La Magnifique Collection Entomologique de Virginie

“La Magnifique Collection Entomologique de Virginie”.

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The weather in Paris was becoming quite warm and Virginie knew that soon she and her family would be traveling south to their summer home by the sea.  But, before the last school book was closed, Virginie’s tutor Mlle Marchal had a final assignment: an insect collection.

 

“Oh,dear”, thought Virginie, “where will I find specimens in a third floor apartment in the center of Paris?”

Then she had an idea!

“Papa has some wonderful books with beautiful illustrations of insects”.

 

So, after a visit to Papa’s library, and Maman’s button jar and jewelry box, she began to assemble her project.  Of course, her dear Maman held the place of honor as the “Butterfly Queen”.  When she was finished, Virginie presented the collection to Mlle Marshal.  While it was not precisely what the tutor had had in mind, she smiled and proclaimed it to be “Magnifique!”

 

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Instruction:
1. My substrate was an 11″x14″ canvas board.  Anything sturdy will work.  Finish the edges of your substrate with gold paint.

2. Cover substrate with decorative paper of your choice.

3. Print out image sheets.

4. Rough cut insects, mount on cardstock  and then fine cut.  Ink edges if desired.  Be careful of their little legs.

5. Cut out remaining elements.

6. Lay out tags and floral elements as desired and glue down.

7. Embellish insects with buttons, brads, jewelry pieces, whatever you can find.

8. Make dangles from charms and beads. Poke a tiny hole in the bugs’ abdomens and attach with jump rings.

9. Attach embellished insects to the tags with 3-D dots.

10. Stamp tiny labels with script stamps to create “faux” identification tags (or create your own).  Attach to the back ground.

11. I plan to display my collection on an easel, but if you wish, hang it from a ribbon.

Enjoy! If you have any questions , please let me know by commenting to this post (questions or otherwise as I love to read your comments!).

I would like to give a big “merci” to my dear friend Linda Rothermel for her title translation.

Jules xo

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