i figure that it's always good to let the boys know that there are alternatives available to chain necklaces and leather thonging available for them to wear.

i made this one for my beloved because i know he likes tiger's eye. i think the colours speak to him, but i think that it can look really masculine like in this pendant.  i bought the pendant from a shop locally because it made me think of him - this is how i do my gift shopping.  it originally came on leather thonging, but given the fact i live in tropical, sunny Townsville the leather doesn't last.  so i went searching for alternatives.

i had been on a steady buying spree at a local craft shop called Spotlight for their range of rat-tail thread as i was playing with knotting as part of jewelry designs. i bought these two colours and saw how well they went together. he liked the colour thread combination with the pendant, so how to combine the two?

well...that meant a visit to my bookshelf.  i have a range of books that help the creative process - i'm sure that if you searched at Amazon or somewhere similar you would be able to find the titles.  anyway, i pulled out one called "Ornamental Knots for Beaded Jewellery" by Suzen Millidot.  i found the perfect use of the thread to go with the pendant - a snake chain. i liked the fact that the way the finished chain reflected the twist of the pendant.

once it was all finished to the right length, it was just a matter of finishing it off with the right clasp.  all i had in my collection were parrot clasps and they didn't look right. oh, what to do, what to do? i made the clasp myself out of Argentium sterling silver wire that i had bought earlier in the year.  it was the perfect solution because of it's low tarnish properties and the fact that my beloved tarnished standard sterling in a matter of weeks.

so what does everyone think? love feedback, so please feel free to leave some.  if you have any questions about this piece and any of the others, please ask and i will answer to the best of my ability or at least find somewhere for you to get the right information.