Nature Finds: A Little Butterfly Display

Every time I hear the word “nature” I think of the Will Ferrell Robert Goulet bit from SNL—does anyone else? That aside, a tiny outdoor discovery with my toddler turned into a ten-second, free project that brightened my day, so I wanted to share it. Consider this a small Friday update celebrating a simple, all-natural moment.

I’ve always been a bit of a sucker for nature-inspired decor—framed sea fans, labeled jars of vacation finds, and little reminders of trips past. So when Clara and I found a butterfly resting on the grass during playtime, we both crouched down to admire it. She loved “the orange and blue part” and studied it closely.

Unfortunately, the butterfly had passed on. It felt sad to see her there, but she was too beautiful to leave lying in the lawn. Rather than putting her in a shadow box—especially since we already have a faux butterfly shadow box from an exhibit—we decided to keep her as nature intended and bring her inside for a simple display.

We once made a butterfly shadow box from an exhibit flyer, which sits elsewhere in the house and reminds us of that trip.

I chose a piece of coral from a vacation a few years ago as a humble pedestal. Gently placing the butterfly on the coral felt right—it’s still a natural setting, but now it’s tucked into our dining room where Clara can admire it without disturbing it.

Clara calls it “her butterfly.” She knows she can wave at it but not touch, and she enjoys looking at the colors every day. It’s a small, quiet way to bring a piece of the outdoors inside and to introduce a child to the beauty of natural objects.

Now I’m wondering about preservation. Will the butterfly fade or collect dust? Would a gentle dusting or a cool hair-dryer on low help keep it looking fresh? I don’t want to do anything that damages it, so I’m considering a few gentle options. Placing a glass dome over the coral and butterfly would reduce dust and still let us enjoy the view. Another option could be a shallow shadow box that preserves the natural look while protecting it from air and dust. I’ve also read that some people use conservation sprays or carefully set specimens for long-term display, but I’d want to research safe, non-invasive methods before trying anything.

If you’ve displayed real butterflies or other natural finds, I’d love to hear what worked for you. How did you keep them from fading or deteriorating? Any tips for a short-term, kid-friendly display would be especially welcome.

On the home front, we have a few projects lined up this weekend: a much-overdue dining room update, some basement work, and plans for a small bathroom makeover for John’s grandmother down the road. We’ll share the progress next week—there should be plenty to show and talk about.

Happy Friday, and I hope you get a chance to enjoy a simple, natural moment this weekend.

Psst—We announced this week’s giveaway winner, so check our giveaway post to see if it’s you.