How to preserve feathers for keepsakes?

[dhraiden]

I've got tons, and they're pretty. Seems a shame to throw them away. Any suggestions for how to preserve them as pleasing keepsakes, (product links helpful) - I mean in the sense of book-pressings, or such (I'm not crafty).

 

[RavensGryf]

Yes! I have a couple nice ideas... Not my original ideas, but ones that I've seen or heard of examples before.

1) The most impressive idea I've ever seen, was a picture frame which included a picture of the bird, name (and significant dates if you wish), and then feathers of all colors and sizes from the bird arranged into designs around the photo. For example, flowers and leaves with the flowers maybe being from various smaller feathers, etc. Play with the different colors, shapes and sizes and make any design you wish. This might take a degree of artistic ability.

2) Put feathers (if small enough) into the inside of a clear blown glass Christmas tree ornament. Make sure it doesn't break! You'd have to be very careful with displaying or storing it so it doesn't break with the thin glass.

3) A take off of #2, since I don't trust myself with the fragile glass, and I wanted a bigger container for Raven's larger feathers... I got some clear plastic display boxes (dollar store or craft store should carry these). I plan to decorate the outside of the boxes with their names and designs. Write on the outside with that 'puffy paint' you can get at a craft store, glue on with a hot glue gun any kind of 3D items such as bows, flowers made of foam or plastic or whatever, some real tiny foot toys, or any items that are particular to that bird and small enough to glue on and make the keepsake box attractive. You get the idea .

I bought the clear plastic boxes, and have tons of feathers from everyone, but I don't have the time these days to separate them all lol. One day I'll do it.

 

[Christinenc2000]

There is a girl on FB that used all her years of Molted feather to create her bridal Bouquet .... also flowers for her Brides maids. She got the help from a florist I think . It was amazing looking

 

[Piasa]

I make and sell feather hair clips, they go fast. Also earrings.

For a festival a few years back, I made a valkyrie helmet with Jimmy's wing feathers on the ears, just used electrical tape to hold them together in wing-shape.

Could also check out feather chandeliers, or make a bouquet, fan, feather a mask.. lots of fun stuff

 

[Kalidasa]

Such great ideas! I keep the extra snazzy ones in a ziplock. Usually around x-mas, I glue them to different ornaments and decor, especially on the hats of nutcrackers, of which I have an army. Some Easter decor gets a smattering of feathers (especially red) as well. With longer more durable feathers you could also make a fan. ��

 

[littleredhen77]

i still have my very first bird, a parakeet named Ralph's feather under scotch tape on the top of a cupboard thing ive had since i was a child it cant be removed at this point i think the tape would crumble, and it is a pain to clean around it when the cupboard/book case gets dirty, but i leave it there just the same. NOT saying you should do the same because frankly it looks terrible but to this day its the only one of his feathers i have.

i would like to try putting feathers in resin when it warms up here, im not sure if the liquid resin would make them clump all together like they do when theyre wet but if i try it ill share the outcome! also, this wouldnt work for me if the feather is bigger than the mold i have unless i made a custom mold which might be possible.

from experience, i would recommend keeping those birds feather separate from other feathers if you collect them from wild birds. i used to keep every feather i found in a zip lock bag all together and one day i opened the bag and found that there was some type of mite that ate all the barbs and i was left with a bunch of feathers with holes chewed in them or the bottom half completely missing aside from the quill. it was icky and it cost me my whole collection, which included many beautiful long rooster tail feathers :/

currently i have a 'bouquet' of B&G macaw feathers on display in my living room in a small jar for a vase. thats the only 'craft' type thing ive done but i love all these ideas!

 

[dhraiden]

These are all great suggestions! Thank you all kindly

 

[Amanda_Bennett]

I'm currently working on one of those collage picture frames. I chose one with the matting between the pictures and glass over the top to protect the pictures inside. I'm putting some of my favorite pictures of my OWA Zilla in it then adding her feathers on the matte between the pictures and around the outside edging.

I started this project as a way to look back on what kind of shape she was in when I got her and how she looks now. There is a much bigger difference than I had though, now that I see the pictures side by side.