Paper Butterfly Mobile

I have a door sized window next to my front door at the shop.  I tried curtains and random displays, but really wasn't happy with anything until I put together these bright and colorful paper mobiles.  They were super easy to make and I LOVE my window now!

Supplies needed:

Cardstock or construction paper in a variety of colors

Scissors

Butterfly punch or template

Hot glue gun

Thick string or yarn

Weight for the bottom of the sculpture (I used an acrylic crystal)

Make a loop on one end of your string and hang it from something high enough that allows you to work.  The length should be however long you want your sculpture to be.  Tie your weight onto the bottom of the string.

Cut various sized circles out of your paper and cut each circle halfway through.  Put a line of hot glue 1/4 of the way around the outside edge of the circle and pull the other side of the circle in to form a cone.

Using a template or a butterfly punch, cut out assorted butterflies.

Attach two different colored butterflies back to back, with your string in the center.  Fold the wings of the butterflies away from each other.

Attach 3 or more of the circle/cones to each other and to the string, keeping the string in the middle.

When you're done, hang it in and enjoy!

Let me know if you have any questions and feel free to share your own version of this project.  For the music paper sculpture that's also shown in the window, go here.

Sheet Music Paper Sculpture

I have a vintage paper obsession.  I've been collecting vintage paper (old books, wrapping paper, sheet music, etc.) for years and when my closet started to resemble a very special edition of "Hoarders," I decided I had to come up with projects or get rid of all of it.

First project - Sheet Music Paper Sculpture

I saw something similar to this on Pinterest, but with construction paper instead of sheet music. 

Materials needed:

Sheet music, cut into strips

Yarn, ribbon, twine or something similar

Glue gun

Weight for the bottom of the sculpture (I used an acrylic crystal)

Use a glue gun to attach the ends of the strips together to form teardrop shapes

You can also form circles and figure 8s.

Make a loop on one end of your string and hang it from something high enough that allows you to work.  The length should be however long you want your sculpture to be.  Tie your weight onto the bottom of the string.

. Put hot glue on one of your shapes and press it against another one of your shapes, keeping the string in the middle of both shapes and in the middle of the glue. Add circles, figure 8s and teardrops down the string and to paper that has already been glued to the string until you come up with something like this:

I embellished this sculpture with paper butterflies...

...and deer moss with vintage millinery flowers...

...and hung it in the window to brighten my day...