A few weeks ago, I discovered Image Surgery's stunning butterflies by way of the blog The Estate of Things. Image Surgery's butterflies are made from laser cut vintage maps and look like they are well worth the 150 euro pricetag for a single butterfly. But this is also more than I pay to fly to Europe.
However, this seemed like a terrific inspiration for reusing maps from vacations - giving you a vacation memento and a bit of wall art all in one.
Here are my materials - a free book of Brooklyn neighborhood maps, small cardboard boxes from the recycle bin, scissors, glue stick, silhouette shapes of butterflies via Google, push pins and a fabric remnant.
To make the mounting boxes, check out my earlier DIY post here.
Cut out the butterfly silhouette and trace it on the back of your map, then cut out the butterfly shape from your map. (Hint: Make the butterfly about 30 percent larger than life for more impact.) Put a dab of glue on the back of a push pin and place the push pin in the center of the back of a butterfly. After it dries, center the butterfly on your mounting board (or inside of a photo frame or stick it directly into the wall.)
