MAKE ·May 15, 2013

Make Butterfly Houses with Chalk Lids

Can Brie + Butterflies be friends?

may6-bugs-pic2

YES! Save those left over Brie and Camembert packages and make these:

Chalkboard Topped Butterfly (or Bug) Containers. Not only is this a re-cycling project, but it’s also a super-easy, super snazzy and functional Butterfly House project, too.

These versatile houses can board butterflies, bugs and … fireflies. Do you have any other ideas of what you could do with these? Gray has his eye on our local frogs and is already calling his house the “Mt. Blanc” for Frogs. Don’t you agree that these are the kind of Butterfly Houses that will please parent and kid alike?

Make these with your kids. Make them with a class. Throw a Butterfly or Bug Birthday party and use these as the party craft. Don’t want bugs in the house? Use your imagination to fill these with paper butterflies for a room decoration. I think these are a wonderful way to expand your children’s outdoor exploration and inner creative world, (even encourage spelling) while looking great, too. Just click, below, on READ MORE for full tutorial to get started, too!

Tops that are chalkboards are easy to label, date, personalize or create artwork on directly.

“Bien sur…” when a Frenchman marries an American Artist, who originally hails from a dairy state, you’re bound to find a family of cheese lovers with new ideas about the conventional. I’m not the only one in the house who’s eyed these wooden containers with creative ideas; but, I’ve been faster than the others and managed to save more than enough containers for this Spring project. I wanted to make sure that we had extra Butterfly house making materials for visiting neighbor or guest, too. I love having simple, active projects on hand for just those occasions. Are you the same?

I’d love to hear how these work for you and see what you’ve created. Willow wishes for creative days that flutters with adventures, creativity and exploration ahead!

Supplies:
Wooden Cheese Container (such as the Brie container seen above)Packing Tape (or even “Duct” tape works)
Brad Clips
Stapler
Fine Gage Wire Screen
Scissors for cutting wire
Black Chalk Board Paint & brush
Needle and thread

1. Prep work surface and gather supplies.
2. Seal the edges of the top of the cheese container with tape. I used packing tape so that it blended with the wood, but, if you only have duct tape, this would work.
3. Prepare the chalkboard paint and wooden cheese boxes. Paint boxes and let dry.
4. Fit the screen to the circumference of the wooden cheese container. Add approximately 2 inches ( 5 cm) to the width and cut. Fold over one of the edges
5. Create a tube with the screen and fit into one of the wooden containers and staple the top and bottom edges, using the wooden containers as your guide.
6 With needle and thread, stitch the center of this same seam tight.
7. Using a hole punch, clip holes around the circumference of the wooden container.
8+9. Press the brad clips into the holes and through the screen tube which you have fit inside the wooden container. Press these open from the inside.
10. Are you ready to construct the butterfly house now? Just slip the top on and your Butterfly House is ready.
11.. With chalk, tally your bug or butterfly guests, write the date or name or decorate the top. Place foliage and twigs inside to make your butterfly guests feel at home. Now, go and have a bug adventure!