Look what I made!

A year after being challenged to create something beautiful, my vision has been realized. This is for Millie's room--and will look darling with her curtains, if I may say so myself!


You, too, may create a similar project by following a few simple steps:

1. Buy a huge painting of a matador for $5 at a garage sale--for your husband's classroom. Cry a little after he asks you if it's a deal-breaker for the marriage. Rip out the picture of the bull fighter and say: "That huge frame was totally worth the fiver. I am SURE I will find some other use for it."
2. Go to Craft Warehouse or a craft store near you to get your creative juices flowing. Additionally, you might receive a challenge from someone you respect to create something beautiful.
3. Pay attention to centerpieces at girly events and ask questions. (My idea came from drooling over a centerpiece at a luncheon that was a simple glass vase filled with stones and branches with larger cardstock butterflies hot-glued on.)
4. The fifth time you go to a craft store, you actually buy blue craft paint because you think it would give your frame the illusion of being sky-like.
5. Tell a lot of people about your bright idea to make a butterfly/branches frame for your daughter's room. Receive mixed responses.
6. Look up the butterfly template that Martha Stewart has available on her website. Develop an imaginary hand cramp as you think about cutting out all those butterflies. Just when you consider buying a Cricut you cannot afford, you notice the link to Michaels where they have a Martha Stewart butterfly punch available! Sign up for their weekly emails so you can get 40% off. Twiddle your thumbs while waiting for confirmation email and then dash out the door with your coupon and your daughter to go to the girly store and buy...the classic butterfly punch.
7. Many moons later, go to JoAnn's crafts and realize that you just HAPPEN to be there when the glitter cardstock is on sale. Buy all of your favorite colors, even though the paper is stinky.
8. After sensing a glimmer of crafty hope, apply the first coat of paint to the large frame. Wait several months.
9. Look for adequate branches in your backyard. Then, price them out at all craft stores in your driving radius. In your discouragement, go to the dollar store for an eight-pack of Fun Size Butterfingers. One aisle over from the candy, you will be delighted to discover bunches of branches in green. You had originally hoped for brown, but, hey, the price is right! Buy five bunches and go home triumphant!
10. Annie, Get Your Glue Gun! And Your Staple Gun! Buy a glue gun with a 40% off coupon at another store. Borrow a staple gun (from your thoughtful in-laws) to fix your kitchen chairs. Buy the right staples at Lowe's.
    
11. Give up--even though you have all of the supplies now.
12. Receive pressure from aforementioned husband to clear the sad, abandoned project out of the prime garage location.
13. Give up just a little longer.
    
14. Stumble upon your blue paint while going to the garage for some other important reason. Apply second and third coats to large frame within the same week.
15. Inspired by your progress, you flip over the frame and array the branches in a general tree-like shape. Trim ends of branches.
    
16. On another day, you are be surprised to discover that the branches didn't move too much and you actually affix them with the staple gun and the glue gun--based on the thickness of the branches.
17. Allow to cool for a few more days. Meanwhile, punch out oodles of butterflies in various colors from the aromatic sparkle paper and bend the wings back for effect. Store them in a special place where your kids will not undo your hard work.
18. Wait for a night when your kids are asleep and your husband is doing homework. Heat the glue gun on the low setting for the last time.
    
19. Affix the butterflies in a random, jaunty pattern--careful to spread the colors somewhat. Take breaks to get water and stretch your neck and glue gun hand. Continue until you are...finished! What?
20. Carry it to your studious husband and smile broadly! Take a photo! Write a blog about it! Tell the world! Then consider the mounting options and actually hang it on your daughter's wall. Or maybe wait on that since your in-laws are coming and might want their staple gun back... What else did I need that for?