the lighter side of dark gardens: the glossary continued

Most of my inspiration for my summer collection comes from actual plants, but for the sake of fun I took some liberties along the way. The names for the two pieces below were taken from Stella Gibbons' humorous Gothic novel, Cold Comfort Farm. The main character of the novel is Miss Flora Poste, who goes to stay with distant relatives at the slovenly and mysterious Cold Comfort Farm. Hilarity and enlightenment (for the relatives - Flora is already quite enlightened for a single woman in 1932) ensue. I named the little rosette studs Flora in Miss Poste's honor. The necklace is called Sukebind, after a fictional weed which blooms in spring on the farm, unleashing rampant sexual urges and inevitably resulting, year after year, in the maid's pregnancy. In 1995, there was an enchanting movie adaption of the novel, starring Kate Beckinsale as Flora. Well worth watching for the funny, the dresses, the hats and an unforgettably smoldering Rufus Sewell.

The Sukebind Necklace is a single, stunning Art Deco molded and faceted lavender glass circle, hung on a double length of vintage brass faceted ball chain. The Flora Posts are vintage pearlized plastic roses with tiny rhinestones in the center, securely attached to sterling silver posts.