Butterfly Wall Hanging

Our daughter wanted to make a piece to accompany the book, “Waiting for Wings” for her teacher this year (who has certainly given her wings!), coming up with this butterfly wall hanging.

She may have loved the butterflies so much she decided to make an additional set for herself or maybe a few more…

Materials

• Coffee filters
• Wooden butterfly bodies or twigs
• Glue gun
• Cord
• Paint (liquid watercolours, watercolour pucks etc.)
• Glitter glue
• Office supply stickers
• Branch or driftwood
• Beads
• Cooling racks
• Artificial stamen
• Scissors

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Read the book Waiting for Wings for inspiration.

• Don your smock.  Lay your coffee filters in your craft trays and paint them.  We created two sets- one with warm colours and the other with cool colours.  Our daughter’s current favourite technique is splatter painting, where you tap the brush, creating flecks of copper in this case.  Allow your filters to dry overnight on your cooling racks.  Once dry, add stickers if you would like to extend your designs.

• Fold your filters (we went with an accordion style, back and forth movement) and glue them onto the back of your bodies, adding some stamen for antennae if you like.  You may need a little bit of adult assistance for this portion to hold the fold down while you glue or vice versa.

• Loop your cord over the driftwood or branch, knotting it tightly and then lace your beads through the two pieces of cord, knotting the end several times.

• Attach your butterfly to the bottom with glue.  Trim off any excess cord.  Allow to dry and then hang it in your room or give it to someone special!

Want more butterfly inspiration?

Design butterfly wings with loose parts:

http://make-it-your-own.com/design-your-own-butterfly-wings-with-loose-parts/

Spin art butterflies:

http://make-it-your-own.com/nature-finds-butterflies/

Shrink art necklaces:

http://make-it-your-own.com/shrink-art-creature-necklaces/

Make a butterfly costume out of shopping bag: 

http://make-it-your-own.com/paper-bag-butterfly/

Tissue paper monarch necklace:

http://make-it-your-own.com/butterfly-necklace/

With Earth Day coming up, check out these other recycled insects!

Grasshopper: https://www.thecrafttrain.com/cardboard-tube-grasshopper/

Bumblebee: http://buggyandbuddy.com/egg-carton-bee/

Dragonfly: http://kidscraftroom.com/recycled-milk-jug-dragonfly-craft

Caterpillar:  http://www.firefliesandmudpies.com/how-to-make-a-colorful-caterpillar-suncatcher/

Bumblebee: http://iheartcraftythings.com/recycled-bee-craft.html ‎

Ladybug: http://www.iheartartsncrafts.com/recycled-cd-ladybug-kid-craft/

Purpose

• Painting with different materials on different surfaces.
• Learning about butterflies.
• Expressing gratitude.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors and a glue gun with care and adult supervision.
• Cord, yarn etc. can be a strangulation hazard, therefore be sure to use with direct supervision and for its intended purpose.
• Beads can be a choking hazard, therefore be sure to keep them out of the reach of children ages 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things into their mouths.