Monarch butterfly mandala card is digitally printed using archival pigment inks on silky, bright white, acid-free paper. Folded card is 5.25" by 5.25" and comes with a beautifully made, bright white envelope. The paper is super smooth, not slick, and takes gel, ballpoint, and other inks well. The photograph I used to create the butterfly mandala is printed on the back of the card with the photo location and a little story.  Perfect as a note card or birthday card for a gardener, child, biology teacher, or anyone who loves butterflies, grows native plants, or is concerned about sustainability. Butterflies also carry the energy of transformation, making this card a nice gift for anyone going through a life change.

Shipping. The card and envelope are packaged together in a plastic sleeve and mailed in a stiffened mailer. One or two cards are shipped USPS First Class without tracking. Three or more cards are shipped via the most economical means, which usually includes tracking.

Framing. This monarch butterfly mandala card is created using high-quality materials, such as might be used in a museum. The print is sharp, bright, and frameable. To protect the vibrancy of the artwork, I frame using UV glass or acrylic, and I recommend it. If you use plain glass or acrylic, make sure you hang this sweet, little piece and all your beautiful art away from direct sunlight.

Postage. Because irregularly shaped mail, like this square monarch butterfly card, must be canceled by hand, the U.S. Postal Service requires extra postage to deliver them. Special "butterfly stamps" carry the exact right postage to mail your square card within the U.S.

About the Art. The digital collage on this card, titled Monarch Dreams II, was created from this photo of a monarch butterfly taken in my gardens on Pleasant Hill, near Brookhaven, West Virginia. Although West Virginia isn’t along a major monarch flyway, our gardens, meadows, and fields do support a fair number as they reproduce and prepare for migration.

This photo was taken in 2014 on a butterfly bush that grew in my front garden. Butterfly bush is invasive, with seeds that can remain dormant in the seed bank for years. The seeds can even build up in a lawn, just waiting for some sort of disturbance to provide the right conditions for germination. Almost a decade ago, I removed all my the butterfly bushes and planted chokeberries, cardinal flower, great blue lobelia, and other native plants in their place. Although the monarchs really did enjoy the nectar provided by the butterfly bushes, they seem to enjoy the new items I've added to the menu just as much.