Found Object Mobile

I tend to walk a lot and spend a lot of time outside and end up finding a lot of interesting things on the ground. I decided to make this mobile out of some of the feathers and things I have found on my walks.

Anyone can make this project and I think it would be a great way to commemorate a trip somewhere, or just use things you find around where you live! The possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

I found these cool sticks with some dried moss or lichen on them and a ton of feathers. I also got some porcelain feather and key charms from a local craft store, as well as some twine and leather cord. You can use anything you like, make it personal by using things from your neighborhood, or even keepsakes from a recent trip!

I played around with the sticks for a while to come up with a shape I liked. I knew I wanted to make a vaguely triangle shape with the twigs I found, so I fiddled around with them until I found a configuration I liked, then glued them together with hot glue at the points of contact. To hide the hot glue, I used the leather cord to wrap around the joined areas and secured it with double knots.

I got some Rub 'n' Buff for another project and I absolutely love it! It's almost like magic! I decided to make the porcelain keys a gold color so they would really pop against the natural texture and colors of the feathers and the other porcelain charms. I put on some gloves and followed the instructions on the tube. It was kind of hard to get in all the little nooks and crannies, but with a little finagling I was able to get pretty even coverage.

To attach the feathers and charms, I used thin hemp string. I wrapped it around the feathers tightly and secured the knot with a dab of hot glue. I then wrapped the other end several times around part of the twig frame I constructed, tied a knot, and secured it with a small dab of hot glue.

During this step I found it helpful to have the twig frame hanging from something so you can see how far down things are going to hang. I also found it helpful to alternate sides of the frame to keep it from getting off balance and flipping up.

Once you have finished attaching your items, you're done! This was a gift for a friend, so I packed it up (very carefully-dry twigs and fragile) and sent it to her. I like the idea of continuing to add to your mobile overtime as you find more feathers, or sticks, or charms. Have fun with it and make it your own!