Butterfly Collectors

Butterflies mean different things to different people: new beginnings, a loved one's memory, a summer afternoon in the garden. That is exactly why a butterfly makes such a meaningful gift. A hand-painted Limoges box suits graduations, birthdays, recoveries, remembrances and plain old "I saw this and thought of you" moments. It is hinged, painted by hand in France and arrives gift-boxed, and unlike the real thing, it will happily stay put on the dresser.

Wings of Every Color

Look for butterflies resting on bunches of grapes, perching on sunny yellow hearts and glowing in shades of blue and gold. Some flutter across embossed floral eggs with ladybugs for company, while others decorate perfume eggs on stands or a votive light. Butterflies also land on unexpected friends: a fluffy Bichon, a dapper French bulldog, a cat lounging on a leaf, even a yellow shoe with red feathers. Each wing is painted with the patience of a summer afternoon, and every lid hides a little cocoon for treasures.

A Kaleidoscope on the Shelf

Fittingly, a group of butterflies is sometimes called a kaleidoscope. Collectors love building one by color, starting with blues and adding golds, yellows and pinks until the display shimmers. Butterflies look stunning on a mirrored vanity tray, among potted orchids or arranged in a glass curio near a sunny window. For a sentimental touch that grows more meaningful every year, add one each spring to mark a new beginning or a cherished memory.

Flutter on to Ladybugs & Bees and Gardeners & Flower Lovers, or admire the butterfly eggs among the Jeweled Fabergé-Style Eggs.