My Mom’s Butterfly Mantel

BUTTERFLY MANTEL

Around the internet I have seen butterflies on walls and thought that would be a pretty cool thing to do for my Mom’s mantel. So I made butterflies out of some pretty scrapbook cardstock papers and I think they came out pretty cute.
This painting was in her back bedroom and I thought it was just too pretty and completely perfect for this project of OPERATION BUTTERFLY!
Aren’t the papers pretty? I love ‘em!

butterly text

You might find different butterflies on the branches of some of these pictures. You are not seeing things. The butterflies are not flying. They kept falling off (until I started using hot glue) and I kept taping them back up.

butterfly tree

Here are some butterflies I cut out. I cut them out freehand because I’ve cut out SO MANY  over the years, I know exactly where to start cutting and where to end to make a butterfly...
I take a piece of paper about 5” x 6” and fold it in half. That acts as the body of the butterfly and that fold gets taped onto the wall. Then I start cutting about 1/3 of the way down the crease and go UP to make the upper wing and then back down and then out again to make the lower part of the wing and then back to the “body” of the butterfly. Depending on how big you want the “body” (crease) of the butterfly to be you can start by cutting further down the crease at the beginning and further up at the end. And, of course, you can always look on the internet for patterns of butterflies.

butterfly2

paper butterfly

Both of these are different shapes. Heck, they are all different because I cut them freehand and and they are FUN TO MAKE, FUN TO STICK ON THE WALL, too.
I started with a bunch of sticks, some from a Christmas glittery table arrangement. Then I added some more sticks and didn’t paint them white. My Mom has this vintage vase and I thought that would be perfect for the twigs and the new Springtime Mantel.

branch 2

Here is the vase. Cool, huh? My sister was visiting at the time and we had lots of fun putting this mantel together.

mantel

More paper butterfly fun..

polka dot

The first thing I did after making a whole bunch of different sizes, colors, and patterns of butterflies was to find the picture that would hang over the mantel. I went into a back bedroom and look what I found on the wall!! This painting of a garden is perfect for a butterfly scene, don’t you think with all those flowers??? My Mom and I had both painted these a few years ago. I wish I remembered the artist that we painted this after so I could give credit. We like to learn different styles and my art teacher, Hank,said to try to copy artists that you admire and you will learn something from them and then eventually have a style all your own with a leaning in a certain direction. I like impressionism so that’s what I try to emulate.
I bought a LOVE sign from Joann’s and glued it in the corner. Oh, the frame was a bit too white so I used a wood filing tool and sandpaper to distress it a little. That definitely helped it out.

Mom's painting of a garden

butterfly mantel

We also bought some letters to make the word “WISH”. My mother said, “What’s that for?” Ha ha She didn’t like the “dance” word, but my sister and I did so we won out. Maybe the dance word is a bit much.. But I definitely like the WISH. Mom eventually said, “Okay,” to the WISH. We painted it a soft pink color. “Believe” is in there, too. :)

wish

Mom liked the Believe.

believe sign

How it all came together was like this: I had all the butterflies in my hand and Mom and my sister said, “one over there, and no, not there and put one over there..” etc.

butterfly

My Mom has so many pretty things to put together on the mantel. These guys hide the plug.

white porcelain birds

It almost looks like the butterflies are coming out of the picture.

pink

I found this on Mom’s sunporch. I’m not sure that it goes.

Italian relief

Here it is way in the corner.

mantel2
Oh, my Mom is SO HAPPY with her mantel. After Christmas she said, “I guess I’ll put the crystal back on there”. And I said, “Let’s do something different”. So when my sister said she was coming for a visit, I knew we’d come up with something. Actually, it came out better than I thought.
Do you think there are too many butterflies?
Thanks for viewing and thanks for reading, my friends.
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Hi there and WELCOME! So happy that you came by to visit.
I'm Linda. My sister, Carol, and I have a super creative family (my nephew even makes cabin furniture) and I try to log it all right here on Two Succulent Sisters/Crafts a la Mode.
I’m so looking forward to having you join me on my quest to learn new things and would love to have you join our community by subscribing via email or RSS feed.
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14 comments

  1. The mantle looks so springy!

    M :)

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  2. turned out gorgeous, perfect on the amount of butterflies, everthing goes so well together, love how you did the vase with branches and butterflies, wow !!!
    Paula

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  3. It is so nice that you did that for your mother....she should be very happy, it turned out so sweet!

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  4. Oh my goodness, I LOVE this. So pretty!!! I want to do this in my daughter's room. So cute! ~Angela~

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  5. Love the butterfly mantle so simple and cute! Perfect for spring!

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  6. LOVE the butterflies! They are so cute!

    Jenna @ http://rainonatinroof.com

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  7. I love this idea!!! My girls would love to make the butterfly and I think it's so magical! Thanks for linking!!

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  8. I love these paper butterflies! They are so pretty! Pinning!

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  9. I have nominated you for the "Liebster Award" which is giving to up and coming bloggers on outstanding work on thier blogs. you may have heard of the Liebster Award before its a german word that mean lovly, dearest, cute, beloved ect ect. And you have earned it. This award was giving to me by Nicki at sweet parrish place you can refer there for authenticity and refer to according2sharon.blogspot.com for the rules. Congrats! by the way this is not a joke.

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  10. I got big letters for my sister-in-law for Christmas that say 'faith.' :)

    Everything looks lovely here, and the butterflies remind me happily of Spring.

    I'm visiting today from Thursday's Favorite Things.

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  11. Hi Linda,

    I LOVE your butterflies!! They're lovely in the vase and on the wall. You and your sister did a great job on your mom's mantel, and I'm glad you shared with us.

    I'm visiting from Katherine's Thursday Favorite Things blog hop -- hope you have a great day. :)

    Denise at Forest Manor

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  12. ciao linda che belle le tue farfalline, ti ho scoperta grazie a google+ e ne sono felice ti seguo volentieri e se ti va vienimi a trovare su kreattiva.blogspot.com

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  13. Gorgeous butterfly tree! My daughter would love to have one!!

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  14. SHUT THE FRONT DOOR....these butterflies are breathtaking!

    I'd love for you to share this at my March Madness Party.

    http://4you-withlove.blogspot.com/2013/03/march-madness-party-link-up-begins.html

    Happy Hump Day!
    Marilyn

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So happy you came to visit today. Everyone is so busy but if you would like to leave a note for me, I would love it!!

Welcome

I am the crafter extraordinaire (on this blog anyway.) I live with my husband, my son, David, in a cozy cape cod style house in Connecticut.

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