HandMade Butterfly Mobile

        ~Custom Design Handmade Butterfly mobile:

  I recently completed this 1 of a kind handmade custom butterfly mobile for an order I had, I just have to start by saying this was definitely one of the most time consuming and harder items I've made as of now... But I really enjoyed making this; I spent a great deal of time finding beautiful butterflies of all colors/sizes/species, printed them out (I printed some out on card stock & some on premium printer paper...*I'll get back to this point shortly) 
 After printing a huge selection of butterflies, as well as many doubles, I laminated most of them... I used special rubber craft glue and put thicker paper/card stock behind and then for the ones that weren't double sided I used a variety of different printed decorative designed papers. *(I wanted to make sure that this looked beautiful from all sides, especially since many 'strands' of this mobile would 'flutter' move around once hanging up.
 This was my 1st attempt at this type of project so bear with me as I explain the various methods I tried out during the process of designing & creating this mobile.... Some of the butterflies I cut out beforehand and glued back to back before laminating, but majority of them I laminated Before cutting- *which Was Not the most fun job, I have nerve damage in my hands, wrists, and partially in my arm which causes me to go through these 'spells' i guess you could call them, of excruciating pain like I cannot explain other than to say constant severe burning crippling torment where I literally Can't even move my fingers/hand (a lot of the time my fingers are stuck in this awful 'Crypt Creeper' manner- where if I even attempt to straighten them out I scream) **Please Do not think my dramatic explanation of this ailment is in anyway made up or exaggerated, believe me I wish...) but like I said I cannot even begin to describe this pain when it comes I have spent nights NO Lie crying because it was So bad and there is just Nothing to do to even ease it, except wait out the pain til it passes. *Sorry I ramble; to get to the point when I am not experiencing these 'spells' my hands are usually slightly-very numb on at least  2-3 fingers a hand for Most of the time, and occasionally will move a certain way and get this awful shooting nerve ripping pain from my fingertips to my forearm- so when I'm doing normal activity such as typing or holding my 15mo old for extended time I have a hard time as it is and must constantly adjust the height/level of my arms/hands and continuously switch hands.  !I know your probably asking "Well dumba** why do you keep doing some of this stuff, isn't arts/crafts, DIY projects a bad idea?"   Well Normally I'm sure you'd be right But I have spent my entire life being a very artistic/creative individual who Loves being able to express myself through All kinds of projects/designs/creations. My Passion for the things I do has been in my life longer than this S****y nerve damage issue so I Refuse to let that stop me from doing what I love, Not only for myself But for everyone else who has and still is able to enjoy my designs and products... 
   ***Really back to what I was saying about cutting- it was much EASIER to cut each Butterfly (Or what ever design(s) you may choose out BEFORE laminating, which if I haven't mentioned you Don't have to laminate these either, I just wanted to ensure the best quality I could, especially since this mobile was for someone else who had ordered not only the mobile but a special shower box. Majority of the butterflies once all p/o, cut, laminated, and everything were ready to be threaded, so i used a thicker sewing needle and different colors & styles of thread for various strands I entered from the front to back on half of them and vice versa- adding a decent sized sealing drop of hot glue to the backs of the holes where the thread came through *just to make sure they stayed in place...
  For the remaining butterflies (I also added a few fairies as well because that was the theme for this individual's order) A lot of the butterflies layers started coming apart (just the multiple layers of paper and laminate) **this happened only on some the ones I cut out After laminating. So with these I again used various colors and thickness level of thread, But instead of using sewing needle, I put hot glue in between where the layers started to seperate and placed the string through the middle. This Also looked good and I personally think it gave the mobile a balance, multiple views of the butterflies all seemingly flying together in a harmonious beauty.
  Once All the strands were Finally finished I took an embroidery hoop (using the inner circle 1st) tied each strand around in different evenly spaced spots, then again added hot glue (just to ensure they stay in place) I took a semi thick twine we had from my Daughter's jewelry kit and tied 3 long strands around inner circle going up and meeting in the center **this is the beginning of your mobile's hanger. 
  After this had ample time to glue and i had triple checked everything was set and secured where it was supposed to be, I took some pretty ribbon and wrapped both the inner and outer circles of the embroidery hoop (as you will be using the outside circle as well) I also took leftover ribbon to cover the kind of unattractive twine that i was using as hanger. It took me a couple touches/redo's to make sure that all 3 strings of the hanger were as even as possible, i used more hot glue *(I Love hot glue guns they are such a great tool- Except for the pain in the booty stringy glue which haunts me in the following hour or so after using the hot glue gun! :) LoL 
  Once All that was complete and 100% dry/set i took 2 really pretty decorative craft flowers and 3 equally pretty butterfly ones (which i just happened to spot by accident while picking up a few misc. items from.. guess where? Dollar Tree! *Yes I absolutely Love Dollar Tree!!! I used these to decorate the outside of the hoop/hanger and spots on the finished mobile, just to add that extra touch of beauty and unique design! :)
  ..My Last and Final struggle- Keep in mind this item was part of an order which was going to Alaska, i live in New Hampshire- so I was very concerned about how exactly I'd be able to send this without the mobile being damaged or ruined in anyway... The other part of this order was a shower box full of baby clothing, items, gifts, etc- ok those all get wrapped and packed nicely in a shipping box, but this handmade mobile that i just spent at least a month or so working on, is fragile and i wasn't about to just toss it in the box and send on it's way... So i 1st bought a large bubble wrap padded/lined shipping envelope (which I also found at Dollar Tree- good quality also!) xoxo Dollar Tree HaHa I play! :) But trouble was how was i going to pack without all the strands getting tangled in a big knot that couldn't be undone by the time it arrived in Alaska? Well my Amazing Boyfriend, Scott suggested i take each individual strand carefully fold each. butterfly from the bottom up and use paper clips to secure, well you know what?! This was actually a great idea! So i did this added ex. padding to envelope and gently wrapped a layer of pretty pattern tissue paper easily on mobile and placed in the envelope... I originally planned to just send seperate from the box, but decided it'd be safer in the box- there was just enough room on the top after packing everything nicely for her box opening....
 Though I kind of stressed and worried for the next 3 days as I waited for this package to arrive at it's new home, hoping that it got there the same way i sent it... Well it arrived and it was perfectly safe and she had No problems unraveling each carefully folded & clipped strand...
  She sent me lots of pics of both the mobile and the shower box she received, as well as a live video of her opening and unwrapping her showerbox, *which I think i enjoyed more than she did! *(I've received pics from each individual who i have done orders for which i totally appreciate and really enjoy seeing/knowing they truly enjoy their items... But watching as she opened each item and seeing the reactions firsthand just made it that much better and so worth it... It may seem silly or simple to a lot of people, but being able to do what i love and genuinely enjoy, Not to mention doing for others who also truly enjoy and get happiness out of my designs/items/services just Makes me feel a sense of content that I can't explain- other than 'GrRreAt!'
   ~Thanks for reading my 1st official 'Post/Page Blog'... and sticking it out through the whole 'novel' i have written here is appreciated.... *Pics Will Be Posted As Well!!! NOTE: Each pic is at a different stage of it's design/creation process- I didn't put them in order :)