[Vicki B.]

I've been on a hothead for several years too Celeste, and thought that raised designs like flowers (though I've never tried the kind of butterflies you are making) were the most difficult things for me. Finally I realised that the hothead was actually "too hot" - or rather the flame was too broad and I had to work further out (really often to the side of the torch) to avoid melting details while I was working on adding more details. I was interested to read a post by Lea Zilke recently saying that she liked Bullseye for her raised floral designs because it is stiffer and holds up better for raised surface designs. Now there's a tip from an EXPERT!! The other thing I've learned when trying to make creased flowers a la Kandice Seeber et al, I need to make my base opaque dot smaller relative to the transparent top layer. Don't know if any of this is relative to your butterflies. You might also think creatively about gathering some found tools that you can use to push glass around - different butter knives from a thrift store, or beg old tools off your dentist (sort of takes the edge off of a dental visit).

I just looked at the butterflies again and was wondering if you might want to try one where you are pulling the wing towards the body rather than outwards. You could always also pull a tip at the wing tip later.