19 April 2013

Butterfly Garden Project

I came across this cute kids project that included cupcake paper moulds as flowers.  It looked easy enough to make I just didn't anticipate what a major project it would become and how Trini and I took it from simple to super embellished.

Our cupcake mould inspiration.
Our final product.

Supplies:

A2 heavyweight paper
2 x 5 different coloured patty pan moulds (you can use patterned ones as well that complement one other)
2 yellow patty pan moulds for the sun
6 large coloured buttons big enough to fit on the base of the mould
6 small coloured and shaped buttons
5 coloured popsicle sticks
3 coloured felt butterflies or use butterfly stickers
cut 10 leaves out of patterned or plain green paper
Crayola water based glue
glue stick
ladybug stickers
felt flower stickers for the border or just use normal flower stickers (optional)

Instructions:

1.  On the heavyweight paper arrange the pieces until you are happy with the flower garden layout.

2.  Glue the popsicle sticks down first as it gives you the floral spacing and foundation to work upwards on the page.

The pink popsicle stick is being prepared.

3. Grab two patty pan moulds of differing colours.  Turn one of them inside out.  Apply glue to the interior of the mould that is the right way then add the mould turned inside out together and let it dry.  Repeat process with the rest of them.  Make sure that the sun is a combination of two yellow moulds.

Applying glue to inside of patty pan mould.

4.  Apply glue to the large button and place inside of mould in the centre.  Then apply glue to small button and add to the top of the large button.  Repeat process with all the buttons.  For the sun use two yellow buttons.  Set aside to dry.

Applying glue to the big button.

Adding the buttons to the gluey mould.

5.  When the moulds are dry, apply glue to the bottom of each mould and place at the top of the popsicle sticks.  Adhere the sun mould in the top right of the heavyweight paper.

Applying glue on the bottom before adhering to paper.

6.  Apply stick glue to each leaf and position in place, one on each side of the popsicle stick.

Applying glue to leaves.

7. Now is time to embellish with felt stickers or normal stickers.  Add the butterflies above the flowers and the ladybugs in and around the garden.

Some of the felt stickers were a little tricky to handle.

8. Optional - Embellish the frame with more felt stickers or use normal stickers.

Adding the finishing touches to the frame.
Trini and our joint project.

This project is fiddly and time consuming.  However, I found that the gorgeous colours, buttons, butterflies, ladybugs and paper moulds were just the right ingredients for Trini to remain focused throughout the lengthy process of producing her Butterfly Garden.

Now that you know how to do it, give it a whirl.  Make it as simple or complex as you wish.  Share with us your project and tell us what you got out of it, besides a pretty indoor garden.