Butterfly Overload

Just when you thought I couldn't possibly come up with something else to stick butterflies on... I have...BIG time!

Here's what you need for today's project:

Can you see how big my canvas is?
70cm X 90cm!!!  It's BIG
(for you imperialists, 90cm = 1 yard)
I forgot to add glue to this pic.  I ended up just using a regular old glue stick.

Steps:
1) Paint your canvas background colour.

Don't forget the edges!

2) Make a pattern for the overall shape you want.  Mine, of course, is a butterfly.  I started by printing one out on my printer as big as I could.

3) Then to enlarge it, I placed it on some craft paper the size of my canvas and just started outlining it bigger and bigger until I got it as big I could to fit the canvas.  For mine, I just did half, and then cut my craft paper on the fold to get a nice symmetrical shape.

4) Place your pattern onto your painted canvas once it's dry and super duper gently and softly trace the outline with a pencil.

I just used dots all the way around.  It was so faint the camera couldn't even pick it up~

5) Now, cut out loads and loads of butterflies.  All different shapes, sizes, and colours.

Even though my Silhouette was giving me nothing but headaches (tearing paper instead of cutting it) I managed to get lots of butterflies.  I ended up using probably 1/2 -3/4 of a page of about 16 different papers and I had loads left over (bring on the butterfly crafts!).

6) Just start gluing and layering and gluing and layering and...you get the idea.

You should end up with something like this!  (Sorry about the bad pics, I just couldn't get the lighting to cooperate).

I love how it turned out!  Reminds me a bit of a patchwork quilt.

For now it hangs in my dining room next to the fireplace.  That wall was in desperate need of something, anything.  I'm sure it will eventually make it's way to someplace not quite so prominent.

This is a fun and easy craft that you could change up so easily to  make it your own.  Try different shapes, or all coordinating papers.  It took me several nights to complete but it was oddly relaxing to just go sit in my studio and glue butterflies for an hour here and there.
Don't forget, I have a giveaway going on right now.  There aren't many entries yet so your odds of winning are pretty darn good.

Have a crafty week everyone!

This project was featured here: