I’m the biggest art nouveau fan, so creating pieces inspired by it is always something I look forward to. As always, for pieces like this, I go all out with the stones!!
The snakes are biting into two faceted gems of chrome diopside, the same stone I used as the little charm. In the centre lies a rough crystal of green tourmaline (yes, they come out of the earth that pretty!!), and on the top, as a chain holder, you can see a faceted green tourmaline!
Peridot Spiral Tree Key Necklace
Here’s the 35th Key to the gates of the forest
This one unlocks the most magical part, were stone circles and spirals can be found on the ground, left by the ancient civilisations before us. Places were the magic is stronger and you can feel it in your bones and in the tip of your fingers
This key has three beautiful faceted peridot stones as small vine leaves. The magical world of the Penn Collection has been unlocked thanks to this key. The spiral will guide you your way, to look within.. like the back of the piece suggests.
Peridot Snakes Key Necklace
This journey is coming to an end, the gates to the Penn forest are about to close up.
Here’s the 36th Key to the gates of the forest
The snakes here are whispering in your ear … they tell you to stay, and you would love to stick around I know, the world of Penn is magical, but more things await you!!
This key has three beautiful faceted peridot stones as snake heads, they intertwine to form a key.
Snakes Sword Necklace
And so the journey continues into the forest, and there, in a small clearing stands the fae’s version of Excalibur. A majestic sword with a hilt holding a rose-cut bright green chrome diopside stone, all around it there’s vipers crawling and biting small peridot stones.
The Woods Have Eyes Everywhere Necklace
As as you go deep into the forest, it gets darker and darker, suddenly, you feel a presence. Do the trees have eyes? Or is it jut the shape that the broken branches leave on the tree trunks? As soon as I first saw this stone years ago, I KNEW it was going to become this piece. The stone is a beautiful star galaxy jasper.
The Crossing Prehnite Necklace
A beautiful prehnite stone with interesting inclusions in the front, and a lady and her horse crossing a medieval one-arch bridge in the back.
'Marmitte dei Giganti' Fluorite Necklace
And on your travel through these lands, you stumble across the most magical river rock formation. The ‘’rocks of the giants’’. The tale says that giants sculpted these rocks but in reality, the natural power of melting-glacier water eroded the rocks during the years (you know, just a couple thousand years). The ‘Marmitte dei Giganti’ is a real life place in Val Vona (Parma, Italy). The stone I used for this piece is a gorgeous light green fluorite!!
'Torrechiara Castle' Ocean Jasper Necklace
During your journey you stumble around a breathtaking sight. It's the best-known castle of our little land. The 'Torrechiara' (the pale/light tower translated) castle. The stone is a beautiful ocean jasper stone.
'Mount Barigazzo' Labradorite Necklace
My favorite tree is this giant beech tree here, it’s situated at Mount Barigazzo (Italy), in the old church’s park. hundreds of years old, it’s the dreamiest tree to perch on while resting or reading. Especially in late may, when the fields around it fill up with wild orchids! A true magical sight!
'Stretti di Giaredo' Bloodstone Jasper Necklace
It is not uncommon for our land to have canyon-like formations. One of the most known is ‘Stretti di Giaredo’. It’s also not uncommon to find fossils in certain areas of the apennines, so I wanted to include that as well in this piece.
The stone in this piece is a bloodstone jasper.
'Bardi Castle' Bloodstone Jasper Necklace
You are at the edge of a cliff and down there starts this magical valley. A castle in the distance, and dragons roaming the valley below and the skies above!
Pictured here is a real castle situated in the mountains near my town (Bardi, Italy!), and no, unfortunately there’s actaully no dragons in real life, I KNOW, bummer!
The stone in this piece is a really beautiful bloodstone jasper.
'Cascata Delle Aquile' Aventurine Necklace
Another one of the most magical places on this side of the Apennines is the 'Cascata delle aquile' (Fall of the eagles translated). A 20 meters drop of pure magic! The crisp and fresh water attract the wild horses of the apennines. This place is located in Val Lecca (Bardi, Italy).
'The Secret Date' Aventurine Necklace
The maiden and the knight are having a secret meeting at their spot in the woods, a fallen tree trunk over a small canyon. The stone is a pretty aventurine!
Green Obsidian Dragon Egg Necklace
The front is a beautiful obsidian stone with green orb-shaped reflections. The stone is curved and shaped as if it was a mysterious looking egg. The back is full of dragon scales. I sawed each one by hand, shaped and textured it and then soldered them all together.
