You can create your own Custom Rattle… the only Limitation is your Imagination…

Saturday May 4 ; 11AM – 6PM

Sunday May 5 ; 11AM – 6 PM

WHERE: Divinitea

111 West Pioneer Ave

Homer AK 99603

Class size limited to 10 people: contact Karalee at Divinitea to register.

This class will be offered for $160

Mining The Diamond represents an opportunity to join together and delve into the spiritual aspects of creativity, movement, meditation practice and mysticism.

This presentation is founded on the concept that we are all capable of affecting positive change in our lives and our environments. Mining the Diamond is an organic, often unscripted quest of discovery with scientific facts, inspirational moments and mysticism woven into the fabric of the Journey.

Join us to learn about yourself, each other, the power of artistic creation, the pursuit of quality, and recognition of your Higher Self.

Keep on mining, for within the diamond lies the promise of a lifetime.

Workshop Day 1 – Mining the Diamond presentation, Movement, Rattle Creation

Show up with your concepts, ideas, images or designs that you want to put on your rattle !

Keep in mind that rattle heads are approximately 4″ wide, so very intricate and minutely detailed design concepts are not ideal. Focus on design-quality concepts which we can rough outline and then we will get creative – steer away from subjects that would hold too much detail for a 4″ piece. Visit my website links for more ideas, insight and inspiration.

I will bring extra rawhide and demonstrate some of my techniques to include the use of tracing rough borders and using a pyrography pen to outline designs, assisting all participants with as little or as much help as they request.

The idea for Day 1 is to receive supplies, ask questions about the process, formulate and initiate ideas and implement design onto the rattle head.

Utilizing templates, we will create a rattle border and initiate the design process. It’s important that you show up with an idea or concept for your rattle: you cannot choose the wrong idea or concept, you are your own architect and together we will create a beautiful piece of spirituality and functional art. You can bring clipart, pictures, designs, whatever suits your desire.

We can utilize the pyrography pen to etch lines prior to soaking the heads in water for re-stretching:  it’s important to note that there are two distinct sides of a rattle head, and both sides of the head can have completely independent or complementary designs. 

Prior to Day 2 workshop activities, your rattle head will have your design(s) initiated. The rawhide will then be soaked in water until pliable. we will then:

• Trim the rawhide down with sheers
• Drill the rawhide with holes for stitching
• Stitch the rattle head
• Stretch the rattle head with medium

You will now bring your rawhide rattle head home to dry overnight – it will be stitched together and stuffed with popcorn kernels (I use popcorn because it is reusable, highly resilient and does not degrade when moist).

Your rattle head will be lashed to an antler tine while drying – we will discuss the finer points of all this entire process and I will share some hard -earned tricks of the trade.

Workshop Day 2 Mining the Diamond presentation, Movement, Meditation, Rattle Creation

• Paint, marker and fully design out the graphics on the rattle heads – this could be acrylic paint and alcohol-based inks, watercolor inks, marker inks.
• Final mount of the rattle head onto the antler tine with adhesive
• Fix fur to the rattle base
• Add any gems, crystals desired to the rattle – this can be a final phase if the gems are located on the stitching, or these can be added during earlier phases if they are major components of the design.

Supplies Included / Available for use for Rattle Making

• Rawhide square: soaked, stretched and sanded, ready for design implementation – Included
• Caribou antler for handle – Included
• Sinew for stitching; plastic needles– Included
• Fur remnants of varying size and species for accent – Included
• Carbide paper -Included
• Adhesives for adding gems or crystals to rattle heads – Available for use
• Hot Glue gun – Available for use
• Markers, pens – Available for use
• Acrylic paints and brushes – Available for use
• Templates for sizing – Available for use
• Drill with bit – Available for use
• Pyrography pen – Available for use
• Medium for stretching rawhide into shape- Available for use
• Pencils and erasers – Available for use
• Stained Glass and wire – Available for use in limited quantities