wednes-diy: featured artist rachael rice

if you love dreamcatchers as much as i do, you must check out the work of rachael rice. she’s a very talented artist who makes dream catchers that are beyond anything i’ve ever seen. and that’s just one thing she makes – she is extremely creative and was kind enough to share some of her projects and how she makes them for our blog!

once you have the basic steps down for making a dreamcatcher, it becomes much easier to experiment and get a little crazy with them! here, rachael demonstrates how to make small ones using bangles and string – these would be adorable for key chains, bag charms and hanging in your car!

once this part is complete, attach feathers or any other embellishments using string!

rachael has also been making more conceptual dream catchers using pieces of cardboard or thick paper, vintage doilies and hand-made paper feathers!

“Doily is a funny word. What I love about them is that they’re like lace mandalas, and whenever I hold one I think that some woman’s hands probably created it. I like collecting them, and you can find them for next to nothing at yard sales and antique shops.

Pieces of cardstock, cardboard, or even stiff paper can be a home for a lost doily reincarnated as a dream catcher.  Paint or collage on your disc (I used silver) and glue your doily on top!”

“To make the feathers, start with some heavy paper and use crayon or oil pastel to create designs.  Add any collage elements you’d like (you can use FP catalogs!) - be random, don’t think too much.  Paint over those designs with watercolors, or thinned out acrylics or tempera paints. Let dry.  You can also do the back!  Cut feather shapes out of the paper: I made a stencil and just traced it with pencil.  Use markers to make feather designs, or just doodle – you can’t do it wrong  :) Attach the feathers to your dream catcher with some embroidery floss,  simply hang them where you like!”

amazing! on the right is an example of another one she made called “dark star.”

and last but not least – i think these are my favorite – lace quartz pendants!

“Vintage lace and doilies find new life when cut up and glued onto the tops of quartz crystals. That way we can wear pretty rocks without having to drill holes in them!  Simply cut a strip of lace or doily and use a glue gun or regular Elmer’s to attach it to the top of a pendant.  A little jump ring or piece of wire run through the holes makes it ready to hang from a piece of leather cord, or a chain.”

be sure to check out more of her amazing work on her website. thank you so much rachael!!!

Tags: art, craft, dreamcatcher, feathers, friends, handmade, how-to, lace, quartz, rachael rice, wednes-diy