My Big Dream Catcher

Back in the beginning of February, I wrote a post about the large dream catcher I was planning to make. You may have wondered, if I forgot to post the end result or just abandoned the project all together, as I never spoke of it again.

Well, neither, really. I did go ahead and make it .... and make it .... and make it!

It appears to be one of those things that took on a life of it’s own and kept on growing and evolving. And even now, it’s by no means finished. I know that I still want to weave in a few more strands of relevant gem stones, take it up the sides a little more, etc.

Yes,  it still doesn’t feel done! However, I has been hanging above my bed for quite some time now as it’s evolving, so regard this post as a “progress update”, rather than a “I’m showing you my finished work” kind of post. Another one of those “work in progress” projects I mentioned in my last post.

But this one really lends itself to that status. As I add things that are precious to me, little knick-knacks and reminders of people and places, it grows and evolves and maybe it will never be entirely finished!

 

 

The interesting thing is also, that as I got started with the dream catcher, I had a completely different room. The long overdue and long wished-for re-design/reshuffle of my bedroom happened just in the last 2 weeks or so, too. Nothing fancy! Nothing expensive either - but oh so much more ME right now!

The room was in quite neutral greens and browns ever since we moved in, but I had such a desire to make it look and feel brighter, lighter with punches of color, especially lately! And some of my art work! And a little sacred corner!

So, I ended up with white, natural (light) wood tones and pops of orange and teal! Rather daring for me, I must say! But I love it!

This also started showing up in my otherwise quite neutral dream catcher!

See the Courage feather in there? I love that it ended up being the longest point of the dream catcher and with that, the closest in proximity to me! I think it is fitting!

So, what exactly do I have in this cream catcher?

 

 

Well, first of all, rather than weaving the inner part of the dream catcher, I strung a crochet lace doily to the metal loop, which I had left-over from my pantry project (I used the rings on the lazy Suzan's to stop the cans from sliding off.)

And then I have such an array of things. Feathers, obviously, lots of feathers. Some I found, some I bought, some were given to me!

 

 

Gems, pearls, beads, rocks, a piece of wood gathered by a friend for me on a walk, a copper triskelion I made for another project, a little earthen goddess I inherited from my mother, rose glass beads strung on lace, a heart shaped gemstone, a carved Buddha bead, silver wire pieces, lamp work pieces...  The list just goes on and on! Each piece, large or small, is there for a reason. And for a reason that is important and meaningful to me - nobody else. It’s a very personal piece and I love that about it!

 

And honestly, collecting significant pieces together for this project has been just as much fun and meaningful as the whole dream catcher itself! I also love that a lot of my little treasures now have a home, other than in a box or drawer!

My 8-year-old daughter has started to make her own dream catcher for her room, since mine has been up on the wall. She hasn’t asked for any help in making it and she is just using things that she finds in her room, making it out of bits of plastic, paper feathers and tiny little treasures she has collected over time!

How awesome is that!!

 

Here is a lovely story I found at Dream Catchers.org:

History of Dream Catchers:

Long ago when the word was sound, an old Lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain and had a vision. In his vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and searcher of wisdom, appeared in the form of a spider. Iktomi spoke to him in a sacred language. As he spoke, Iktomi the spider picked up the elder’s willow hoop which had feathers, horsehair, beads and offerings on it, and began to spin a web. He spoke to the elder about the cycles of life, how we begin our lives as infants, move on through childhood and on to adulthood. Finally we go to old age where we must be taken care of as infants, completing the cycle.

But, Iktomi said as he continued to spin his web, in each time of life there are many forces, some good and some bad. If you listen to the good forces, they will steer you in the right direction.  But, if you listen to the bad forces, they’ll steer you in the wrong direction and may hurt you. So these forces can help, or can interfere with the harmony of Nature. While the spider spoke, he continued to weave his web.

When Iktomi finished speaking, he gave the elder the web and said, ”The web is a perfect circle with a hole in the center. Use the web to help your people reach their goals, making good use of their  ideas, dreams and visions. If you believe in the great spirit, the web will filter your good ideas and the bad ones will be trapped and will not pass.” (Source: www.dream-catchers.org).

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Painted Feathers - Dream Catcher

So, recently, I have developed a “thing” for dream catchers!

I have always liked them, but of late they have shown up for me all over the place, even in my dreams. A girl can take a hint!

Even though initially, I didn’t know what to do with it, once I relaxed into the notion of making myself a completely personalized dream catcher, ideas started to tumble in left, right and center.

Not only that, it all fell into place!

For years now, I have had this empty spot above my bed. It has never really happened to me before, that I couldn’t easily find a "decorating solution.” Sure , sometimes I would put something some place, then a while later find something better, but I’ve never had a spot where just nothing felt right! Except for that space above my bed! Anything I have put there, just didn’t feel right. It didn’t belong there.

