With two leafs extended to the side, and a knot tightened the stem, a fleur-de-lys was a heraldic symbol to the Bourbons. My hobby of studying heraldry began when my uncle exhibited his French and British coat of arms collections to me. The vivid colors and the bright images immediately lured me into the world of heraldry. The griffins, the crest, the motto ribbons...all of these elements stimulated my curiosity at a very young age. Some people may perceive heraldry as simply a decoration; but to me, heraldry is more than that, it is piece of art, a page of European history.