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shantell Jan 9, 2006

Can anyone recommend a good source for directions on how to create butterfly/fairy wings.  I don't want feather wings but ones like...well Michelle Lamb has some gorgeous wings on her bears.  I'd like them to be almost paper like.  I have an image in my head but it seems to be stuck there.

I've considered trying to paint them on fabric...but I'm not much of a painter but that may be my only option.

Thanks!!!

Marie_ Jan 9, 2006

Hi Shantell , I love to learn that too ! 
I was thinking of using colored stockings(for craft use) and a wire...plus
some thing else  ???
sorry for zero help..... 

Cleathero Creations Jan 9, 2006

Rice paper? Carefully glued to a frame back and front?

kbonsall Jan 9, 2006

I buy mine at ACMoore but would like different "leaf-like" ones like Julie Dawn uses... the last pair was really realy neat... let me see if I can find the link...

http://cgi.ebay.com/JULIE-DAWN-PRESENTS … dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/JULIE-DAWN-PRESENTS … dZViewItem

These are some awesome wings... wonder where she got them...

vkallum Jan 9, 2006

Hi Shantell

I'm not sure where I got this from - I'm sure I didn't find it myself.  It may be of use though.

http://www.elvenwork.com/wings.html

vkallum Jan 9, 2006

Thinking about it - couldn't these be printed onto an ironable transfer paper (I'm not sure what it's really called) and then transferred onto an organza of some sort. 

Only thing is I'm not sure how they'd stand with copywright etc.

Daphne Jan 9, 2006

Kim - those are probably silk or similar leaves found at maybe Michaels or an artifical floral supply place. Then it looks like she applied glitter. Great idea.

melissa Jan 9, 2006

Kim - they ones are skeleton leaves -real leaves that have lost the "green stuff" and have only their veins left.  You can buy them at scrapbooking supply stores and probably bigger general craft stores.  They come dyed in all sorts of colours   I was really gutted when I saw this as I had something similar in mind but will not do it now...I hate it when other people make something so close to my idea!!!

Meri Bears (UK) Jan 9, 2006

The wings that Julie Dawn has used in the links you gave are skeleton leaves. Here in the UK these are readily available in craft shops/Ebay in loads of scrummy colours.

They are very delicate though so I wonder if they have been strengthened in any way?

I think they are from the rubber tree???

:hug:

Meri Bears (UK) Jan 9, 2006

Snap Melissa :D

When I make my fairy bears (haven't made any for a while now though) I make the wings by heat fusing hundreds of tiny iridescent strands. They bond into firm fabric like piece and because the strands are iridescent they give a beautiful twinkling effect. I then cut it into wing shapes and fix to the bear.

Above is a photo of a bear I made some time ago with the wings. You can just see the wings but it not the best picture to show what I mean. I have the strands in all different colours so I can co-ordinate with each bear.

kbonsall Jan 9, 2006

your wings are beautiful!!! I need to come up with something creative... I dont care for the "store bought" ones... I need to put my thinking cap on! HA!

Maybe I will do a country bear and have fabric "puffy" wings ... I think that is what I will do... Okee dokee... I have the theme for my next bear!!!!! WOO HOO!!

Winney Jan 9, 2006

Yes..I have seen those leaf / floral wings at Michaels...real sheer with the veins.

Thanks for that link to print wing, I have a friend that is looking for wings too..

Melissa, you say " heat fusing hundreds of tiny iridescent strands" ....where do you get the " strands" I mean what are they ? fabric? Couldn't you get the same kind of wing from cutting out iridescent organza? Altho...you could embed any kind of strand into the bonding or use different colors together too.

Hey...I remember a long time ago I got some info. on how to make skeltonized leaves right off the internet...they are fragile but I am sure you could then spray or paint them over with coats of polymer to seal them .... Winney

shantell Jan 9, 2006

I've seen the "real" leaf things too.  I'm not wanting anything purchased.  I really want to make my own I'm just not sure how to begin.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about...

http://www.oneandonlybears.com/jpegb2.h … lor=ff9999

I wonder if Michelle's ears are ringing from all this talk about her lately

Kate...your wings are lovely.  Please tell what you mean by "strands".

Melissa...please don't NOT do something because I'm or anyone else is thinking about doing it.  I just have an idea and am not sure how or when I'll implement it. 

