By Libbie Summers
Assisted by David Dempsey

I’ve been collecting feathers for as long as I can remember. Feather filled mason jars occupy a shelf in my tiny office and, the most precious I keep in a leather bound journal under my bed (don’t ask me why).

Paint Dipped Feathers (great for holiday ornaments)
(feathers with even more flare)
Ingredients:
A long stick suspended horizontally with a drop cloth underneath
feathers
embroidery thread (same color as your paint, I used blaze orange)
paint (same color as your embroidery thread, I used blaze orange)

What to do: 
1. Hang up your stick from end to end with a drop cloth or cardboard box underneath. This is to hang your drying feather from.
2. Wrap ends of feathers with embroidery thread leaving a long enough end to tie onto the stick.
3. Tie all feathers from the stick leaving 2″ between each one.
4. Shake can of paint well and hold it up under each hanging feather allowing the feather to dip into the paint about 2″ (really the amount of paint on the end is determined by the size of your feather. My feathers were fairly large so I could dip from 1 1/2″-2″). Continue until all of the feather tips have been dipped. Allow to dry COMPLETELY. Do not rush this. It may take two days to dry!
5. Remove thread from stick and tie into a loop for hanging!