Butterfly Project

The mini-renovation of Bug's room continues. About a month ago, she decided her bedroom was too baby for a 7 year old. I didn't want to completely redo her room, just punch up the colors and create some more mature accessories.

We pulled the color from her wall mural down onto the newly modified daybed:

With this next project I decided to run with the colors a bit more as well as the butterflies. I'd seen something I liked over at Restorative Living that I used as my inspiration. We went about it slightly differently, be sure to check out her tutorial as well.

Here is what I started with:

•  2 Scrapbook frames. I love square frames and scrapbook frames are a great way to get a square frame without having to spend a fortune.
• Scrapbook paper & Circut to cut the butterflies. You could also purchase precut butterfly die cuts or cut them yourself.
• Foam mounting tape
• Paint (for the frames)
• Foam board or other rigid material to mount the scrap book paper to.
• Spray adhesive

I was thrilled to be able to round up all the materials except the foam tape at home, so the total out of pocket cost for this project was less than $4.

Step 1: Paint the frames the color of your choice, I wanted white.

Step 2: Cut the butterflies to the size of your choice, I went with 1".

Step 3: Mount the background paper to the foam board and trim to the size of your frame.

Step 4: Take the butterflies and begin playing with arrangements that you think work best. It took me a bunch of playing to get the right layout, but once I had it, I loved it!!!

And finally - my finished layout.

Which I then had to replicate on the 2nd piece of paper mixing up the order of the colors.

Step 5: Scoring and folding the butterflies. One by one, remove the butterflies from your paper, score them so that their wings fold up, and then return it to its place. Repeat over and over and over 'till all the butterflies are folded as you see below.

Step 6: Cut a very thin strip of the foam adhesive and apply it to the back of your first butterfly along the body.

Step 7: Press the butterfly firmly into the spot you picked out just for him. Or her. And repeat over and over and over again. (Note: when I took this picture I hadn't folded all the other butterflies, a step which I realized was good to get out of the way all at once just about a row of butterflies later.)

Step 8: When you've got all the butterflies attached, slip the piece into your frame.

Step 9: (And you thought you were done.) Take a couple of the remaining butterflies and add them to the frame for an extra touch of whimsy.

That is it. This project was really easy, time consuming, but easy.

Here is the before and after, please excuse the mess around them, we're working on the other accessories and all...

A few closeups: