Party decorations for nuthin'

Last spring, my buddy Elizabeth and I were in an Anthropologie store, checking out the merch and like a goofball, I didn't take a photo of their fabulous window display of bright and happy flowers. What the hell?
But I did study the flowers intently and realized they were created from plastic water and soft drink bottles. You heard me. Trashy flowers. Sounds like a grunge band, huh?
The next day, the bottles haunted my brain, especially when I realized Rikki Tikki Tavi's big birthday shindig was approaching. Hello, great decorating idea!
I searched the 'net to find a braver soul's photos and sure as shit, a kickin' chick blogger Calamity Kim had these on flickr. Yay, Kim! (Thanks for allowing me to post your photo.)

(recycled bottles made into flowers
on spoke bicycle wheel
photography by Calamity Kim)

Baby sis RikTikTav saw the photo and approved. We collected plastic bottles while our brother Rollo blamed us for his increased intake of Diet Coke and said he made his son rinse with the soft drink after brushing his teeth because he was under the pressure to accumulate. Shut up and do your part, Rollo.

Bottles rinsed. Let's start cutting.
Sis and I quickly learned that even with the sturdiest scissors, a limited amount of bottles should be cut each day because our hands quickly became sore . . thinking all that tough plastic dulls the scissors and we absolutely do not trust ourselves with knives, box cutters or blade-like terror. Interestingly, the Diet Coke bottles were the toughest to cut. I shared the fact with Rollo and told him Diet Coke must bottle their product in super dense plastic because the ingredients are so corrosive. He didn't care and chugged down another.
The Rikster was in charge of the spray painting.
Fun technique: mist water onto flower then spray with paint. When the water evaporates, a spotty pattern remains. Paint the reverse side of bottle for a super shiny and glossy effect.

We wired the flowers to everything, including a floating life ring in the pool. Plus the white lights around the front door.

Dude, if it is plastic, we painted it.

That's a big ass flower!

Made from a big ass catering tray cover.

Sharing is caring good thing: three big trash bags stuffed with painted plastic flowers and our friends used them for their upcoming events. It's recycled times three!