'The Castle's Wall' Chrome Dioptase Necklace
A collector grade specimen of chrome dioptase is used in this piece. To protect its fragile naturel, it is enclosed in sterling silver walls, just like ancient castle's walls. With vines climbing of it and scribbled words, initials, symbols.
Uvarovite Three Hares Necklace
The hare has been one of the central animals of the ‘Penn’ Collection. With this piece I wanted to pay a little homage to the Celtic roots of this land an create a piece with one of the most known symbols. The stone used here is a uvarovite stone from Sarany (Ural mountains).
'The Roman Bridge' Lady & Knight Malachite Necklace
On the old ruins of the Roman bridge, the maiden and the knight secretly meet. A tale crossing time. This piece represents a real life bridge that still stands and dates back to the passage from the end the roman times to the beginning of medieval times! So turning it into this felt meant to be.
The stone is a beautiful malachite specimen in its natural rough state, straight from the earth.
Epidot Crystal Cluster Talking Tree Necklace
Every woods has its own talking trees, and the Apennines are no exception. Here is a sweet and mighty talking pine tree. It's hugging a beautiful epidot crystal from Ilmechel (Morocco). The epidot crystals reming me of pine tree needles!
'The Salt Smugglers' Italian Epidot Necklace
You’ve met Mr. Fox before, he goes as a bard by day, and thief by night. Here he is caught in 4k (aka sterling silver), with Mr. Hare, while he is smuggling bags of salt through the Cirone pass.
In history, this pass was called the ‘salt road’ as it was used to smuggle salt (back when it was precious material) between Tuscany and Emilia which used to be two separate countries before unification. In the back of the piece you can spot the iconic church of the Mount Orsaro, that marks were the pass and the border used to be!
For this piece, I used a beautiful crystal cluster of Italian epidote from Val di Viu (Piedmont, Italy)
'Fontanellato Castle' Uvarovite Necklace
Another iconic castle from these lands is the fortress in Fontanellato (Parma, Italy). With its iconic lookout tower, the still functional moat and its iconic sun shaped clock in the entrance. It sits atop a beautiful uvarovite stone from Sarany in the Ural mountains.
Frog & The Lady Fuchsite Quartz Necklace
As the travelling continues, you stumble upon a beautiful mountain river. The water so cold and crisp you can smell and feel it in the breeze. So you perch on the river rocks to admire it’s beauty and you’re met with a curious and friendly frog. The stone they are sitting on is a quartz with fuchsite inclusions from Ambatofinandrahana in Madagascar!!
The Tower With Yellow Sapphires & Italian Epidot Necklace
This tower stands on top a stunning crystal cluster of Italian Epidot from Val di Viu (Piedmont, Italy)! A stunning collector’s grade mineral! On the tower, there’s yellow roses climbing on the side, and some of them are made of small faceted yellow sapphires!
Ivy Sword & Aventurine Heart Necklace
This ancient sword has been laying here for quite sometime, with ivy growing and climbing on it. The stone heart is a beautiful green aventurine heart. The back of the stone is cut-out in the shape of the jewel itself.
The Bards on Prehnite Crystal Necklace
Presenting to you the Forest’s crew, thieves by night and bards by day. They will keep you company in here, you shall see them every now and then, they will appear in a corner of the forest’s past. The bards are sitting on top of a stunning prehnite crystal cluster.
Ammonite Snail Necklace
During our trip into the forest it seems we stumbled upon a very peculiar snail. Perched on top of a mushroom she’s looking out for her next quest. This snail is very old, her shell is made of a black ammonite fossil, that roamed the earth 190-390 million years ago!
Italian Jade Fern Necklace
What’s a forest without moss and ferns? Here’s a beautiful piece of Italian Jade (from Val Pellice, Piedmont, Italy) in the front and a fern in the back.. or is it the other way around? Oh well, you can wear it however side you want!!
Hedgehog Thief Necklace
In lots of medieval art, hedgehogs are portrayed as stealing fruits, especially apples. They used their spiky quills to roll on the ground and pick up any fallen fruits. It’s said that this story comes back all the way from the Romans, as they thought that hedgehogs were little stealing creatures.
So here I made a tiny apple-stealing-hedgehog!
Actinolite Quartz Point Ivy Necklace
A stunning quartz point with green actinolite inclusions. It’s wrapped in ivy leaves, same as the bail that holds the chain!
Green Beetle Onyx Necklace
Who’s the real beetle? The little black guy here or his little green chalcedony friend? The necklace holds a beetle-shaped stone. Hugged in sterling silver to form the insect. The little bail is made in brass with small patterns on it.
