Butterfly Mobile

Time has flown since the arrival of Baby Magee!  I can't believe it has been 4 months.  A lot of first and changes have happened in our lives like I got a new job, she is attending day care, and she has rolled over. In the frenzy I lost myself a little and I am gaining balance in my life so I can be the best mom and wife possible.  So I have picked up my hobby of refinishing furniture, decorating, and doing all things blog.

First, a project I finished right before Baby Girl arrived.  This butterfly mobile only took few hours to complete and added the first pop of {and nearly only} color to the nursery.  As luck would have it, the ceiling fan and air conditioner cause the mobile to rotate since it is slightly off balanced.  Plus, Baby Girl likes looking at it when I put her in her crib.  I call that a success!

Materials:
Card Stock Paper in Various Colors
10" Embroidery Hoop
Clear Jewelry String
scissors
pencil
c-hook (for hanging)
scotch tape
pin

Steps:

Find butterfly shape or other shape you like online and print/photocopy it to desired size for template and cut it out.  Trace the shape onto the card stock paper and cut them out.  Puncture hole in butterflies with pin near the center of the head (hole placement determines how they hang on the string).  Can also punch multiple holes along the center of the body to "sew" to pieces of paper together.

Cut 20" length of jewelry string for first "chain".  You will want less than this, but this leaves room to play with placement and number of objects you want to hang on each string.  Thread string through pinhole and tie a knot on the bottom side of the butterfly (can be loose at first so you can move loop/knot up or down for spacing later on).  Add butterflies and knots on string to spacing/number desired.  Repeat this for 5 chains.  

Cut four more pieces of string and tie evenly spaced on the embroidery hoop.  Tie strings together and hang hoop so that it is freestanding and level.  Tape 5 chains to hoop and play with placement and length.  Once you are happy with the arrangement, Remove tape and tie chains to embroidery hoop.  Cut excess jewelry string lengths and enjoy!

If this had been a boy, I would have done the same project with leaves in varying colors of green.  What shapes would you do?