Today I will take you through the process of making this Dream Catcher/Nightmare Giver.
I started out with a crochet mandala I made yesterday following loosely this pattern from Esther Ditskra. I wasn't crazy about the colorway I chose and I always say, if you don't like something, change it!
I started thinking about it and I thought I might use my Distress Spray Stains AND Distress Mica stains to set about changing it. I sprayed the center with Pine Needles then Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo to finish the edges. I then sprayed and flicked on Snow Flurries, Harvest Moon, Decayed, Crooked Broomstick and Frosted Juniper.
I wasn't happy with the silver showing through on the edge and started thinking about how I could change it! What if I painted on some Foundry Wax in the color Statue? Another idea was born.
I decided this was going to grow into a dream catcher. I flipped over and looked at the back. This won't do, so I changed it.
I painted the back with Black Soot Distress Paint and then followed up with some Iron Gate Distress Mica Stain. Another idea was born!
Why not make this a reversible home décor piece?
I flicked on some Picket Fence Distress paint to give it some texture. I still didn't like the edge, so I changed it!
I decided this would be the nightmare side. What could be more grungy and scary than Crypt Grit Paste? I used my finger tool to pile on the grit paste all the way around.
The other day I took a bunch of failed backgrounds and cut them up into feathers using the Tim Holtz Feathers die set I got from ScrappyShak. If you have seen my Instagram, you have seen my pile of feathers. I am surely not going to just make them and sit and admire them, I am going to use them!
I selected seven of them and sewed them up the rough middles, but what about the backs? I had an idea.
These were going to be crow feathers on the reverse side. I painted the backs all black with my Black Soot Distress Paint making sure to fill in the sides around the sewn part so they would be completely black.
In my mind, feather have a sheen to them. I grabbed my Empty Tomb Distress Crayon and scribbled it on then rubbed it in with my finger.
Trying on the Nightmare Side.
Trying on the Dream side. More to come, but first, let me get this straight. You put the lime in the coconut? Okay, back to it!
Here I have added glitter to the spines of the wings, in the center as a web, and around the outside. I have also added the Halloween Droplets.
Attaching the thread to sew the feathers on.
This spider went on the dark side.
We will be using Mummy Cloth to reinforce the feather ends.
Adding color to the Mummy Cloth with Distress Spray Stains
Reinforcing the other side of the feathers with wire glued on
Close up already wrapped
Wrapping with the Mummy Cloth
Coat with Collage Medium to further reinforce the tips and cover the thread and wire
Sewing on the feathers
Foundry Wax embellishment
Finished Front
Finished Back
