Weekend Creative : March #1 : Butterfly Mobile

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Butterfly1


Yep, more butterflies.


The prompt this weekend is to make a spring mobile. Something to brighten things up a bit + celebrate the coming season.


This is a great project for using what you have. Gather up some of those random pieces of this and that and plan a little creative time (you can always check out the supply list below for specifics). The idea here is to play and experiment with each of the butterflies as your canvas.


Another cool part of this project is that it can easily be done in bits and pieces. Paint all the butterflies. Go do laundry. Come back and add some accents to a few. Run around outside with your kids. Come back again and do some handwriting. etc. Or settle in for the long haul.


To attach each butterfly to the branch I punched a hole and wrapped a piece of ribbon through. Rather than creating a loop, I stitched the ribbon together to hold it in place + cut the ribbon (you will be able to see this in the photos below). To attach it to the branch I tied a knot at the top.


Supply Basics:
Jenni Bowlin Butterfly Chipboard (4 to a package : could imagine using these birds too)
• Making Memories Paint (banana + buttercup)
• Crackle Paint: Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint (Mustard Seed) - one of the coolest things about this product, besides how it cracks
the paint with no work on your part, is that the brush comes inside the
lid (you can see Tim using it here)
• Ribbon: Amercican Crafts Halstead 87558 (green stitched), yellow rik rak, super cute green dot/puff ribbon from the October Cocoa Daisy kit
• A way to punch holes in the chipboard butterflies - I like the Crop-A-Dile or the hammer set from Making Memories
Black Staz-On Ink
• A branch or something on which to hang the butterflies


Here's a look at each individual butterfly (both sides) with additional supplies listed below each photo:


Number One:


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K&Company Paper Flower Brads + K&Company Blue Awning Adhesive Gems


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Here's what the crackle paint looks like after it dries. You just paint it right on (using the brush in the bottle) and then as it dries it cracks. Cool stuff. I attached the flower brads with a glue dot rather than using the metal feet (just fold them back and place the glue dot on top).


Number Two:


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Letter stamps (from a Japanese company) that you can often find here. American Crafts Precision Pen (my favorites). The dots were created using a cool rolling stamp from Stampin Up (Looks like it's called Stampin Around ).


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Felt letter "e" from American Crafts. Circle stamps from Savvy Stamps (581D Outline Circle) and the word one is part of an Everyday Life kit offered through the CK Kit Of The Month back in May of last year.


Number Three:


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Green circles were created using the Heidi Swapp Dot Mask and an Adirondack Paint Dabber. Colored pencils are from Prismacolor.


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Slick Writers are another staple in my supplies. I used a ruler here to get the lines down.


Number Four:


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Bet you may just have some buttons in your collection of stuff. If not, here's some.


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Words from 7gypsies 97% Complete Document sticker sheet.


Number Five:


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American Crafts Felt Flowers + Mini Yellow Brads (again, I used the brads for decoration rather than function)


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Basic Grey Rub Ons.


Number Six:


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KI Lace Cardstock (Flower Child White) + K&Company decorative brad. This is the same technique as a couple week's back - see the prompt here.


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Hero Arts Design Block Tree Stamp + Embossing Ink (Versamark) + UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel)


Number Seven:


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The random flower wire here came from a wonderful little crafty Easter kit from Flea Market Studio. She has some great little ephemera kits. Word sticker is from a Making Memories Wordfetti package.


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Stickles: Frosted Lace (basically just rubbed it right onto the butterfly with my finger)    


The tough part seemed to be figuring out where to put the darn thing.


While I was working on it I hung it in between my closet doors:


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When it was done I tried it on the ceiling in my office (using ribbon from Paper Source):


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And then decided to hang it above the window in the bathroom:


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For more visual inspiration to get you going check out this Mobile Swap Flickr group (based on the swap started by Elsie Marley). I also found a couple mobiles on etsy that I loved: check out this one + this one. And I love this one from Sally Shim that could easily become the inspiration for an Easter mobile (thinking ovals).

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70 thoughts

  1. Corey says…
    03/07/2008

    Wow! I've been thinking of doing something like this for my daughters room....you just took what I had in mind and blew it out of the water! Seriously awesome. I'm going to have to get off my butt and actually do it now.
    Thanks again for great inspiration!

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. dr lyn says…
    03/07/2008

    This looks so cool! My brain is already whirring with ideas. . . Thanks!

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. Bree says…
    03/07/2008

    Love anything with butterflies. So pretty!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. bonnierose says…
    03/07/2008

    You simply amaze me Ali.
    You're filled with such wonderful ideas.. I know maybe not all are solely your own.. but you make them your own, and we all love taking a peek into your creative life.
    Thank you.. love the soft yellows!
    so pretty!

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. beth says…
    03/07/2008

    wow! this is so cool!

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. Cassie says…
    03/07/2008

    I haven't done one of your weekend creative challenges before and I'm excited to play with it. My only question is whether or not it has to be chipboard butterflies. I shop in Salem, OR and none of my LSS carry chipboard butterflies.

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Tiffani says…
    03/07/2008

    Very cool! And if you are ever done using it as a mobile, the butterflies could be repurposed as cards, gift tags, page accents, a butterfly "bouquet," etc.

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. jen downer says…
    03/07/2008

    what a happy fun project!!! i've had mobiles on the brain!

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. kris says…
    03/07/2008

    This looks like such a yummy project for a party swap I'm in. Would make a wonderful decoration. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. Artful yogi says…
    03/07/2008

    Gorgeous. We have a big snowstorm today. I'd love to think spring.

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. Cherie says…
    03/07/2008

    This looks like loads of fun - just want I need to help me think spring - especially since we are getting a March blizzard here in Ohio!

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. DebMc says…
    03/07/2008

    I love butterflies. A breath of spring on a gray day.

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. LobotoME says…
    03/07/2008

    ali - how do you come up with these ideas? no one should have as much "creativeness" as you do! have a great weekend!
    J :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. Houston says…
    03/07/2008

    I am going to finally have time to participate! I can't wait to try this, only I will be using birds, I just can't get enough of all the wonderful birds available!

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. young c-m says…
    03/07/2008

    Love the idea of hanging it against the window. Thanks for sharing this idea~

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. shannon j says…
    03/07/2008

    love the textures of the different butterflies!
    www.scrapsnthings.etsy.com

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. psmullican says…
    03/07/2008

    love it hanging over the window. oh, to have your energy. have a great weekend!

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. Susan says…
    03/07/2008

    Ali, I gotta tell you:
    This blog of yours just gets better and better. You are a wonder.
    Love the mobile!

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. christen says…
    03/07/2008

    i love your ideas :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. traci says…
    03/07/2008

    i ♥ this.
    especially the branch, love bringing outdoors in. (like martha stewart!)
    those birds would be amazing!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. traci says…
    03/07/2008

    what about owls? i am loving all of the owls out but owls don't shout "spring" to me....

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. Jenny A. says…
    03/07/2008

    amazing and beautiful - all your work is :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. Mary M. says…
    03/07/2008

    Soooo cute!
    Love it!

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. Malika Kelly says…
    03/07/2008

    Ali, You rock! Can't wait to see you next week!
    malika

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. Jolene George says…
    03/07/2008

    I LOVE the way they look in the bathroom window...very sweet.

    Reply 0 Replies

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