Springtime Butterfly Ornament
Materials Needed:
| 5-Minute Epoxy, Clear | ‘Puffy’ Butterfly Sticker |
| Toothpick to mix the epoxy | Piece of clear cellophane |
| Scrap of glossy paper for mixing epoxy (use glossy paper, because thin paper will get soaked through) | |
I love the look of objects embedded in resin, but am just saddened to see real butterflies used this way. This method gives me a beautiful resin butterfly without harming a real one. You can use the piece as an ornament or pendant.
1. Place the puffy butterfly sticker on the piece of clear cellophane (leave at least ½” margin on all sides).
2. Mix the epoxy per the label instructions on a piece of scrap paper (remember, work in a well-ventilated area; it does smell a bit). Mix up a small blob that is large enough to cover your sticker.
3. I place the paper that the epoxy is mixed on close to the cellophane, so that I won’t drip too much when I am covering the butterfly. Take the toothpick and pick up some mixed epoxy, and drizzle it onto the butterfly sticker (work from the center out). The epoxy will begin to settle as it spreads. Work quickly, because this epoxy begins to set in five minutes. You may see tiny bubbles in the resin, and you can pop them with a thin needle, but you will see lots of them, so don’t worry too much about the tiny ones. I think they add character to the piece, and even add some sparkle when you have lots of tiny ones. Though the epoxy is ‘clear’, it will have a very slight yellowish cast, which can add a vintage look. Keep applying the epoxy until the border of epoxy extends at least ¼” all around the butterfly. Set the piece aside to harden. Before it hardens fully and is just as hard and flexible as a piece of leather, use scissors to trim the epoxy to the desired shape around the butterfly. You can leave the cellophane on if you like, or peel it off carefully. If you would like a hole at the top to place a jump ring, make one now with a toothpick. To fully cure the epoxy, leave the piece alone for at least 60 minutes after cutting to shape and making the hole.
· I made a bright green beaded edging for my piece, which I will use as a ‘springtime ornament’. You can hang it anywhere – I’ll hang mine off of a dresser drawer knob in my bedroom…., or I’ll attach it to the gift card for a springtime bouquet of flowers that I’ll be giving as a gift.
· I obtained my puffy butterfly stickers from Michaels Crafts Stores (a national chain store); the added bonus of using a ‘puffy’ type sticker is that they have a vinyl/plastic coating, which holds up better to the resin. The stickers were in the Scrapbooking aisle.
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