Autumn Leaves, Catching Dreams & A Winner

 Autumn was blazing beautifully here in Michigan the past couple weeks.

Because of the drought we had this summer, the colors were simply amazing this year.

 Rich reds, bright yellows, and "phajent"

(pronounced "fa-jent" in case you were wondering)~

a color that The Husband made up.

(Don't ask.  I haven't a clue where he came up with it.)

He insists that it's the brilliant, almost neon, orangey pink hue that you are lucky to see once in a while on sugar maples.

So, between plowing MONSTROUS piles

(I'm talking thigh deep at times, people)

of golden and phajent leaves...

[Yes, The Husband actually plowed them for me with our vintage tractor (a sweet 1947 International Harvester) because I was not making any headway by blowing them with my super duper Stihl backpack blower.  He hooked up the snowblade and pushed those ginormous piles into the woods surrounding the house. Saved me a ton of work. 
I married such a smart man.]

and putting my flower gardens to bed for the season,

dumping the pots of annuals,

putting away the wicker on the back porch,

and storing the multitude of pillows on the front porch,

I needed to do something creative.

I was feeling all brawn and no brain.

:)

I've been swooning over and coveting Tausha's gorgeous dream catchers ever since she first started making them.  "Romantic Homes" magazine even featured them when they did a spread on her beautiful Florida home.
When Sandy shared a wonderful tutorial on how she made one,

I knew what I wanted to try my hand at next.

There have been so many different crafts that I've had fun making ever since I started blogging.  You all inspire me so much!  Clay tags, Mod Podge transfers, stenciling, sewing vintage handkerchief buntings, painting furniture, making topiaries, stringing large wooden rosaries...
You've encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and try new things, and I've loved every minute of it.

But making dream catchers has caught my heart and soul in a way that no other project has.

In the Native American Ojibwa culture, the hoop of the dream catcher signifies strength and unity. The circle of life.

Dream catchers were created to protect the sleeping individual from negative dreams while letting the positive dreams through.

The positive dreams would slip through the hole in the center.

The negative dreams would get caught up in the web and disappear when the first rays of morning sunshine struck them.

A feather tucked into the dream catcher symbolized a breath of air that is essential for life.

I found the supplies I needed at NocBay Trading Company and at Michael's.  After scrounging around in my linen closet and baskets of fabric for some vintage floral sheets,

I assembled everything in my studioffice and began creating.

It was calming. 

Zen-like.

Wrapping the strips of soft, faded floral cotton around the hoop.

Weaving the waxy sinew into a delicate web.

Tying on rustic leather cording strung with sparkling glass beads.

Tucking a white feather into a small, wooden sphere,

and adding a final decidedly signature piece ~

a small cross made from either a genuine turquoise stone

or balsam wood. 

It's a way of adding a bit of my own heart and soul to the dream catchers.

A simple way of passing on God's love.

 
 A hoop of beachy turquoise.

A circle of vintage plum.

A quiet ring of soft pinks and blues.

I will spend my winter quietly making these intricate webs of romantic beauty.

They will be sold in my booth next spring.

I will weave each one with a calm breath,

a satisfied soul...

and a whispered prayer.

I want to thank ALL of you, near and far, so much for entering my THROUGH THE FRENCH DOOR book giveaway and leaving your sweet comments. I wish with all my heart that I could have given each and every one of you a copy of this beautiful book.


~ ♥ ~

The winner was picked the old fashioned way.
The Husband pulled a name out of a vase for me
(before I refilled it with some fresh pink roses).

 

The winner is.....

Dore from Burlap Luxe.

Congratulations, Dore!

I'll be contacting you.



♥

~  Blessings ~

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