On Sunday we took Clara on a short weekend escape, and one of our stops was a butterfly exhibit full of real butterflies fluttering around:
Thanks to a little handout we picked up at the exhibit, I was able to create this framed artwork for the built-ins as soon as we got home:
Don’t worry—I didn’t use real butterflies. The pieces were cut from the informational flyer we were given at the exhibit. I asked if I could keep it for a craft idea and they kindly said I could take mine home.
I’d been inspired by a post over on Little Green Notebook and several faux butterfly shadow boxes on Pinterest, so I decided to try a paper butterfly version of taxidermy-like display.
First I cut out the butterflies. The flyer was double-sided, so I flipped it to choose my favorites from both sides. Because the sheet was laminated, you can get a similar glossy look by printing small butterfly images on glossy photo paper or laminating printed images at a copy shop. Realistic craft stickers on cardstock would work well too.
I cut them slowly and carefully with sharp scissors. I removed the thin antennae since they wouldn’t hold, but otherwise kept the shapes intact. Here are my cutouts:
They looked a bit flat at first, so I gently folded each wing back along the center crease—like making a taco—to give them a three-dimensional form:
When I opened them, the wings had a natural curve that made the butterflies appear more lifelike:
Next I hunted around the house for a shadow-box-style frame with depth so the folded wings would clear the glass. An old Ikea frame on our dining-room built-ins was perfect, and I didn’t mind replacing the green leafy print inside.
I arranged nine favorites on the glass and settled on a three-by-three grid. For adhesion I used Aleen’s Tacky Glue—yes, the same trusty tube I’ve had for ages—and applied a small dab to the back crease of each butterfly to hold it to a white cardstock backing cut to fit the frame opening:
Here you can see the glue dabbed on the wing crease—the blue pattern showing is just the reverse side of the double-sided flyer:
I placed them by eye, tweaking spacing until the layout looked balanced, and then let the glue dry flat overnight so nothing would shift.
The next morning I rehung the frame on the built-ins. I love how the white frame, mat, and backdrop contrast with the moody teal paint behind them—the butterflies complement our other faux-animal pieces like Mr. Horse, Sir Rhino, and El Bird.
Even up close they don’t read as a free exhibit flyer anymore. The folded wings and glossy finish give them a convincing, decorative presence that I think could fool my mom—always a good benchmark for me.
If you’re wondering where this butterfly exhibit was, it was at Natural Bridge, just under three hours from Richmond in southwestern Virginia. We chose it as a weekend activity because we hadn’t been there before and it was a great spot to meet up with John’s friend Kevin, who’s in grad school at Virginia Tech.
The bridge itself is more impressive in person than photos suggest. From what the guide explained, it’s the remnant of a collapsed cavern—an interesting bit of natural history and well worth a visit if you’re nearby.
Beyond the bridge, we followed a humid but beautiful trail that led to a scenic waterfall. Our best shots from that area ended up being a close-up of a butterfly—an amusing prelude to the exhibit we’d visit later.
Clara also revealed a budding interest in geology—she was completely fascinated by one particular rock:
The gift shop had some striking mineral pieces—big, shiny fragments that caught my eye. I didn’t buy any this time, but I think oversized rock pieces could become a popular natural accent in home decor.
We also made a point of resisting the temptation to visit Foamhenge while in the area—because nothing says refined travel quite like a full-scale styrofoam Stonehenge replica…right?
Okay, fine—we may have taken a few lighthearted photos, but all in good fun. Clara will undoubtedly cherish these memories (and the photos of her ever-so-dignified parents) someday.
That was our little Sunday outing—enjoying summer, exploring a new place, and coming home with a free souvenir that turned into a quick craft project. Have you made any faux butterfly crafts—mobiles, framed art, jewelry? I’d love to hear about creative takes on this idea.
Psst—My BFF Cat is working on her three-month-old son Edison’s room, so I rounded up ten of my favorite nurseries to inspire her over on BabyCenter. So much cuteness, so little time.