Create Your Own Mobile

I’m back with more butterflies! This time, I created a butterfly mobile. Fun and easy, really!

Materials:

Print outs of Digital Papers of your choice. I used Chasing Sunsets by Michelle Batton; I also used an older paper pack from Michelle called Cloudy Skies.

Epson Premium Presentation Paper for the print outs

Circle Cutter (I used the Circle Scissor Plus from Stampin’ Up!) or plate, pencil and scissors

Die Cutting machine & dies, or punches of your choice. I used the Bigz Beautiful Butterflies and Beautiful Wings Embosslit Dies and the Big Shot, all from Stampin’ Up!

Paper piercing tool / tack / 1/16″ hole punch

Beads (optional)

Cording – I used 7 pieces in total, approximately 1 foot long each (I admit, I didn’t actually measure these…)

Adhesive – I used scotch tape and double sided tape for this project.

HOW TO:

1) Choose papers and print them out. I printed a solid on one side of the paper, and a more patterned paper on the other. I did two sheets like this, and then two sheets with the Cloudy Skies papers for the top of the mobile (printed on one side only).

2) I cut a 6″ diameter circle from the two sheets of Cloudy Skies paper.

3) I then ran my Chasing Sunsets papers through the Big Shot with the Beautiful Butterflies die, to create a whole bunch of butterflies!

4) Puncture the butterflies twice through the middle.

5) String the cord through the holes of the butterfly. If your holes are close in size to the cord you’re using, no adhesive is required to hold the butterflies in place, plus you can reposition them as desired.

6) I strung a bead between each butterfly and at the bottom of each cord. To keep the bead in place, I strung the cord through the hole in the bead, then came around the outside of the bead & went through the hole again in the same direction. This holds the bead in place, but still allows you to reposition it as required (important if you want to have a balanced mobile!). When you’re happy with the position of the bead, pull the cording taut. (I left it loose in the photo so you could see what I was trying to explain).

7) Finish stringing 4-6 lengths of cording with your beads & butterflies. I used 4 longer pieces and 2 shorter pieces.

8) To assemble – punch holes in one of the 6″ circles around the perimeter. (The number of holes you need is however many pieces of cord you used – in my case, I used 6 in total). You’ll want the decorative part facing the butterflies. String the top end of each cord through the hole, then use scotch tape to hold in place on the unfinished side.

9) I know, not so pretty…. so we’ll fix that in the next few steps! Take your second 6″ circle, and punch a hole in the centre of the circle. Insert a loop of cording so it comes out the decorated side. Hold in place with tape on the unfinished side. (This is the hanger for the mobile). Then adhere strong adhesive around the perimeter of the circle. I used double sided tape.

10) Adhere your two circles together with the unfinished sides in. Adjust the butterflies and beads by sliding them up & down the cords as necessary to balance out the mobile. (I am sure there’s a scientific way of doing this, but I did the “trial and error” method). Hang the mobile somewhere where everyone can enjoy it!