Stamped Feather: Breathe

Today I'd like to share with you a very simple project, inspired by Rachael Rice, who was also responsible for the Dreamcatcher lesson in LifeBook 2015. As you can tell, she likes working with feathers. I first saw this tutorial through the Willowing website - you can check it out here. All you need is a large feather and some basic craft supplies..

I often go to my local Deer Park for a walk in the mornings whenever I can. Usually, there's nobody there at that time of day and I enjoy the solitude and peace & quiet, alone with my own thoughts. If you're an introvert like me, you'll understand the need to be alone from time to time, in order to listen to your inner voice and fill up with energy. As I was walking on the dewy grass on a sunny morning a few day ago, I literally bumped into this large black feather (about 8" in length) and remembered the tutorial. It felt like it had been put there for me right in my path, so of course, I had to pick it up!

The Deer Park

The Feather

I didn't have to think long about the word I wanted to put on my feather. I instantly knew it was going to be "breathe" to remind myself to relax and let go of my anxieties. These past few months have been pretty stressful for me, which resulted in quite severe anxiety attacks. I read somewhere that if you allow yourself to breathe in deep and exhale slowly, it relaxes your body and helps you overcome anxiety attacks. I'm happy to say it really works! Now when I feel an attack coming, I just breathe through it. This is what I did with my feather, following the instructions in the tutorial:

Tip: before using the feather, I disinfected it with some pure alcohol. I will hang it above my computer desk as a reminder to keep calm. Happy crafting peeps!