Introduction: Sticks and Bones: How to Make a Nightmare Catcher

Who wants a dream catcher when you can have a home made nightmare catcher?   All you need to start out is  two whole chickens, a large pot, and Clorox.

Step 1: Cook the Birds

You will need your big pot and two chickens for this step.   Put both chickens in the pot and completely submerge them in water, then put the pot on the stove and set the fire to medium heat.  Let the chickens boil for 3 hours or until the chickens are fully cooked and the meat is falling off the bones.

Step 2: Pick Out the Bones

After you have fully cooked your chickens, set them out to cool down and then start carefully separating the meat and the bones.  With all of your left over chicken meat there is no excuse for not preparing an amazing dinner for yourself.

Step 3: Soak the Bones in Clorox

Once you have separated your bones find a pot or bucket and fill it with the clorox.  Let the bones soak for at least a few hours, I suggest letting them soak over night.  After thay have turned white, lay the bones out to dry.

Step 4: Supplies for the Nightmare Catcher

This is where the magic begins and your artistic skills will be put to work.  All you will need is a bundle of flexible sticks, brown cord, and chicken bones.

Step 5: Forming the Frame

You can either have a shape in mind for the frame or just shape as you go.  By taking different size bundles of sticks and binding them together with your cord/rope the base of your shape will be made.  After tying two bundles of sticks together I twisted the ends back into the binding.  Its really up to you and the flexibility of your sticks that determine the shape.  Personally I think the more organic the shape the more interesting it will be.

Step 6: Just Keep Bending and Twisting

Keep on twisting, looping and tying the sticks until you are satisfied with your frame.

Step 7: Make the Web

Once you have finished with your frame take cord/rope and start weaving from wall to wall and all around. Pretend you a a spider spinning its web.  Go crazy, the more web you weave the more bones it will hold.

Step 8: Sticking in the Chicken Bones

Take your chicken bones and begin randomly wedging them between your webbing.  The placement is up to you, just make sure the ropes are tight around them so they don't fall out of place.

Step 9: You Got Yourself a Nightmare Catcher!

After you have finished with the bones you are left to you own devices.  I find it looks best suspended and in a visible place.  I would just like to add that I think of the nightmare catcher as a piece that can constantly grow.  I suggest you add personal nightmare trinkets into your web, and keep on collecting and adding to it.  This is just the beginning of one bad dream...

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