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December 10, 2021
We are incredibly thrilled to share the first ever Moth and Myth pop-up installation at Roq La Rue Gallery in Seattle! The vision for this dreamy space covered in swirling clouds of butterflies had been many years in the making, and we felt beyond lucky to have such a stunning venue to bring our whimsical dreams to life.
For this installation, we used the brand new Mint Morpho Butterfly Set, which features the same butterfly (Morpho catenarius) in various sizes, giving depth and volume to the flurry of butterflies. Once our team had styles the wings, we spent all week covering the gallery in a flock of thousands of butterflies, which fluttered up the walls and windows and across the high ceilings.
At the centerpiece, holding our large-scale bell jars, is the fanciful Moth and Myth 'ice-cream' cart, which we can't wait to take to events and conventions!
All you need to create a wall of butterflies at home is paper butterflies, and a bit of double-sided photo tape! To create this look, we gently shaped the butterfly wings by curling them around our fingers, adhered a bit of double-sided photo tape to the back (which features an alternate gold design!), and pressed them firmly to the gallery walls.
This installation will be up for the rest of December 2021, and runs in conjunction with two fantastic art shows. Roq La Rue gallery is open to the public Tuesday - Saturday 12-5pm
We were so delighted to meet everyone who was able to come to the opening reception - it's one of our greatest pleasures to meet the artists and creators who are inspired by the realistic vegan specimens we create! We hope to see you again at future Moth and Myth events!
To learn more about Roq La Rue Gallery, please visit roqlarue.com and to see more photos from the installation, visit instagram.com/roqlarue/
June 10, 2021
Making bell jars is a fun and affordable project in which you’ll create a beautiful gift or piece of decor for your home. We’ve gotten a lot of questions about how to build bell jars with our paper butterflies and moths, and are delighted to share a step-by-step tutorial explaining the process! We recently released Multi-Packs that make it easy to do this project! You can also follow along as we go through these steps on YouTube and TikTok!
Materials:
Butterflies: We’re working with the Blue and White Morpho Butterflies. Any of our multi-packs are great for this project!
Bell Jar: Ours is from IKEA and is 10 3/4” tall. You’ll want to find a bell jar with a wooden base, since you will be drilling into the bottom.
Rod: We use a clear plastic rod sourced from a plastic supplier.
Wire Cutters: To clip the plastic rod.
Drill: You’ll use the drill to make a hole in the wooden base of the bell jar.
Hot Glue: To shape and attach the butterflies.
Plus: Your hands and creativity!
Our Blue and White Morpho Multi-Pack comes with 15 of the same type of butterfly. For this size of bell jar, you’ll only need 10 butterflies, which means you’ll have extras for other projects, or to attach to the outside of the bell jar. Any of our Multi-Packs are perfectly suited to this project!
Step 1: Shape the butterflies
We begin by making our butterflies look as lifelike and 3D as possible. With your fingers, gently curve the upper and lower wingtips away from you. Place a tiny drop of hot glue on the upper edge of the lower wings, and gently fold the upper wings over the glue, pressing down until the glue has hardened. This simple styling give the butterflies the appearance of flying and makes them sturdier to work with!
Step 2: Cut the rod to fit the bell jar
Your plastic rod may come in a very long piece, and you’ll need to cut it down to fit your bell jar. We approximate and measure by eyesight, and then cut the rod with wire cutters. The ends don’t need to look pretty because they’ll be hidden by butterflies and the wooden base of the bell jar!
Step 3: Drill a hole in the wooden base
You’ll need to drill a hole in the wooden base of the bell jar, for the plastic rod to sit in. Match the diameter of the rod with the size of your drill bit, for a snug fit - this way you won’t need to use any glue to keep the rod in place! Just be sure not to drill all the way through the base!
Step 4: Arrange the butterflies!
Now comes the fun part! We like to start at the upper tip of the rod and work our way down, attaching each butterfly with a drop of hot glue. Angle the butterflies to give them the appearance of flying and to create volume. Remember they can fly in any direction!
Since our specimens are printed double-sided, they'll look great from any angle! Rotate the rod as you work to make sure you’re filling in any empty spaces. Experiment with placement before you commit to glue, and have fun with your design!
Step 5: Put it together
Once you’ve attached your butterflies to the rod, all that’s left is to put the bell jar together and to enjoy it!
If you've drilled a tight enough hole in your base, you won't need to use glue to hold the pin in place, but you can always add a bit for extra stability!
