Abuzz with Butterflies

Hi there sweet friends!

Today's craft has its genesis in a jacket:

Specifically a jacket that Michelle Yeoh wore during a television appearance. Can you see? It's studded with fabric butterflies...TADA!

The butterfly jacket was the accessory. It's by Oscar De La Renta. She paired it with a simple shirt, vintage jeans, and funky shoes. She looks great! She doesn't look at all like she's 60 and she just won an Oscar. She is the first Asian to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards! Check out her uplifting speech here. 

I am quite obsessed with this jacket because butterflies, specifically monarch butterflies, have a special spot in my heart. I've written about it here. 

Inspired by Michelle Yeoh's butterfly jacket, I made this gift box decorated with paper butterflies...TADA!

Here's how I made it:

 

I repurposed this box that was once filled with almond shortbread cookies (a gift from dear friends living in Hawaii).

I painted the entire box with bright blue acrylic paint. It took about five coats to completely cover the packaging labels, then I let the box dry for a few hours.

I cut a strip of cardboard that I attached to the lid of the box using hot glue. This will serve as the handle of my gift box.

Using an ink pad and a butterfly stamp (I've used it for this butterfly wall hanging and butterfly envelopes), I made repeating butterfly patterns on plain paper. 

When the ink dried, I added some color using colored pencils.

Then I cut around each butterfly.

I attached the paper butterflies on the box using white glue. As an option, you can use butterfly stickers, too.

I added butterflies all over, from the sides to the back.

I even put some butterflies on the handle, making sure not to glue all sides and folding the wings slightly for a "butterfly in flight" effect.

All I need to do is to add the gift inside the box and write my wishes on a nice card. 

This butterfly gift box is how I turned an empty box from blah to TADA! 

If you'd like to visit the archives, I've made similar gift boxes made from a tea box, pasta box, and most recently a coffee pod box...TADA!

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