DIY Wall Art: $2 Faux-Box Butterflies

Materials Needed:
3D stickers of butterfly ($1 at Dollar Tree)
Thick picture frame ($1 at Dollar Tree, or $1-5 at thrift stores/department stores.)
Glue Runner ($4.50 for 4 pack of glue runners using 50% coupon at Hobby Lobby)
Scrapbook Paper / Cardstock (.10 - 1.20 sheet at craft stores)

Tools Used:
Craft Knife ($3.00 carving set at 99center
Paper Slicer ($5.00 using 50% coupon at Hobby Lobby)

Details for making this project:

I was wandering a Dollar Tree in a different part of town and found the neatest stickers.  These little butterflies had plastic flappy wings and really nice color details, and each of the 8 stickers was completely different from the others.  Bonus: they came in four different colors!  So I bought one of each (the two pictured at left are the ones I haven't framed yet).

I walked the aisles of the Dollar Store and only found one picture frame that had a 'shadow box' design to it, though it said "Congrats".  On getting it home, I had to cut off the "Congrats" with a craft knife (I think I can use the letters on a grad gift or grad card next grad season.)

To make my butterflies fit, I had to enlarge the opening of the paper mat by 1/2" all the way around.  I'll have to take more photos and do a step by step, but the jist of cutting into matting is to:

1) use a paper slicer with sliding blade that is sharp and tall enough to cut through fully,
2) line up the matting to the same measurement line for every side,
3) use a sharp tipped craft knife to touch the corners together, rather than risk over-cutting with the paper slicer.


I found the other picture frame I used at a Goodwill Store (it was on sale half off and cost $1.) After some deliberation, I just used some glue runner from my craft stash to adhere the stickers to the outside of the glass. The result was very 3D, and because the wings are plastic the thing can still be wiped off to keep clean.  I will eventually add a bit of scrapbook paper behind the butterflies and glass once I decide on a color/design.

Other frame ideas for the person not wanting to accumulate picture frames second-hand or modify the cheap Dollar Tree frame:

• IKEA (RIBBA Frame, black 8 1/2" x 11") for $5 each.  Maybe you could even add some spacers of white foamboard to drop the matting back to allow the stickers to be under the glass.

• Walmart has these smaller 5"x7" frames from Better Homes and Gardens.  A four pack is on sale for $15.00. Though these frames are too small to have the butterflies sit inside the 3"x5" matting, just white paper behind the glass and the butterflies in front complete the bug box look. You could also try slicing the matting larger, or buying thinner matting and saving these 5x7 outside mats for other frames/projects.

PINTEREST ALERT:  If you are digging the butterfly look on the wall but can't find the stickers, check out some Pinterest boards with great ideas, such as Butterfly Wall  or All Butterfly Wall Decor.

PREVENT CLUTTER:: make sure you have the wall space picked out before you create these - cheap art is worthless if it doesn't get put up.  With a living room full of nature items on shelves, my framed butterflies will 'flit' right in.  However, if your walls are full, figure out what you'll take down and move out first, so you don't have your pretty pictures accumulate dust in a corner, unseen.