Butterfly Gift Topper

This is super simple and made out of pages out of pages from a magazine.  It was inspired by a page in a magazine that had a butterfly on, but it turned out a bit big to use on that package so I ended up using it on another one instead.

All you need is

• Magazine, catalog pages or other paper
• Glue
• Scissors

Just cut a butterfly shape the width that you want it to be (this is about 6 inches at the widest point) then cut a version that is about 1/4-1/2 inch shorter around the edges and the same with the top layer.  Put together and fold at the center. 

Take the layers apart, apply a fine line of glue in the center of the bottom piece, put the middle piece on top of it.  Put another fine line of glue on the middle piece down the center and put the top piece on top.  Allow to dry for a few minutes.   Once dry apply a thin line of glue on the bottom of the butterfly and glue it to the package, bending up each side.

Rolled Flowers

Make pretty flowers to embellish crafts or packages from upcycled magazine pages!  This flower is a combination of a loose rolled flower with a tight rolled flower glued in the center.

I knew immediately when I saw the tutorial at Under The Table And Dreaming that I wanted to try to make some of these.  On her blog she makes them in both paper and fabric.


Link to the tutorial:  
http://ourliebertfamily.blogspot.com/2009/12/rolled-flower-gift-toppers.html?showComment=1261626546687_AIe9_BFUplHQvr_vCh6LkSdfSJ2hP73O3Mmk7CcQwvc5JFJAyx3GOkCNMrqW7qK5Cp4Vd3iZ5ps4E8WZzyLL97X6xiFZv_v6aQn8ZKF-dpIMBij1gq_5b26zxiAq-m2DlV0x-8WZWLbw7r4yIBZJB1HXUqVhKhy7tt0G8ekKJNzg9dIc94WQDNeJrwV2qVgV9WmuZ7NZSDBEasDnSL6k7bIoLW53PL2vgTYIamiGD-JbCnOGGLoKFxOz4ruDMU8b80520_jUHFiA#c2988219043799823034

Items I used:

• 3 pages from a magazine
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Craft Glue

Take 3 pages of  magazine and square them up - I folded them up until they looked square then cut off the excess.

With a small hook in the center, draw an outward spiral on the paper with a pen or pencil and it will look sort of like this (sorry, you couldn't see the pencil on the pic I took so I did this instead).

Cut the spiral on the lines and you will end up with a long squiggle of paper.

Start with the outer edge and roll inward.  I ended up using dabs of glue as I went because the first time I tried making one after gluing the end the center unrolled like a Slinky.   How tightly you roll the flower  and how many layers you use will give the flower a different look.  The large flower below was rolled loosely, lower left tightly and for the small one on the right I only used 1 layer of paper.   For the above flower, a tight roll was glued inside the larger flower.