Vellum Moths and Butterflies

Remember the industrial bulb I purchased from the antique mall a few months ago? I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it and Halloween seemed like the right time to bring my idea to fruition. Admittedly, I had thought I'd use real moths, but decided to use the same vellum moths I'd created for the Halloween story in Family Circle this year. They're not difficult to make and they're sturdy enough to last for seasons to come. You could make them out of regular paper, but I prefer the semi-translucence of vellum. It picks up the light nicely, giving your moths and butterflies a more realistic appearance, almost as if they were ready to take flight.

 

Here's how to make your own:

Materials:

• Clip art of moths and butterflies (see end of post for link)
• color printer
• lightweight vellum sheets
• spray adhesive (I prefer Elmer's since it can be repositionable or permanent)
• fine-tipped scissors (I like these handleless scissors from Martha Stewart Crafts)
  
   

Step 1:  Print one copy of your clip art onto a sheet of vellum, then flip the image horizontally (or instruct your printer to print a mirror image, if it has that setting) and print a second copy. You'll be gluing these copies together.

Tip: When you cut vellum, it has a hard edge. Angle your scissor blades slightly to the right to give a softer, slightly beveled edge. Also, instead of moving your hand when you cut, move the vellum instead. This keeps your hand stable, making it easier to achieve cleaner, more detailed cuts. 

 

Step 2:  Spray a thin coat of adhesive onto the back side of the first sheet of vellum. Let it dry for a few minutes to create a repositionable bond and place the second sheet of vellum face up over the sheet with the adhesive. Make sure the edges are lined up exactly (you can also hold your vellum up to the light and make sure all images are aligned). If not, your adhesive is repositionable, so you can carefully remove the top sheet of vellum and try again. 

Tip: If the idea of lining up two letter size sheets of paper fills you with anxiety, you can cut the sheets into smaller squares. But make sure you layer the sheets and cut them together, so you can still line up the edges of the smaller pieces. 

 

Step 3: Cut out the moths and butterflies, then fold the wings up on each side of the body. Because both sides of the wings are printed, you'll get a more saturated, realistic look. Attach them with glue dots or putty, depending on the surface you're adhering them to. (I used putty for my walls, mini glue dots for the lightbulb.)

 

Final: 

I was looking for a light socket, so that I could stand the bulb up. But I could never find the right one and a painted candlestick from the thrift store seemed like a fun touch. If I change my mind, or want to use a shorter candlestick, I can easily remove it since it's attached with putty instead of anything permanent.

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Here are some close-ups of the moths I created for Family Circle, to give you an idea of how they look in brighter colors. One thing to note - I leave the antennae on some of my moths and butterflies, because when you step away from them, you no longer notice the white space around them. But if it bothers you, you can always just snip them off.

 

(from Family Circle, photography by David Prince)

Free clip art is readily available from a variety of sites. You can also find some on my Pinterest board, Clip Art.

Comments

[Suzonne]

Wynona, I am just seeing your comment now. Thank you so much. You are so very kind! :)

[Wynona Mandevill]

You have a gift from God and never let it go
THANK YOU FOR SHARING

[Suzonne]

Andrea, So glad you found them. And even though I made these 3 years ago and have used them in various ways, they've held up really well and look great. Have fun!

[andrea]

Thank you so much for these instructions..I have been looking all over for realistic butterflies

[Jason Light]

Looks natural. I like the materials because of that. Sure it was way too wonderful when the light is open.

[theaxx]

COMPLETELY MAGICAL! Love how you printed the butterflies on trace paper too.

thea.
(spoonful)

[Suzonne]

Wendy- Agreed! I had the same thought when I was putting it together and I finally found a lamp that I think will be perfect. I'll post the project if it all comes together the way I hope it does. And if you come up with something nice, please share it with us!

[Wendy]

Love these! I want to do a project that allows the light to shine through them. I bet they'd be even more gorgeous.

[Suzonne]

Thanks, Judith! I hope there are some butterflies flying around your house soon.

[Judith Ann Mcdermott]

I really appreciate this post. I?

[Suzonne]

Thanks, Ann!

[Suzonne]

Thanks, Leigh Ann!

[Suzonne]

Thanks, Rachel! I've long been a fan of vellum for all kinds of projects. It just seemed perfect for this. Have fun!

[Ann Blevins]

Beautiful post, Suzonne!

[Leigh Ann]

So cute!! I love me some butterflies!

[Rachel]

Wow, this is really genius. I happen to have a pack of vellum paper, and I can't wait to give this a try. Thanks so much for sharing the project!

[Suzonne]

Peaches, please make something colorful and crazy with this idea so I can live vicariously through you!

[Peaches]

Shut the....

You. I am so going to copy YOU.

Genius!