DIY Paper Butterfly Cupcake Toppers

Cupcakes that FLY off the plate

DIY Paper Butterfly Cupcake Toppers will take an ordinary cupcake and give it a “lift”! Ha- I know, I know, so corny.

Cupcakes are the dessert of choice for special occasions (or for everyday occasions) these days. Would you like to top your special cupcakes with something special which will make them “fly” off the serving plate?

Two circles cut out of bright pink paper near a pair of scissors and a stapler.

Easy DIY Paper Butterfly Cupcake Toppers directions

How about cutting two circles, making a few folds and creating an easy cupcake topper to bring a pop of color and charm to those cupcakes of yours? These would be perfect for a themed butterfly birthday party...which, as luck would have it, we will feature soon on Welcome to Nana's!

Simple Supply list

OK, look at the list of supplies you need for this craft- Scrapbooking Paper, scissors, stapler and a glue stick. Boom. That’s it! You probably have everything you need to make these cute paper butterfly cupcake toppers right in your home. If you want a certain color of scrapbooking paper for your party, you may need to head to town- but look in your stash first.

Tip: I used Scrapbooking Paper with the design printed on one side only. There are some papers that have the design printed on both sides and that may be important to you. Either will work.

A circle of paper folded into quarters near a stapler and a pair of scissors.

Cut two circles of paper

Each butterfly only takes two circles cut from the Scrapbooking Paper. One circle is about 3 inches in diameter, the other is about 2.5 inches in diameter. Now these don’t have to be exactly this size, adapt it to the size you want but one circle is about a half inch bigger than the other. It works well to find two glasses, cups, mugs or canning jars in the right diameter to draw around for a pattern.

Make folds and staple

Fold each circle in half with the decorated side to the center. Then fold in half again. Crease well.

Open each circle so that it is folded in half only and place the smaller circle on top of the larger circle with the cut edge and fold aligned. Using a Stapler to staple along the fold close to the cut edge (as shown in the picture).

Two half circles of paper stapled together near a stapler and a pair of scissors.

Gently open up the butterfly wings

Gently open each section of the smaller circle, turn the paper over and open each section of the larger circle. Again, do this gently so as not to rip out the staple that holds the circles together.

The two larger circles create the upper half of the butterfly wings, and the two smaller circles create the lower half of the butterfly wings. I’m sorry, I have “butterflies in my stomach” because this is just so dang cute. I get so excited about these little ta-da moments in crafts.

Several circles of pink and green paper stapled together.

Add antennae

Cut two very narrow (⅛^th inch or so) strips of darker paper about 2.5 inches long. Curl the ends on a pencil and use the Glue Stick to glue it onto the top of the butterfly for antennae. You may notice that we forgot to do this step on our DIY Paper Butterfly Cupcake Toppers but they still look great. 

DIY Paper Butterfly Cupcake Toppers "land" on the cupcakes

Place the cupcake toppers onto each cupcake right before serving.

Cute, cute, cute!

How can a craft get much easier or faster? Technically DIY Paper Butterfly Cupcake Toppers aren’t origami, but are a good origami starter for littles.

Four circles of paper stapled together to make butterfly wings.

Other uses for the DIY Paper Butterfly Cupcake Toppers

I’m imagining these paper butterflies on a mobile, garland or glued to popsicle sticks and placed in planters. They could be used in so many ways.

Show us some pictures of the ways you find to use your DIY Paper Butterfly Cupcake Toppers!

This is a great partner craft to the coffee filter butterfly craft you can also find on Welcome to Nanas! There are more butterfly ideas to come.

A butterfly made from circles of brightly colored paper.

Supplies for DIY Paper Butterfly Cupcake Toppers:

This is another craft that I give credit to my daughter for bringing to my attention. She is a special person and a great mother.

More Butterfly Crafts and Activities

Want to have some more fun with a butterfly theme? Check out these fun ideas from around the site!

Enjoy!

Welcome to Nana’s! Where there’s fun things to do with your “grand” kids! The Butterfly Birthday Party for her daughter was a big hit with young and old alike.

Come join the fun at www.WelcomeToNanas.com