Butterfly Mobile
Project designed by Barbara Trombley.
Materials:
seven glitter trays
two-ounce Designer Dries clear adhesive with ultrafine metal tip
1/2 ounce each of transparent ultrafine glitter colors
- rose
- orange
- gold
- green
- blue
- purple
1/2 ounce of black ultrafine glitter
spoon with rounded tip
cloth to wipe excess glitter
noodgers to make glittered lines straight
five large butterflies printed front and back on white Kromekote card stock (figure
A)
five small black buttons
silk ivy with small leaves - with stems
wispy, fresh or glyerin-treated silk flowers with stems or Baby's Breath
green floral tape
one, six-inch brass ring
five, 24-inch lengths of clear fishing line
three, 18-inch lengths of 1/4-inch off-white double satin ribbon
hot glue gun and low-temp glue sticks
needle
scissors
)  Butterfly mobile |
) Figure A |
) Figure B |
Steps:
1. Attach a metal tip to the spout of the glue bottle.
2. Put each color of glitter in an individual tray. Arrange the trays left to right: black, rose, orange, gold, green, blue, purple.
3. Outline the perimeter and inside lines of the butterfly with glue. Using a spoon, pour black glitter onto the glue line (figure B) in a waterfall manner (do not sprinkle). Let dry one hour.
4. To glitter the upper right wing, cover the inside areas of the wing with glue so they meet the black glitter edges (figure C). Turn the card so the wet glue is closest to the glitter tray. Apply rose, orange and gold glitter in thin strips, starting from the inside of the wing and moving toward the outside (figure D).
) Figure C |
) Figure D |
) Figure E |
5. Glue and glitter the bottom right wing section using same method with the green, blue, and purple glitter.
6. Complete the left wing sections to match their opposite sides (figure E). Let dry one hour.
7. Glitter the back side of the butterfly, repeating steps 2 through 6.
8. When thoroughly dry, cut out the butterfly. Touch up the white card stock edges of the wings with a black marker and black glitter if needed.
9. Bend back the wings at the center of the butterfly, touching the tips of the wings together. Slightly separate the top and bottom wing sections by making a half-inch cut between them.
10. Shape and curve the wings (figure F) by flexing them over your thumb with your first two fingers.
) Figure F |
) Figure G |
) Figure H |
11. Glue a small button to underside of the body at shoulder. Position the holes vertically. Let dry 15 minutes.
12. Knot one end of a 24- to 30-inch piece of fishing line. Thread a needle with line. Sew the button through the center of the butterfly, looping twice and exiting through the top.
13. Create four more of the butterflies by repeating steps 1 through 13.
14. Hold each butterfly from its own fishing line. Adjust the angles and curves of wings to balance the butterfly and make it appear as if it were flying.
15. Wrap a brass ring with the floral tape. Overlap each loop.
16. Wrap brass ring a second time with floral tape, adding ivy and wispy flowers in each loop.
17. Loosely tie fishing line with the attached butterflies at four evenly-spaced spots on the bottom of the ivy ring. Hang at different, cascading lengths, shortest to longest (figure G).
18. Tie a satin ribbon at three evenly-spaced spots along the top of the brass ring. Bring the ends together eight to 10 inches and make a loop. Tie a loop knot (figure H). Leave a finger-width space within the loop to hang on a ceiling hook. Cut excess ribbon ends off or leave to dangle.
19. Hang the mobile from a hook. Balance the butterflies by bending the wings. Adjust the length of the fishing lines. Tighten and trim all knots. Secure all flowers and knots with hot glue.
20. Spray fresh flowers with a lacquer hairspray.
E-mail
info@butterfliesonthebeach.com
This site was last updated 08/19/07