Butterfly Paper Printables
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I’ve said before how much I like butterfly collage sheets. But these free printables are a little different. Yes, they are made up of butterflies, but they are more decorative than scientific, like most of the other butterfly ephemera sheets I’ve provided. These vintage designs date back to a French publication from the mid-1920s. I can see the Art Deco influence that was popular during that period. These sheets will make nice collage elements, backgrounds, etc. for art journaling, junk journaling, scrapbooking, etc.
Scroll all the way down, and you’ll find four different free ephemera printables for you to download and add to your mixed-media craft supplies.
If you like these, you might also like these exotic butterflies and moths collage sheets, these British butterflies sheets, or these painted butterflies and insects sheets.
Collage sheets offer a versatile and inspiring way to enhance your creative projects. These beautiful butterfly-themed designs are no exception. Here are some ways to incorporate these collage sheets into your art journaling, scrapbooking, junk journaling, and more.
Art Journaling
Backgrounds: Cut out large sections of the collage sheets to use as background elements in your journal pages. The rich, detailed patterns will provide a striking backdrop for your artwork, writing, and photos.
Layering: Create depth and interest by layering pieces of the collage sheets. Tear or cut them into various shapes and sizes, then layer them with other paper elements, such as book pages, tissue paper, or watercolor washes.
Focal Points: Use the butterfly patterns as focal points in your journal. Cut out specific butterflies or sections of the pattern and highlight them on your pages with frames or borders.
Borders and Edges: Cut strips from the sheets to use as decorative borders or to edge your pages. This adds a cohesive and polished look to your journal spreads.
Scrapbooking
Butterfly-themed collage sheets can bring a whimsical and nature-inspired element to your scrapbooks. Here are some ways to incorporate them:
Photo Mats: Cut the collage sheets into rectangles to use as mats for your photos. The colorful patterns will frame your pictures beautifully, making them stand out.
Embellishments: Fussy cut individual butterflies or pattern elements to use as embellishments around your photos and journaling spots. Add dimension by mounting them on foam dots.
Titles and Quotes: Use sections of the collage sheets to create backgrounds for your titles or quotes. You can either print text directly onto the sheets or use letter stickers to add your words.
Themed Pages: Create entire scrapbook pages dedicated to a butterfly theme. Use the collage sheets as the main design element, complemented by coordinating papers, stickers, and embellishments.
Junk Journaling
Junk journaling is all about using found and repurposed materials to create eclectic and meaningful pages. Here’s how these collage sheets can fit in:
Tip-ins and Flip-outs: Create interactive elements in your junk journal by making tip-ins and flip-outs with the collage sheets. Simply cut a piece to size, attach it with washi tape or a hinge, and you have an additional layer to lift or turn.
Pockets and Envelopes: Fold and cut the collage sheets to create pockets and envelopes for storing tags, notes, or small ephemera. The colorful designs will add an element of surprise and delight.
Tags and Cards: Cut the sheets into tag or card shapes to use as journaling spots or decorative elements. Punch a hole at the top, add some twine or ribbon, and you have a beautiful, ready-made tag.
Collage Elements: Tear or cut the sheets into smaller pieces to use in collage compositions. Mix and match with other papers, stamps, and found items to create rich, layered pages.
Mixed Media Projects
The lovely patterns of these butterfly collage sheets are perfect for mixed media projects. Here are some ideas:
Canvas Art: Use the sheets to create backgrounds or elements on canvas. Combine them with paint, texture paste, and other mixed media supplies to create a unique piece of art.
ATCs (Artist Trading Cards): Create a series of Artist Trading Cards using the collage sheets. Cut the sheets into 2.5” x 3.5” pieces and embellish them with stamps, stickers, and other small elements.
Decoupage: Apply the collage sheets to objects like boxes, frames, or journal covers using Mod Podge. Seal with a clear acrylic sealer to protect and enhance the design.
Card Making
Create stunning handmade cards with these collage sheets. Here’s how:
Background Panels: Cut the sheets to fit your card bases. The intricate patterns make beautiful backgrounds for any occasion.
Die-Cutting: Use dies to cut shapes from the collage sheets. Butterflies, flowers, and geometric shapes will add a professional and polished look to your cards.
Sentiment Strips: Cut strips from the collage sheets and stamp or emboss your sentiments on them. The colorful patterns will make your sentiments pop.
These butterfly-themed collage sheets offer endless possibilities for your creative projects. Whether you’re working on an art journal, scrapbook, junk journal, or mixed media project, these designs will add a touch of nature-inspired beauty to your work. Enjoy experimenting with these ideas and let your creativity soar!
Print these collage sheets and add them to your supplies for art journaling, junk journaling, bullet journaling, collage, artist trading cards (ATCs), scrapbooking, and other mixed media artwork.
If you enjoy these free printables, be sure to follow me on Instagram and Pinterest, so you’ll see when I post new ones.
You may also enjoy these free collage sheets.
Terms of use:
Free to use for personal or commercial projects. You may print the collage sheets as many times as you wish for your personal crafts or in your projects to sell, including: art journals, scrapbooks, junk journals, collage art, etc. You may not redistribute or sell the collage sheets “as is" in either print or digital form.
If you wish to share the files on your own website, please do not make the files available for download directly from your site. Instead, include an image with a link back to this site.
To the best of my knowledge, these are all royalty free images that are in the Public Domain in the US. However, you should always do your own research if you plan to use them commercially.
