3-D Paper Butterflies

This is the first in what I hope is a new series I'll call DIYoutube.  As in ... Do It Yourself - YouTube style. 

For the last several years, I've been saving up crafty ideas I found on YouTube that I thought I might want to try one day. Today's that first day. My hope is that these will be little crafts or techniques that will only take an hour or two to learn and execute. And so I present my 3-D Paper Butterflies.

They use some origami techniques, but also includes some cutting. So this is closer to kirigami:

a variation of origami, the Japanese art of folding paper. In kirigami,

the paper is cut as well as being folded, resulting in a three-dimensional design

that stands away from the page. Kirigami typically does not use glue.

This butterfly does use some hot glue, though, to hold the folds of the wings together and to attach the antenna and body. This yellow-orange print butterfly was my first attempt.

Then I made a plain blue butterfly from slightly thicker paper.

Then a plain pink. I learned it's best to use paper that is the same color/design on both sides. The white side of the paper can be seen in my first attempt.

I'm not sure if or how I'll use these little beauties. They remind me of Spring, though, and the bright colors I chose evoke happiness in me. Perhaps I can use them as ornaments on my lighted Spring tree. Here I've taped it onto my hoodie like a broach.

This is the tutorial I used:

It's fun! Give it a try.