Barbary Coast Cuff Finished!

Whoo! Finally! And I love it, which is awesome! It's always a relief to finish something that you've spent hours on when you love it. There are other shots in the listing.

Ok, so this is my Animal Instincts project. You may recall that after dismissing a few animal skin pattern ideas I wished for teeth. Well I shopped for teeth and found some fabulous ones. I decided on shark teeth because sharks are one big instinct, aren't they? They're not a very sympathetic bunch and I think that's because they don't have the capacity for learning and companionship that the sea mammals do. Sharks are less what I'd call intelligent and more what I'd call cunning. And cunning is something I associate with instinct.

Anyway, while I was shopping I learned some about the uses that ancient cultures put sharks teeth to. They wore them, of course, but they also used them for tools, lining clubs and knives with them. I tried to evoke that in the arrangement of the smaller teeth around the big one.
I realized also while I was shopping that I frequently mix cocktails of beads for my 'weaving. The variegated colors add interest for me, both while I stitch and once the piece is finished.

Finding an appropriate clasp is always an issue. I rather like the way this one turned out. It's very much in tune with the focal arrangement.

Barbary Coast is what Europeans called the middle and western coastal regions of North Africa. It evokes the sea and violence and the word barbarian (which fits this piece) and I like that it's African which connects well with the cuff being herringbone, a stitch with African roots.

I can't wait to see everyone else's project!

On to smaller things! Have to get ready for a home party this weekend.

Oh, but please don't forget to vote for me in the Etsy Challenge! *beg* *whine* *beg*

Oh, and I have another Treasury!