Medieval Hare With Ax & Green Agate Necklace
One more hare necklace. This time I was inspired by the medieval illustrations of them, and so here is a hare with an ax. This hare might be small but it sure is dangerous nonetheless!!! It sits on the back of a beautiful rich forest green agate stone.
Medieval Architecture Detail Labradorite Necklace
In the front you can see a beautiful labradorite with colorful reflections. The back hold a small medieval-style architectural detail. A tiny necklace perfect for everyday!
Aventurine Frog Necklace
Oh would you look at that! This is frogtastic!!!! Mr. Frog on his day off is here at the river with us perched on the rocks, thinking about taking a dip in the cold fresh water. The stone is carved in the shape of a frog and it's a beautiful aventurine crystal!!
Green Tourmaline Ivy Necklace
The front of this ivy leaf hold a green tourmaline crystal, while the back has the words 'you are magic' carved on it, as a tiny reminder that you are indeed magical!!
Arkansas Wavellite Snail Necklace
A beautiful wavellite stone mined in Arkansas, USA. On its top it holds a small snail, while all around the back is tree branches holding the piece together. The chain bail is shaoed life ivy leaves.
Moldavite or Chrome Dioptase Frog Necklace
Frogs are hugging stones and keeping the necklace together. The chain bail is shaped like a lillypad. You can choose between moldavite from the Czech republic (I bought it direclty from the miner himself!!) or you can choose chrome dioptase.
Wild Daffodils 'Giunchiglie' Prehnite Necklace
There's a couple places in the Emilian Apennines that have big fields of wild daffodils (giunchiglie in Italian). I wanted to pay homage to their beauty with this piece here.
Apatite or Tourmaline Excalibur Mini Necklace
Small Excalibur swords are stuck in these rocks. You can choose between Mexican Apatite or Green Tourmaline!
Talc Crystal From Florence Italy Ivy Necklace
This is one of those mineral that you don't see everyday. Almost cloud shaped, this specimen of talc comes from Italy (mined in Impruneta, Florence, Italy). It's hugged in sterling silver ivy.
BUY ME!
Fern Hugging Green Tourmaline Necklace
A small green tourmaline crystal is gently hugged by fern, creating a perfect everyday necklace for the nature's lover!!
The Green Forest 3-Stone Earrings
Beautiful mis-matched earring with vesuviatine crysals (two light green crystal points), green mexican geodes and green tourmaline (a slice and a point). Perfect for everyday but also for fancier occasions with the stunning collection of crystals they feature.
The Green Forest 4-Stone Earrings
If you love minerals you'll love these. A pair of earrings featuring prehnite crystals (shaped like bows), Watermelon tourmaline, green mexican geodes, and faceted emeralds!!
Peridot & Tourmaline Hares Earrings
The sleeping hares have prehnite stones on them, while the earlobes are with light green tourmaline crystals in their natural form.
'The Hooded Bards' Tourmaline Earrings
As you’ve discovered in the previous weeks, Mr. Fox (playing the flute) and Mr. Hare (playing the fiddle) are thieves by night and musicians by day…
In this pair of earrings, you can see two beautiful green tourmaline crystals in their natural state!
Green Tourmaline Earrings
A stunning pair of green tourmaline crystals in their rough natural state, they come out of the earth already this pretty!! What a marvelous earth!!
Ammonite Snail Earrings
These millions of years old ammonite fossils are used in this pair of ear studs as cute little snails!
'The Bards' Chalcedony Ring - Size 7 1/4 US
The bards are back at it again! Told you they’d be showing you the way! Here they are nestled in a tree-trunk-shaped-ring. This stone is a stunning aqua-green chalcedony! With a magnetizing look, this ring and stone is perfect for every occasion. Ring size is: 7 1/4 US - 15 IT.
Green Tourmaline Flower Rings - Finished In Your Preferred Size
This ring features six green tourmalines, arranged to form a flower. The ring band is made to look like a tree twig. The ring will be finished in your preferred size.
Chrome Diopside Forest Ring - Size 8 1/2 US)
A little close-up of this ring that with it’s semplicity, it incapsulates the spirit of the forest. The green crome diopside stone is hugged by sterling silver branches.
Ammonite Snails & Ivy Bracelet
As you may or may not know if you’re knew here, I don’t usually do bracelets, why? Well, I don’t particularly fancy making them, unless I have a crazy idea, that i just NEED to create. Like this one I had here. Four ammonite fossils as snails, alternating with ivy leaves that I hand-crafted from sterling silver sheet the old-fashioned way. In the back you can find the words ''you are magic'' carved in the silver.