African Juju DIY

Well there's no better way to start off the week than with a DIY project, right?!

Since posting a few photos of this Juju (below), I've had a number of people ask where I bought the cool, cultural piece.



The bad news is this is not an authentic juju brought back from an African village.  The good news is you can create this look even if you never get to visit Africa, plus you don't have to pay $300-$600 (which is the going rate for an authentic juju on the internet).



Ready to get the how-to details?  Let's start with the materials list.  You will need:

- Large piece of cardbaord
- Styrofoam wreath form
- Black spray paint
- Black gaff tape or black duck tape
- Feathers
- Rit dye



Step 1- The first step is to dye your feathers.  Most craft stores sell white feathers which can be turned whatever color you like.



Step 2- Once the feathers are your desired shade, take them out and let them dry.  Once the feathers are dry you will have to use your fingers to fluff the feather back out to normal.

Some craft stores stock lots of colored feathers. If they have a hue you like, you can skip step 1 & 2 and move onto step 3.

Step 3- Trace around your wreath form on your piece of cardboard and cut the circle out.
Step 4- Spray paint the circle cut out a flat black (if you have a light colored feather, I would opt to paint the cardboard circle a similar color).



Step 5- Take your black gaff or duct tape and wrap it around the outside of your wreath form.

Step 6- Place the spray painted cardboard circle on top of the wreath form and use more gaff or duct tape to secure it in place.



Step 7- Now it's time to add feathers!  Start on the outer edge and use hot glue to attach the feathers to the cardboard.  Only use hot glue on the stem or base of the feather.  Make sure to use lots of feathers to make the piece feel full.  Keep working your way around the circle until you get to the center and the entire piece is completely covered.



 Step 8- Use the void created by the wreath form to hang your hand made juju on the wall!



Such an easy process for such a lovely end product!  I love the texture, color, and culture this DIY juju brings to B's space!  More coming tomorrow!