"This is my signature piece. The inspiration is the exquisitely cut stone which I purchased in Germany from world-renowned stonecutter Bernd Munsteiner, known as the "Picasso of Gems". The stone is a sardonyx, a variety of onyx, which is a form of banded chalcedony or agate. I made this brooch for a contest and all parts are handmade: the needle, its hinge, and the catch. I have set it in one of my favorite motifs - an unfolding blossom."