Big Cat’s Floral Collar

Aged, flowering vines weave along the top strap, their leaves antiqued with time. Beneath there sits a dark brown back strap, its face scarred from times gone past. A soft, hand-stitched leather liner lies below that cushioning the neck while worn.

In this collar, vintage personality meets modern comforts. It was about time I made myself a collar, right? Finally mustering the courage to make something personal, I went ahead and experimented a small bit on this one.

Each leaf and flower is painted by hand with a toothpick. Tedious is an understatement. One accidental boon though is found in the leaves. The paint used for them isn’t of the same brand and quality as the flowers, and so didn’t bind with the leather as good. This inadvertently gave them a weathered vintage look and honestly, I’m digging it combined with the antiquing.

When creating this piece, I wanted something to be able to show as a personal example of what I could do for future works, and I think I’ve honestly found it. It hasn’t even been a year since I first officially opened for custom work either. No matter how big or small your contribution has been, you helped me get here.

To everyone who has commissioned and/or supported me, and my work, thank you so much. I wouldn’t have gotten this far without you.