Tutorial for Creating Custom Bugs by Robbie!

I’m really excited to be here at Ideas For Scrapbookers. I love to learn new things and I also love to share when I come up with an idea. This tutorial was originally supposed to be about ribbon flowers and leaves. I am a known ribbon addict, so I’m always looking for different ways to use it. I recently saw a magazine article that had ribbon flowers. I wanted to try them and thought that once I figured it out, I would share it with you. In the process of making the leaves, something clicked in my head that they would make great wings. So, guess what? Different ribbons came out of the basket and you are getting a tutorial on how to make bugs!
I really love all the lady bugs and bees that are showing up in many of the new collections. I think that they are such a cute, fun design element during the warm months. Because this idea came on the spur of the moment, I pulled everything to do them straight out of my stash. At the end of the tutorial, I’ll share some other ideas on ways to improvise. These are really not hard and you probably already have everything you need. It gets frustrating to run out to buy something every time you want to start a project. I hope that you not only like these, but that it sparks your creativity by using up some of what you already have in that bottomless supply of goodies that most of us own!

Bumble Bee Instructions:

You will need:
2 -4 to5 inch piece of 5/8” ribbon.
1 -large brad.
1 – 3 inch chipboard circle.
1-scrap piece of black cardstock.
Black marker, ink or paint. Yellow slick paint.
1-black bread tie or piece of black wire.

Step 1: Fold ribbon as shown and make a running stitch as shown. Be sure to catch the ribbon edge on the backside in your stitches.


Step 2: Gather by pulling the thread tight. Wrap the thread around the ribbon 2 times and knot to secure.


Step 3: Trim close to the stitching making sure not to cut the thread. (repeat steps 1-3 for second wing)


Step 4: Twist black bread tie or wire around the base of the brad as shown.


Step 5: Color or paint your chipboard circle. Use slick paint to add the stripes.


Step 6: Attach wings as shown to the back of the brad. I used glue dots for this.


Step 7: Cut a small piece of cardstock to make the stinger as shown in the finished picture. Simply use glue dots to put your bee together.




Variation for Lady Bug:

1 -4 inch piece of 7/8” ribbon.
1 -large brad.
1 – 4 inch chipboard circle.
Black marker, ink or paint.
1-black bread tie or piece of black wire.

Step 1: Fold ribbon in half to find the center. Make a running stitch in a U shape for each wing as shown. Take thread over the top of the ribbon to connect the segments. (see center of picture)


Step 2: Pull thread from both ends as shown to gather. Tie the threads in a knot to secure the ends together.


Step 3: Your wings should now look like this image.



Continue with Step 4 of the Bee to complete your lady bug. Of course, you just want your chipboard circle to be black and you don’t need a stinger.



Hints:
I just used things that I found in my stash. The chipboard is just an approximate size. Other sizes will work. You could also use cardstock circles and layer them to get the weight.

You could also paint the body yellow and add black stripes. Do you have soufflé pens? Those make a nice line, too.

If you don’t have a large brad, think about using a black pom-pom for the head of the bug. That was actually my original idea, but I didn’t want to go to the store!

Even the ribbon sizes are approximate. I think the wings of the lady bug would look just as good, if not better, if you used a 5/8” ribbon instead of a 7/8”. Solid ribbons would also look great!

Check your stash and make do. I can’t wait to see what you come up with for your bugs!

(CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROBBIE)