As the snow keeps falling outside, 16 Cloverbuds, ages 5 to 7, got together to make butterflies for spring. 4H Leaders Kelly Sorenson and Sherry Moeller  handed out supplies and the assembly began with clothes pins, mini pom poms and some glue. The children were instructed to make two butterflies each, one to take home and one to exhibit at the Oneida County Fair in August. Pom poms of various sizes were glued along the bridge of the clothes pin, larger ones for the body and smaller ones for the back and tail. Googley eyes were also placed on the head of the butterfly. Patience was needed to let this first step of drying take place.

Pipe cleaners in bright colors were selected for the antennas and coffee filters….yes, coffee filters, for the wings. Then the young artists colored the filters with markers in bright colors and shapes. The magic happens when the colorful filters are sprayed with water and the result is a “tie dye” design. When the “wings” dried, they were folded in a fan pattern, and the pipe cleaners were shaped into a cork screw share and both placed in the clip side of the clothes pin. 

As the Cloverbuds completed their projects, and shared them with each other, the snow outside dissipated and the sun came out! A sure sign of spring ahead. The Cloverbuds will meet again on May 12 for a Mother’s Day project. Registration is required. For more information please phone the Oneida County Extention Office 4H at (208) 766-2243.