Big Dreams Butterfly Window

By: Brittany aka Pretty Handy Girl

Capture big dreams before they fly away with this Big Dreams Butterfly Window from Brittany aka Pretty Handy Girl. Made with an old window frame, this butterfly wall decor is great for decorating a nursery room. Bring color and life into your home with this beautiful art piece!

Materials:

Cardstock weight scrapbook paper
Cardstock letter paper
Butterfly hole punch
Real Butterfly Wings
Glitter
Mod podge
Small cup (to pour mod podge into)
Scissors
Paintbrush
Eye bolts for hanging
Rope for hanging
Bottle of Resin (Included in the EnviroTex Lite kit)
Bottle of Hardener (Included in the EnviroTex Lite kit)
2 Mixing Cups (Included in the EnviroTex Lite kit)
Stir Sticks (Included in the EnviroTex Lite kit)
Rubber gloves (Included in the EnviroTex Lite kit)
Disposable brush (Included in the EnviroTex Lite kit)
Utility lighter
Glitter
Protective plastic to cover work surface
Exhaust fan (set up in a window to pull fumes away and out of the room)
Dust mask
Eye googles
Level

Instructions:

Start by cutting out paper letters and punching out butterflies until your thumbs are sore. Then lay out the design on the window panes.
When you are happy with the design, anchor everything onto the window using mod podge. Paint a thin layer of mod podge on the back of each letter and paper butterfly. Then pressed them down onto the window panes. This step is important as it keeps everything in place while pouring the resin.
Use extreme caution with the butterfly wings so as not to break them or brush too much of the color off.
Gently press the wings onto the window. You may need to replace the butterfly’s body with a paper one so it doesn’t stick up above the resin.
Before the mod podge can dry completely, carefully wipe any excess off the window. If you leave some mod podge exposed on the window, it will be immortalized in the resin forever!
Rub on transfers work perfectly for the butterfly’s missing antennae.
Set the window on the protective plastic. Set the level on top of the window. Check both directions and prop up your piece using shims under the window or under the table legs until the window is completely level. Skipping this step will result in the resin puddling in the corners of each pane and leaving an inconsistent depth.
Put on your protective gloves, dust mask and eye goggles. And don’t forget to turn on the exhaust fan. No need to fry your brain during this project.
Pour equal amounts of each bottle into the first cup.
Stir the resin and hardener mixture thoroughly with the wooden stick. Be sure to scrape the sides of the cup. Then pour the mixture into the second cup. And thoroughly mix the mixture again. Failure to follow these directions could result in a BAD CRAFT-FAIL!
After your mixture is thoroughly mixed, begin by pouring small amounts into the center of each pane. (I only poured the resin into the four panes that had objects pasted on them.)
Use the brush to gently spread the resin mixture to the edges of each pane. The resin will level itself as it dries.
After the resin is spread evenly, sprinkle some glitter around the letters and butterflies.
After a few minutes little bubbles will rise to the top of the resin. Use the lighter several inches above the project to pop the air bubbles.
Check back after about 5-10 minutes and pop any newly formed bubbles. Let the resin dry overnight (at least 4-5 hours. Times may vary depending on temperature and humidity.)
When the resin is completely hardened, use a drill bit to drill holes in the top of the window, then insert eye bolts on each side. Thread some rope through the eye bolts and hang your new piece of art!