Eco kids craft – Weatherproof Butterflies Mobile

As promised, here is a tutorial for making paper butterflies that will fly come rain or shine…. there are 2 steps to the process: the first one is folding the butterfly and the second is dipping it in melted wax. This is overall an easy tutorial. I have been making them with groups of kids ages 4-11 for a community art installation called more than 1000 Butterflies currently showing in Ramat Handiv in Israel, you can read more about the installation here.
The reason for dipping the butterflies in wax is to make them water resistant, so they can be hung outdoors. in the process of dipping them in wax, I found how amazing the transformation is. It makes the butterflies durable, yet extremely brittle. It turns the paper translucent, one can freeze a shape, and when the wind blows and the butterfly touch each other ever so gently, they make an extraordinary soothing sound.

^{butterfly art installation, Ramat Hanadiv, Israel, photography Nirit Gur-Karby}

You will need
For the butterflies:

Recycled/used paper (i have been using old encyclopedias)
Scissors
Paper clips

For dipping in wax:

Wax (you may use candles)
Oil pastels in a color you like
Pot
Foil (to protect cook top and working surface)
Tongs

For making a mobile:

Fishing wire
Beads

How to

   1. Fold the paper in 2
   2. Draw a curved line on the open end of the paper
   3. Cut along the line (you may rip the edge instead of using scissors)
   4. Open the page flat, now you have a symmetrical shape that looks somewhat like a butterfly.
   5. Fold the paper an accordion fold
   6. Unfold a paper clip (or any other wire you may have) and twist it around the center of the accordion fold, spread the wings, squish the folds close to the center a bit to keep the wings open

Now for the wax -

   1. Melt wax in a pot
   2. protect working surface with foil
   3. Add oil pastels in the color you like
   4. Very carefully dip the butterfly in the wax (make sure there is parental supervision)
   5. Put aside to cool down , you may dip a few times. Try and alternate with different colors

After the wax cooled down you may turn the butterflies into mobiles by tying a fishing wire to the butterfly and adding some beads if you like.