Royal Icing Butterflies

Let me start off my saying that I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post but I was sick. Sick, sick, sick! Very sick! Ok 'nuff said.

I learned how to make these butterflies from a Flickr member. If you ever want to find a picture of something (anything) go to the Flickr sight and search and you'll find it. It's one of my favorite websites. You can really make any design using this method.

First make a batch of royal icing. Then draw out the butterfly template several times onto a sheet of paper. Cover the paper with wax paper and trace over the design with the royal icing that has been put into a pastry bag or ziplock bag.

You can see the butterflies better in this picture. Leave them like this until they're dry.

Then tint the royal icing different colors and fill in with the designs. I took a toothpick and swirled some of the colors together while they were still wet to make a pretty design.

Let them dry completely (about a day) then gently peel off of the wax paper. To attach the wings together I use part of a cardboard box. Bend a piece of cardboard in half lengthwise to form a "V" then place a piece of wax paper in the "V". Pipe the body of the butterfly (just a line) and push the wings into the sides and let dry completely and then you have a beautiful butterfly. I'll show you how I used them next time.