But after listening to the whispers about the dream catcher, and we’re talking quite a big one, it is finally clear that this is what that empty wall has been waiting for!

 

So, I went and looked for some more unconventional dream catchers on the web for further inspiration and what a treasure trove I found!

 

Let me share just a few with you:

I was so inspired by this amazing dream catcher, made by Rachel Rice! Isn't it just gorgeous? It set all sorts of idea wheels in motion in my brain!

And I love the organic shape of this one.  It’s flowing and multi-level and just amazing!

And this one - so pretty! And all made from paper!
And one last one - so colorful and more unusual!

 

I’m hoping to make mine somewhere in between all of them, even though I will keep it in more neutral tones, with a few pops of color.

 

This is going to be quite the labor of love, and an ongoing project for a while, but I am already having so much fun with it.  So far I’ve wrapped the hoop in suede bands and stretched the crochet inside of it!

The hoop is 14” and was a left-over from my pantry project many years ago! I had used the hoops around the lazy susans, to stop the cans from sliding off!

 

 

I’ve been going through my little treasures, to find things that I want to incorporate in that dream catcher “dangles.”. It has been such fun picking out things that felt like they wanted to be part of it. Crystals, gems, lace, rocks, beads - yes, all of it will be part of the dream catcher.

 

 

And feathers.

Feathers will be playing a big part, as they often do in dream catchers.

I also want to incorporate my word for the year (courage) into the dream catcher, as well as some other words and phrases that are important reminders to me.

Initially I thought I’d make some paper feathers from some of my art work and write the words on there, and I may still do that in addition, but then I remembered seeing words written on actual feathers somewhere and I just HAD to try it!

The perfectionist in me was quite exasperated with my haphazard approach of “just trying it” and felt very strongly that I should be doing some good research on this first. Watch some tutorials. You know, learn how to “do it right!”

But, I’m happy to report that she really didn’t get a say in this, as I just wanted to go and try it! 

And it’s so much easier than I thought!

 

 

I am seriously in love with this and I think there will be many more stamped, decorated and otherwise made meaningful feathers before my dream catcher is all said and done!

As my first one, I used a somewhat more ragged looking feather, just in case it all goes wrong. However, it didn’t go wrong and I love the less-than-perfect edges!

 

Ok, let’s get started.

You will need: some tape, a small brush and just about any medium, paint etc. you want, as long as it’s not water based. So, acrylic paint is fine, acrylic ink is fine, solvent ink pads are good, oil based pens, glitter pens, metallic paint and pens, sharpies, alcohol ink - whatever you have on hand.

If you have none of the above, glue and glitter will work too. Stickles are great for this, as is just some glue and perfect pearl powder.

Failing that, glue and glimmering eye shadow will do the trick too.

See what I mean about this being versatile?

And if  you are going to stamp your feather, you’ll need some stamps, of course.

I would also recommend a clear, glossy fixative spray.  It will keep everything nicely adhered to the feather once you’re done and really brings out the depth of color on your writing/drawing on the feather. Acrylics tend to dry a little dull on a feather, so this will take care of that!

 

1. Tape down your feather to your work surface. Try and do this as gently as possible and as much on the edge as possible, to give yourself maximum working space. Make sure you catch enough of the edges though to keep your feather steady and all the little feathery bits in place.

 

 

2. Start decorating. I started at the end of the feather, then did the word later, but you can start anywhere you like.

On this feather I used Pearlescent acrylic ink, gold stickles, diamond stickles and some of the glue and perfect pearl powder mix I used for the word.

 

 

3. Writing. I made up a tiny bit of of a paste of mod podge and some gold perfect pearls powder and mixed it together. Then I wrote the word “courage” on the feather. At first, very faintly, with just a tiny bit of water, so if I made a mistake I could maybe wipe it off.

Then I went over it again, this time with a stronger mix, just to strengthen it.

 

 

You could also brush your feather with mod podge or Elmer’s glue, or write in Elmer’s glue, or paint patterns in glue, then sprinkle some glitter on, shake it off and let it dry!

 

4. Let it dry. The stickles took a while to dry, but I LOVE the raised quality! So shiny and they look almost like little beads! Love it!

 

 

5. Seal it. My last step was to give both sides of the feather a couple of spray coatings with a clear, acrylic fixative spray. Do this outside though please, this stuff stinks!

And voila! Here’s the finished feather!

 

 

And here’s another!

 

This one I stamped, sprayed with alcohol inks, decorated with sharpies and stickles. I haven’t sprayed it with the fixative yet however, hence it’s still looking a little dull!

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