So, I like to find interesting ways to set up my models for creative photos from time to time. I’ve also made a few special shelves for displaying my models at work (where they are safer than at home with my energetic children). And the three shelves are getting pretty full. So I decided to make a special, decorative display feature for my bugs and butterflies. And take a fun picture of it out in nature. And submit that for [last month’s] newsletter Creative Photo Challenge. And, of course, free up some much needed space on my display shelves.

Of course, I also took a photo once I finished it. And one when I got it hung up at work (under terrible lighting conditions). And also an alternate outdoorsy photo, too.

This was a lot of fun, a bit of frustration, and a healthy serving of humility. I had fun coming up with the idea. I’d been thinking of finding some fake greenery for the butterflies, but saw this wreath thing at Walmart, and decided to go for all the bugs at once. I endured quite a bit of frustration while attempting to glue the models onto the wreath – as it turns out the 5-second fix is pretty good at sticking things together… much better at dried bark sticking to the branches and vines, which got pulled off a lot. So I got to attach most of the models more than once. Which brings me to the humility bit… which came in the form of the whole thing tipping over while I was gluing on the second to last model. And you know which side it tipped towards, of course. I think all but 3 of the models came off as a result, and several were a bit squished. So, fixing models, and then gluing them all on again one more time. Wheeee!!!!