Enter planet Mongo...

If you were raised on a diet of television in the 1950's, you are sure to remember the Flash Gordon series. I would rush home from school and tune in to the latest episode to see what dire deed Flash Gordon's nemesis, Emperor Ming the Merciless, was concocting on planet Mongo.  Ming was extremely tall and thin with finely chiseled features and 

 a pointed goatee.  He wore a marvelous flowing, high-collared crimson robe and his menacing look and demeanor scared the hell out of me!  Although my latest geometric beaded cuff was not conceived with Ming in mind, upon completion it reminded me of a spaceship from which you could see distant constellations and I thought about Ming and contemplated the notion of the possible existence of an Empress Ming.  Surely, she would wear this cuff!  A regal accessory such as this would certainly let everyone know that the Empress meant business!  If you haven't guessed by now, the title of this piece is "Empress Ming's Cuff".  If you're interested in trying your hand at geometric beadwork check out Kate McKinnon's new book "Contemporary Geometric Beadwork" and Jean Power's "Geometric Beadwork".