Shantell

Winney Jan 9, 2006

Azalias wings look like painted silk...hmmmm... Winney

WildThyme Jan 9, 2006

What lovely shiny ethereal wings Kate!  I've used those fibers before... so fun to play with.... Here's a couple links:

http://www.evolving-images.com/gossamerfibermagic.htm

http://www.stampendous.com/projects/projTshirt.html

You can do all sorts of things with this stuff!!!!!

Beary truly yours,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

kbonsall Jan 9, 2006

I wonder if she took a pair of those that look like “pantyhose” and painted on them… that is an option.. I was going to try to do that a while back but I never got around to it… they are a wire frame and then a colored pantyhose is wrapped around it somehow … I think this is what Marie was talking about… It kind of looks like a kite too… hmm… I think I would try the pantyhose thing…. Ya know what I just thought of.. I DID do this!!! A while back.  My feltie, Sasha the panda has a tiny little butterfly that I painted the wings with lacquer and then sprinkled sparkles on them… it was a much smaller scale, I would say the butterfly was about ½ and inch or so….

Winney Jan 9, 2006

A 1/2" BUTTERFLY !!!!!       NOW THAT IS GETTING RIDICULOUSLY SMALL!!! :lol:
hOW IN THE HECK DID YOU HANG ONTO IT TO MAKE ?......... WINNEY

kbonsall Jan 9, 2006

LOL… I didn’t make it, it was a hair clippie thing and then I just pulled the velcro off the back and lacquered and sparkled it up… I have more at home that I could use as a reference for maybe a future pair of wings… I do have a bigger pair that I bought for my mom (who is butterfly crazy)  and they are probably a foot by a foot… I’ll have to see… but I think that would probably be the way I would go

kbonsall Jan 9, 2006

You could probably also make them out of shrinky dinks… I may give that a try myself… you would need to put something in with it so that it maintains the arched shape you want … not sure how to go about that though… if you get it right out of the oven, you can probably bend it a little, just be careful not to break the wings or burn yourself – I think I will do a test run on this tonight and see how it works – I love that you gals get me brainstorming!  I think I will make a butterfly bear for my mom for her birthday (which is in August so I have lots of time to plan the wing thing)

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorJan 9, 2006

Check out this link; this gal makes UNBELIEVABLY fabulous and detailed fairy dolls.  She has some good information in her TECHNIQUES section on how to make pretty, wired, gossamer-clear kinds of wings from either wired ribbon or laminate, if that's what you're after. 

They're very, very delicate and pretty, but probably best suited to smallish bears.

www.oneandonlydolls.com

Meri Bears (UK) Jan 9, 2006

Shantell

In reply to your question about the strands, Kim has answered with the links she gave . Thanks Kim

I have a cupboard full of the stuff as I used to sell it in my eBay shop, mostly to cardmakers and scrapbookers. Before you iron it, you can sprinkle in bits like sequins, stars etc. They all heat fuse in together and you can achieve some really interesting effects.

Be careful when buying strands though, not all of them fuse together when heated. You can get cheap ones from the pound/discount stores which won't work in this way.

I know most of you have probably all seen skeleton leaves before but for those that haven't I have posted a close up picture above.

:hug:

bearlyart Jan 9, 2006

I seem to recall reading in one of her auctions that Michelle's fairy wings are resin.  So either she's dabbling in making her own resin wings (which is possible), or she's getting them from an artisan somewhere.  Fairy wings are fun though, aren't they?  I've included a few examples of ours below. 

The mini golden fairy bear riding on the bunny has wings made from fusible fibers, much like those described above.  I think I bought them at JoAnns, they are sold in separate colors and you can mix and match as you please before ironing them.  Delicate, but very pretty.  The little silver mink bear and the brown mink bear with the white face both have wings made from brocade fabric.  A little tricky to work with, but also a neat effect. The roly poly fairy bear is a newer little fellow of ours and our first 'Poinsettia Fairy', his wings came from a glittery silk flower and (hard to see in this photo) directly in the middle of his wings is a single perfect poinsettia.  Fun stuff, indeed!

Hugs,
Kelly

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorJan 9, 2006

Pretty, Kelly!

kbonsall Jan 9, 2006

Fab wings Kelly!!! I really like the white fabric ones..

psichick78 Jan 9, 2006

Here are some wings I've made.

I used liquid poly clay ove wire. They are quite tough!