We hope that this tutorial has given you some ideas about how you can work with our Single Specimen Multi-Packs! Remember bell jars come in all shapes and sizes, and there’s no limits to what you can do. We can’t wait to see what you’ll create!
May 01, 2021
Portland-based artist Roxy Schultz creates gorgeous jewelry and mixed-media art featuring pressed botanicals and our paper moths and butterflies. Her one-of-a-kind pieces preserve the fleeting beauty of flowers so wonderfully, and capture the soft whimsy of spring. Our tiny Micro butterflies and moths are especially lovely in her delicate creations!
Please visit her Shop and Instagram to learn more about pieces and availability!
All images and objects by Roxy Schultz, Wild by Design
Instagram @roxy.schultz
March 12, 2021
Making shadowboxes is a fun and easy craft project to do at home, and a wonderful way to create new art for your walls. Using our lifelike paper specimens makes it sustainable and vegan! While there’s many different styles of shadowboxes you can make (including one we've already shared!), today we’ll walk you through how to put together a Kaleidoscope Shadowbox with our paper Monarch and Viceroy butterflies.
Fun Fact: Did you know that a group of butterflies is called a Kaleidoscope?
To start, we got a Keepsake Box from a craft store. These boxes are great for displaying memorabilia and curiosities. The one we chose is 11”x14” with a 1.5” depth, and features a back wall covered in felt.
To adhere our butterflies to the box, we used one-sided velcro with sticky adhesive on the other side, which we cut into small pieces to fit the butterflies. This strategy worked well given the material of our shadowbox, but you can also use small pins to pin the butterflies, as you would with real specimens.
While working with hot-glue is a great way to make your shadowbox durable, we suggest finalizing your layout before using such a permanent option!
Starting with the center of your design is a great way to make sure the kaleidoscope spirals out evenly. We decided to work outwards from small to large, but the opposite looks great as well!
To make your butterflies appear more lifelike, bend them at the crease between wing and body, and gently curve their wings with your fingers.
Continue working outwards with your design. We made many adjustments along the way depending on what looked and felt right. There’s no right or wrong - just have fun and play with the placement!
Look at what you're doing from different angles to get a new perspective!
When you’re happy with your butterfly kaleidoscope, simply put your Shadowbox frame on the backing, and enjoy it!
We chose the Monarch and Viceroy butterflies for this project because they are available in three different sizes in our shop (Life-sized, Mini, and Micro), but you can create wonderful kaleidoscopes using just regular sized butterflies or minis as well!
If you would like to order any style of butterfly in bulk, as we used in this project, please email us at wholesale@moth-and-myth.com
December 08, 2020
October 23, 2020
Named for their cryptic underwing pattern, the Giant Owl Butterfly (Caligo memnon) is found throughout the Amazon rainforest all the way up to Mexico. These wing patterns include eyespots evocative of owl eyes, which are believed to be a form of mimicry to deter predators.
Featured in our limited ’Witching Hour’ Collection, the giant owl butterfly is perfect for the spooky Halloween season. While many butterflies are day-flying, the owl butterfly prefers to fly at dusk. Their Latin name “caligo” means darkness.
While all of our paper specimens are double-sided, the Giant Owl Butterfly is one of just a few that features a distinct reverse side, which is no less striking than the owl-like underwings.
Front and back of the Giant Owl Butterfly and White Witch Moth
Owl butterflies are very large, ranging from 3”–8”, and our papercut specimen is approximately 5” across. A tiny version of this giant insect can be found in our ‘Halloween’ Mini Collection!
How will you use the Giant Owl Butterfly in your art and decorating?
September 27, 2020
Resin art and objects by Hybrid Hollow featuring Moth and Myth paper butterflies and moths.
September 27, 2020
Elegant wall-hangings by resin artist The Moon Indigo, featuring Moth and Myth paper moths and butterflies. Pressed flowers accentuate the colors of the cruelty-free specimens so nicely! For availability and more information, please visit their shop!
Images and objects by The Moon Indigo (IG @themoonindigo)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/moonindigojewelry
September 27, 2020
September 27, 2020
Featuring the work of jewelry artist Earth and Metal. Their beautiful hand-made jewelry features Moth and Myth paper moths, butterflies, minis, and holographic stickers. We love how delicately our specimens are suspended in these intricate creations! For more information and availability, please visit their shop!
Images & products by Earth and Metal (@earth_and_metal)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/earthandmetalshop