DIY: Butterfly Badge

Guest post by Denise Sharp of Studio d.Sharp

Some people say that if a butterfly lands on you it means good luck - this badge must grant the wearer much luck until their next birthday.

For this project, I was inspired by the graphic quality of the butterfly wing patterns, and how they resemble a blossom when clustered together. Wanting to make the badge really dimensional, I chose to put the butterflies on a domed covered button and to score each as if fluttering their wings. Attached to the presentation card, the badge is an unusual and engaging gift that can be presented in person or sent along as a birthday wish.

Materials:
Butterfly images (download pdf here)
Presentation card (download pdf here)
White crepe paper I have used two types: a heavy, stiff paper and a lighter crepe streamer
Ivory or white cardstock and text weight paper
Vintage book pages
Half Ball cover button, 1 7/8 inch
White fabric, anything not too thick.
Ribbon 1 ½ inch wide by 12 inches long. A heavy grosgrain works best.
Adhesive { spray or double stick tape}
Thread
Pin back

Tools:
Pencil with eraser
Scissors
Needle
Hot glue gun
Straight edge
Craft knife
Bone folder
Circle punch, 2 inch

Print out the butterfly pdf {enough for 2 badges}

I printed the butterfly image over vintage text paper, but printing onto plain cardstock would work as well. Using double stick adhesive or spray adhesive, glue sheets of vintage book pages to text weight paper – print or copy butterfly image onto sheet, sizing butterflies no bigger than 1.25 inches. Adhere vintage book pages to back of butterfly sheets. With bone folder and straight edge, score vertical line at center of each butterfly. Cut out butterflies, you will need approx. 20.

Print presentation card onto card stock, set aside.

Cut out circle of fabric, using template from button package. On backside of metal button, grab fabric at top and bottom and on each side, using a pencil eraser to push the fabric into the metal prongs. Continue around until the fabric is taught all of the way around. Press back plate onto button back.

Glue the button cover to the center of the small crepe paper circle. Trim around edge with scissors if needed to even out.

Cut out 2 circles of card stock, with a punch or by tracing and cutting by hand. Glue one circle to the back of the large crepe paper circle.

Cut out 3 strips of card stock, ½ inch wide and 3 ½ inches. Cut out notches on both ends of each. Overlap the strips in the center, gluing them onto the larger crepe paper circle. Glue button onto larger crepe circle.

Cut ribbon into two 6 inch lengths and cut notches on one end of each. Overlap top of ribbons, fanning them out a bit. Secure them together with a little hot glue and then adhere them to the back of the button. Glue remaining card stock circle on the back, over the ribbon.

Now to decorate the badge! Fold each butterfly at the center score line. You want the butterflies to be a tight, compact arrangement, resembling a blossom with petals. For the butterflies to be dimensional rather than glued flat, use just a tiny dot of hot glue in the very center and press with bone folder as glue cools.

Start gluing butterflies onto center of button, determining the best placement of each, orienting them in different directions. Their placement is a lot like a puzzle. When two wings intersect, you can cut a small slit in one of the wings so that they fit together. Continue gluing butterflies, from the center out toward the edges until complete.

Glue pin back to back of badge and glue strip of card stock over the base to secure.

Cut out presentation card. With a craft knife, cut out rectangle in center. From remaining card stock, cut out 1 inch strip the full length of the sheet. Place badge on card with pin aligned with opening. Fold one inch strip of paper a number of times to create a thick rectangle, slide it under the pin on the back of the card to secure badge.