I am fascinated by recycled crafts, especially crafts made with recycled plastic bottles. Artist and teacher Dale Wayne is the queen of recycled crafts, and frequently creates amazing art with recycled plastic bottles. This wreath is made with painted plastic water bottles and glitter — isn’t it amazing? Wayne also creates an annual recycled plastic bottle Christmas Tree with her school students, as well as many other piece of art featuring plastic bottles as a main ingredient. [check out her recycled plastic bottle flower wreath]

Although there is not a specific tutorial for making this recycled plastic water bottle wreath, Wayne has published the information on how to create these amazing painted plastic bottle flowers. You can combine that info with your knowledge of wreath-making to create a breathtaking recycled wreath like this one!

Recycled Crafts: Plastic Bottle Flower Wreath

To make this a truly recycled craft, you can create your own wreath form using a corrugated cardboard box cut into a wreath shape. Or, look for a grapevine wreath in the floral section of your local dollar store. You’ll need to collect a lot of recycled plastic water bottles — check your local school or workplace for a readily available supply of these bottles.

Project Materials:

• Recycled cardboard cut in a circular shape to create a form, on hand
• Many recycled plastic water bottles, on hand
• Craft acrylic paint such as Folk Art brand, about $.75 a bottle or on hand
• Glitter, on hand or $1 and up
• White glue, on hand
• Hot glue gun, and glue sticks, on hand
• Floral wire, $1 and up
• (optional) Embossing heat gun or hair dryer, on hand

Total: $1 and up

To Create Recycled Plastic Bottle Flowers:

Dale Wayne provided these instructions in the Orlando Arts Magazine in 2010:

1. Rinse bottles and remove label.

2. If desired, clean bottle with rubbing alcohol.

3. Paint bottles with acrylic paint.

4. Roll bottles in glitter while paint is wet.

5. Let paint dry completely.

6. Cut bottles.

Please see Dale’s site for more information on this process! She has so much experience, and so many inspirational photos.

There is also a detailed article on creating plastic water bottle flowers with kids on DavisArts.com.

Dale Wayne’s Recycled Crafts: Plastic Bottle Flower Christmas Tree

Check out this gorgeous recycled plastic bottle tree from the Festival of Trees at the Orlando Museum of Art. Dale gets her art students (from kindergarten to twelfth grade) involved in creating these gorgeous trees. Check out Dale’s blog for a lot more info on creating recycled bottle Christmas trees.

Here’s a “palette” of painted plastic water bottles.

Students painting plastic bottle flowers.

Additional information from InspirationGreen.com