Carolyn J. Braden • 4 Minute Read
How to Make a Bedazzled Butterfly Claw Clip with Rhinestones & Pearls
A giant DIY butterfly hair accessory covered in sparkling rhinestones and pearls, complete with a removable birdcage veil. Inspired by Dolly Parton.
If there is one thing I have learned lately, it is that sometimes life gives us endings we didn't choose—and sometimes the only thing we can do is find a way to keep shining through them.
So, I made a butterfly.
Not just any butterfly, but a giant bedazzled butterfly claw clip covered in black, orange, yellow and gold rhinestones and pearls, with a little piece of birdcage netting that can be added or removed depending on the look.
This butterfly is beautiful, but it also represents something deeper to me.
I love how it turned out…dark but still sparkly!
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Giant Bedazzled Butterfly Hair Clip DIY
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A Butterfly for Endings, Memories & New Beginnings
This year has brought a lot of endings into my life. My husband was laid off from his job, we're in the process of selling our home and trying to figure out where we're going next, and we're closing a chapter of our lives that has been incredibly difficult.
After dealing with the traumas of Hurricane Ian in 2022, followed by Helene and Milton, there have been more losses, changes and goodbyes that have been hard to process. I've also lost people I love. Thank goodness for my AMAZING therapist that has assisted in helping me process it all.
And this year, I wanted to create this darker butterfly as a way to commemorate Dolly Parton and the loss of a beautiful spirit whose music and influence will continue to live on.
DIY Rhinestone Butterfly Hair Accessory for Fall (my Dolly Pink one and my Monarch one)
The butterfly felt like the perfect symbol.
Dark, but still beautiful.
Changed, but still becoming.
And covered in enough rhinestones and pearls to remind me that even during difficult seasons, we can still sparkle.
I also have a colorful Dolly-inspired giant butterfly claw clip that I made previously, and this one feels like its darker, more reflective sister.
See my original Dolly-inspired giant rhinestone butterfly claw clip here or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
The Perfect Dark Fall & Winter Look
I paired my bedazzled butterfly with a black lace dress layered over a fringe dress to create a dramatic fall and winter outfit. The lace also gives the look a little more coverage while adding texture. Get it here via my Amazon shop.
The combination of black lace, fringe, curled hair, sparkling rhinestones and the little birdcage veil feels like a mix of fall fashion, vintage glamour and a little bit of gothic sparkle.
And honestly? I love it.
We Are All SPARKLES ✨
I've decided that I'm going to start calling my community my SPARKLES.
Because that's what I think we are.
Sometimes we're one tiny rhinestone trying to make it through the day. Sometimes we're a pearl. And sometimes, when we come together with the people who love and support us, we become something that shines a whole lot brighter. We become GLITTER.
DIY Butterfly Claw Clip with a Removable Birdcage Veil (+ my pillow inspiration)
My husband, his family and a few incredibly kind people have helped us through some very difficult seasons. Their support has reminded me that we don't have to handle every ending alone.
We are all SPARKLES—and when we come together, we become glitter.
We shine our light onto one another and hopefully make this crazy, beautiful life just a little easier to handle.
Now, let's make something sparkly.
👀Check out my 1-minute or less 📹 video tutorial for this project on my TikTok now or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden!
Black, Orange & Gold Bedazzled Butterfly Claw Clip
How to Make a Bedazzled Butterfly Claw Clip
This project is surprisingly simple and is a fun way to transform an inexpensive giant butterfly claw clip into a completely custom hair accessory. Buy using my links below or via my ShopMy:
What You'll Need
Giant butterfly claw clip — [Amazon, mine is 5.5 inches wide, Walmart has them too]
Orange & yellow rhinestone and pearl kit — [Amazon, shop rhinestone kits via Walmart too]
Gold & black rhinestone and pearl kit — [Amazon]
Wax tip rhinestone pencil — [Amazon]
Liquid Fusion glue — [Amazon or via Walmart]
Birdcage netting/veil — [Amazon]
Optional: a butterfly pillow or other butterfly-shaped object to use as inspiration
How to Make a Pearl & Rhinestone Butterfly Claw Clip
How to Make It
1. Choose your color palette.
For this butterfly, I went with black, orange, yellow and gold to create a darker fall-and-winter-inspired look.
2. Plan your design.
I used a monarch butterfly pillow I already had from Target as my inspiration. I wanted some of the butterfly details to remain black while adding pops of orange, yellow and gold.
Adding the pearls and rhinestones with a wax tip pencil
3. Start adding the rhinestones and pearls.
Using my wax tip pencil, I picked up each tiny rhinestone or pearl and placed it individually. I used tiny amounts of Liquid Fusion glue (I applied it in a thin layer in small sections on the clip) so I could build the design without making a giant gluey mess.
4. Fill in the butterfly.
I continued alternating rhinestones and pearls until the butterfly was completely covered and had the dimensional, glittering look I wanted.
A Dark & Sparkly Butterfly Claw Clip DIY for Life's Endings
5. Let it dry completely.
Don't rush this part! Make sure the glue has completely dried before putting the clip in your hair.
Bedazzled Fall & Winter Hair Accessory DIY: Adding the removable veil
6. Add the removable birdcage veil.
I scrunched up a piece of birdcage netting slightly and positioned the claw clip over it. Because the netting isn't permanently attached, I can remove it whenever I want a simpler butterfly look.
7. Clip it into curled hair.
I clipped the finished butterfly over the netting and into my curled hair—and suddenly this little craft became a dramatic statement hair accessory.
Keep Shining, SPARKLES ✨
This butterfly started as a craft project, but it became something much more meaningful.
It reminds me that endings don't erase everything that came before them. People we've loved, places we've called home, chapters we've lived through and experiences that changed us can all become part of who we are next.
And sometimes, when life feels especially heavy, a little sparkle helps.
So, if you're going through an ending, a transition or a season that isn't easy right now, I hope you remember this:
You are still a SPARKLE.
And when we find each other and shine together, we become glitter.
Keep shining. ✨
— Carolyn
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If you try any of my ideas, let me know how it turned out—or tag me when you try them because I LOVE seeing your posts💖 If you tag me using @carolynsbloomingcreations or @carolynjbraden, I’ll see it! Or tell me about it in the comments below.
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Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.