CC3C Challenge 2 - Distress Glittered Butterfly Paper Hot Air Balloon

I'm participating in the Compendium of Curiosities 3 Challenge on the Studio L3 blog by Linda Ledbetter. The Challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie! Challenge 2 is all about the Distress Glitter technique found in the Tim Holtz book Compendium of Curiosities 3.

I wanted to do something vintage with glitter so obviously I decided to create a paper hot air balloon. I created my paper hot air balloon following a pattern and video tutorial by Laura Carson. Here is a link to her blog balloon page. After I made the paper balloon I decorated it with many glittered butterflies using the distress glitter technique in the the Compendium of Curiosities 3 book. The butterflies are cut from grunge paper using the Tim Holtz butterflies movers and shapers die.

For the metal balloon trim and a few butterflies I used the technique I learned following one of Linda Ledbetter's tutorials for "The Spring Zing Wreath" that uses grunge paper, silver foil, embossing folders, and distress paint.

I wanted to be able to hang the hot air balloon, or have it stand up by itself so I strung a string into the top of the balloon secured by a large bead on either side. You have to secure the beads before you glue the final side of the balloon as the balloon opening at the bottom is too small to get your fingers up into once it's finished. (I know this from experience). I used some very soft wire to make the balloon "rope" so it can stand up by itself. You can just use string or chain if you only want it to hang. It took some doing to get the wire right (if you can call that "right") =). I made the flowers using the Tim Holtz mini-floral strip die.

My glittered butterfly balloon is all about beautiful courage. Courage can be a little haphazard and slightly skewampus creation, but when we gather up the courage we can muster, we can rise above the challenges we may face in our own way, finding peace and calm as we float high above where the challenges look small.

I have been in a hot air balloon. As you rise up it feels like the earth is moving away from you, and you are standing still, until the things below are small like ants. Courage is like that. As you find your courage, you can stand firm and the challenges move away from you and become small. You can enjoy your beautiful moment. Sure you have to come back down, but then you'll reach for your courage contraption again.

I have enjoyed making my little balloon contraption.

Thanks for the challenge. It's been a fun one for me as there are no goof ups with glitter and all goof ups can be covered up with even more glitter! Bring on the glitter!!!