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!

& Pinwheels for free

Not content to stop with recycled soft drink bottle flowers, I cut up a dog food bag and made pinwheels.
(I was inspired by a forgotten blogger's scrapbook paper pinwheels but hellfire, I cannot remember/find the post. If you've seen it, please let me know so I can give credit.)

Dog or cat food bag, heavy duty plastic

Scissors

Paper fastener brads

Hole punch

String or wire

Cut a square of any size.

(Too large squares result in floppy pinwheels.)

Fold a corner over to determine center.

Mark it or eyeball it. Punch a hole in it.

From a corner toward the center,

make a cut,

leaving a 1/4" or so between the cut and the hole.

Repeat so you have 4 cuts.

Folding the corners toward the center
results in petal-shaped pieces.

Punch a hole in each corner.
From the bottom of one corner,

push a brad into the hole and

fold over toward the center hole.

Repeat, adding the remaining three sections

before pushing brad through center hole.

Secure brad by folding out the "wings".

Punch a hole in top "petal" and hang from string.

Watch the pinwheels flutter in the breeze.

~ OR ~

Wrap light weight floral wire around
brad wings on back for
continuous garland and add more pinwheels.

Cheap and easy, just like your ma!

Party flower success

Design*Sponge posted an easy "Party Flower" tutorial and I finally got around to making one the other night because I love a craft that can be done while watching television. Click on the tutorial link, print the template and follow the directions.

My suggestions, after completing two flowers:

• Print 4 copies of template and cut each size petal for pattern. (I printed on cardstock weight paper.)
• Iron fabric.
• Starch for extra "petal loft". You can always scrunch it if the fabric is too stiff.
• Pin each size petal template to prescribed layers of fabric and cut all layers at one time instead of tracing each.
• If you find the bottom layer is too large for your flower, fold it under and whipstitch it.
• Use pinking sheers on bottom layer for frayed finish.
• Try different weights of fabric for unique looks
• Layer tulle or organza with your fabric for extra flair

Necktie flower

Once again on Craftster.org and spied some cute flowers made from the narrow ends of men's neckties. With a plethora of ties on my dining room table, I started snipping and stitching and gluing. Looka!

Glued petals together with glue gun. Cut out a round disc from a discarded gift card and covered with a silk necktie scrap.

Then topped that with an gold earring from the People Give Me Stuff Stash.


See? I tell you people not to throw stuff away, it is a crafter sin!

Tea Towels!