REAL Butterfly Wing Earrings | UV Resin Project

Hey Art Friends!
Today's episode is about how to create REAL BUTTERFLY EARRINGS!
This tutorial demonstrates how to create beautiful earrings from real butterfly wings using UV Resin! Traditional resin would also work for this project, however it should be noted that curing times and methods will be different.

NO BUTTERFLIES WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS VIDEO! The butterfly in this tutorial died of natural causes and was donated to me for the purposes of making this set of earrings.

Butterfly wings are magical things, they tend to disintegrate over time and can be difficult to preserve! This method works wonderfully to ensure that the wings do not change color and are perfectly protected.

Please note that I obtained a lamination pouch from OfficeDepot and used their lamination services, which cost approximately $2.50 USD. If you have a laminator and laminating pouches at home, feel free to use that! I enjoyed making this so much that I invested in one! I will show how to use it in the future!

Also, I highly recommend using the "hot needle" trick on the laminate material taking special care not to fill the tiny hole for your jewelry findings with the resin. The reason I recommend this method is that even light pressure with the hand drill & bit may cause the layers to separate, which is not desirable in your finished product!

So, if you find a butterfly that you would like to preserve and use in a functional way, try this method! Just be sure to leave a small allowance of the laminate around the wing. If you cut too deep you will run the risk of opening the laminate which allows the resin to come into contact with the wing, potentially causing discoloration.

I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Happy Arting!