Recycling for Christmas: Bottle Cap & Button Flower Wreath

Recycling for Christmas: Bottle Cap & Button Flower Wreath

I’m sure we have all seen the adorable yarn-wrapped wreaths all over Blogland and the internet and I just had to make one.  But these funky metal flowers that start with upcycled bottle caps and buttons are just my most favorite thing I’ve made lately!!!

So, without further ado, the HOW-TO:

Let’s start with the wreath.  Supplies:  styrofoam wreath form (any size, any shape) and yarn.  Pick a yarn, any yarn…I went with a soft cream color (that was also < $3!) that matches most any room in our house.

Tie one end around your sytrofoam wreath foam. Wrap the first couple of rows around the little knot tails to tuck them under. You will want to wrap it fairly tight and get your yarn as close as you can to the last row so it doesn’t gap or droop.

Now wrap.

And wrap.

And wrap.

And wrap some more.

If you need to stop or take a break (and you will – my poor fingers!), I used scotch tape to hold it and it worked just fine.  Then, just pick up where you left off.

And continue wrapping…I did two full times around the wreath form.

To tie it off, I just wrapped one row around my finger so there was a little play in the yarn and then knotted off the end.  Snip off the tails.  This is the back of your wreath, so it doesn’t really matter if you see the knot…or not

And VOILA!!  It’s a wrap! 

I knew I wanted to add flowers to this baby, but I wanted to do something a little different than felt flowers or storebought flowers (which are fine, but just not funky enough for me!)…and then it hit me!

Bottle cap flowers!!

Let’s get this show on the road…Supplies:  bottle caps, buttons, hot glue gun**.

Gather your bottle caps – here is the upcycling part since these would have been thrown away but now they’re on their way from average to awesome!

The big flowers use seven or eight bottle caps – six for the flower itself and one or two for the leaves.  The small flower uses five caps – four for the flower and one for the leaf.  Bend a bottle cap in 1/2 for each leaf.  I am woman, hear me roar see me craft!

Using hot glue**, glue the five caps together in a circle for the flower base and add one to the center.  Now, glue your leaves in between two ‘petals’ and let dry.

**Fun bonus tip: I used a metal jar lid under my hot glue gun to catch any drips and prevent the glue from soaking through a napkin or paper plate. You’re welcome **

Now, flip the whole flower over and add a little more glue where the caps come together to make it a little sturdier. (And if you’re like me, grumble and grouch about all those irritating little hot glue threads that get on everything!) Allow the glue to dry completely.

Now, add your buttons!!

I used some vintage cream buttons inside each petal for this flower…

these funky blue ones for my little flower…

a couple red buttons stacked up in the center of this flower…

and some plain jane white buttons here…

Love love love these!

I added them to my wreath “like so” (the Little Bug’s favorite saying lately – ha ha!):

I think my run with chipboard restaurant coasters is over and a new obsession with bottle caps has begun   Now…where to hang it?!

source: shakentogether.blogspot.com