When I first saw the OG cloche on Pinterest, I knew I had to have it. Heck, I was willing to pay the price to have it to add to my Halloween decor. For those who have been reading my blog from the beginning, you know that butterflies have been my thing ever since losing my mom a little over 2 years ago. Well, as luck would have it, the cloche was sold out. I then came across a DIY article and thought it was a sign from my mama, it was time to DIY this thing at a fraction of the cost and pull out that old bottle of “liquid gold” and honor my mama and some of her favorite craft supply products!
Now, here is where I took that idea and put my own spin on it. I took these butterflies (I used two sizes ) and spray painted them black along with these plant sticks (you can use wooden skewers as well but I didn’t have any on hand). I have to say that I prefer the butterflies that are made with feathers, it adds texture to the project and takes it to the next level. The dollar store canvas butterflies went in the trash because, well they just looked cheap!
Next up, you will want to take a disposable paint brush and liquid gold leaf and “dry brush” each butterfly front and back. You still want black peeking through to give dimension and add some drama to the piece. My bottle is really old. Like probably 15 years old and bought it with my mama, old. I keep it on hand and use it every so often for home decor projects. Truly, a little bit goes a very long way and its way easier than using the sheets of gold leaf.
Ok, now here is the part where I forgot to take a photo to document this step. You are going to want to rip off the wire on the bottom of the butterfly and hot glue the skewer onto the bottom of the butterfly. I suggest angling them upwards like they are getting ready to fly off. Make sure the hot glue is totally dry and set. While the butterflies are setting, cut a square of floral foam to fit in the inside of the cloche. I then hot glued the foam onto the cloche base. Next, I took a pair of cutters (I used my husbands wire cutters for this step) and cut the wooden plant sticks one at a time to various heights. I started off with the tallest one and made my way down. I wanted to fit as many as I could in there without it feeling too cramped.
Ok, now its time to put the finishing touches on this beauty! You are going to take Spanish moss and cover the base! Set your glue gun temp to low and have at it. You want the entire base to be covered in moss! I took an extra skewer and used it to push the moss into the hot glue to make sure it is adhering properly! Then you give the moss a “hair cut” to your liking and cover with your glass cloche!
I have to say, this gilded butterfly cloche is my favorite piece of Halloween decor this year! Now it’s off to finish decorating so I can post this year’s decor reveal! Happy crafting!
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