17/02/2018

Mixed media butterfly - Sizzix


Moikka! Hopefully you are having a good Saturday! Today I have a request to refill. I did a butterfly for Prima's Creativation booth (link) and when I showed it during Art Venture I got asked to do a tutorial about it. I'm always happy to fulfill requests so here it goes! 


As you can see, it's not the same butterfly as I changed the composition and some of the materials, but the basic construction and the steps are the same. And even more so, the base is the same, the butterfly is cut using the Bigz Hedgerow Butterfly die by Sizzix. As I was playing with the new Sizzix dies, I added a couple more of die cut pieces to the make. To learn how I did this black and purple butterfly, please see the stepped tutorial from below. 


Step 1. Using the Bigz Hedgerow Butterfly die from Sizzix, cut a butterfly out of cardboard or like I did, use sturdy coasters. As the butterfly was bigger than the coasters, I cut two pieces - one left side and one right. 

Are you new to die cutting? No worries, check this Sizzix site (link)!


Step 2. Trim the butterfly so that the both pieces have the body part but nothing more extra. Cut a swirly plant and a honeycomb using two other Sizzix dies. Cut the vine out of cardboard or coaster and the hexagon using thinner material, but still sturdy enough to hold the mediums, like watercolor paper.


Step 3. Layer the butterfly pieces on top of each other, adhere and let dry for a while. Paint everything black using black gesso. Let dry or use a heat tool carefully.


Step 4. Start making your composition and layers. Trim any excess off from the hexagon and vine and adhere them on top of the butterfly. Use gel medium as your glue. As these shapes form the base of the whole cluster, use enough medium to really keep them put. 


Step 5. Add to the composition and make it fuller. Use metal embellishments, paper flowers and found items. Adhere everything with gel medium. Let the piece dry some time or preferably overnight that all the layers really adhere - this makes next steps so much easier!


Step 6. Again, paint everything black using black gesso. If you are impatient crafter and your gel medium is not yet dry when you start to paint, don't let the two mediums mix as gel medium may cause a resist effect later on.


Step 7. Color your butterfly using shiny Metallique paints and Mica powder. Let the colors mix and create a colorful look you desire. 


Step 8. Bring on the wax! To highlight the edges of the butterfly, the metals and the vine, use metallic waxes. Apply either with your finger or using a sturdy, rigid brush like a stencil brush. 


Step 9. Finish your butterfly with some more shimmer and shine. Add some adhesive here and there near the composition and sprinkle little glass beads on top. As the beads leave some openings here and there to the adhesive, sprinkle then some glitter on top. Let dry and blow the extra away. 


There you have it - a little mixed media butterfly in nine steps! Just by changing the colors of the paints and waxes you can create a whole bunch of butterflies flurrying around with all the colors of the rainbow! 

Thank you for  stopping by today! Underneath you can see the Sizzix dies I used for this craft as well as list of brands I used. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to comment or email me! Ta ta for now!


Dies used: 



Materials: Sizzix, Prima Marketing

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