Shaman Staff aka a Medicine Stick – with Fossils!

Overview

I just finished this Diamond Willow walking stick into a Shaman Staff this displays fossils! What fun this was! I even incorporated hammered copper! Just tap the pictures to make them larger.  🙂

I have developed a bit of a superstitious streak since I have been hunting fossils. If I am after crinoids for instance, I wear crinoid fossil jewelry, Maclurites and I wear my Maclurites avatar, if I haven’t been able to find a fossil, I buy it and then seem to find it! And if I am hunting the ultimate specimen, I give my best one away and I seem to find a better one! The Fossil Gods are fickle and the occasional sacrifice needs to be made.  😀

That said, I had a ton of fun making this staff! So here we go…

I bought the stick unfinished from Andy over in the Village of Fillmore – right smack dab in the center of some of the best fossil hunting in Minnesota. I sanded it down 3 times and sealed it a couple of times. I collect antler sheds and it just seemed to beg for one on top.

I had a crinoid segment pendant I made last year but never seem to wear – looked perfect for this! Reminiscent of a dream catcher. And that is another crinoid segment on top with the turquoise bead in it.

Well, that set the stage for more copper. So I twisted and shaped some copper I had stripped from old wire and hammered it. Of course I broke some pieces, but it worked out fine as I sent them in with the fossils.

In several of the Diamond Willow grooves, I set fossils, gold stone and turquoise.

The head I finished off with some turquoise beads and added some feathers from some old earrings I had laying around.

A very fun and entertaining project with junk fossils and what I had laying around.

Now, let’s hope this gives me “Good Medicine” with the Fossil Gods!

Or hey, maybe the appropriate sacrifice of thanks for finding Waldo’s mate?!

 http://www.bluffcountryfossils.net/blog/july-4th-2014-hunt-found-waldos-mate/