You all should know by now my favorite store in all the world- the place that inspires 97% of my design ideas- the most lovely 20 minutes I can spend shopping any day is ducking into Anthropologie. A few weeks ago I spotted their spring window display of upcyled bike wheel wreaths and just like the snow flake inspiration from this winter, I knew I just had to make them. A pretty summer wreath was the result of this water bottle flowers craft.
I found an old bike for $4 at a thrift store. We took off the bearings, tires and bolts leaving me with 2 lovely wheels for wreaths. Any old wheel you can find will do, mine had the added benefit of being pink.
I snuck out with the husband this weekend and showed him my inspiration window, explaining that mine wouldnβt be quite as cute because I didnβt have the beautiful glass flowers.
To which he responded, βthose arenβt glass they are plasticβ. Plastic water bottles to be exact. Plastic water bottles simply cut up and spray painted.
Spray painted???
Yup.
Spray painted.
Well, that made it just too tempting for me not to recreate. So I did-
My version involved- 1 four dollar bike, 12 recycled water bottles and plenty of left over spray paint. Creating this loveliness.
My favorite wreath ever, ever, ever.
Make your own:
First collect a wide variety of different size plastic bottles and cut the tops off.
Then begin cutting away on the diagonal of each top. Bend back the edges fanning them out to create a flower.
Attack the flower with an easy coat of colorful spray paint- no perfection required.
Layer the bottles together, using different colors and sizes to add texture, glue each flower together by its separate base. Attach to the wreath wheel with string or floral wire.
Hang it up and smile. It is quite a joy.
Favorite wreath ever.
PS. More wreaths here.
33 Comments
morgan
February 9, 2010 at 10:45 amAHHHHHmazing! oh my gosh Vick, that is awesome!
Liz
February 9, 2010 at 11:14 amthis is fantastic! i love your site!
Thank you for telling me about your contest, I entered my sons party. =)
Ashley L.
February 9, 2010 at 11:21 amYes, I agree. That is amazing. Probably the best DIY I have seen in a very long time. Love it!
kim
February 9, 2010 at 1:16 pmLOVE IT!
Janice
February 9, 2010 at 7:10 pmSUPER cute!
missy
February 9, 2010 at 8:08 pmthink i can hang up flowers like that all over my house?! very fun!!!
Vicky
February 9, 2010 at 8:18 pmThanks girls, I love your encouragement:) They were super easy to make so please send me pictures if you decide to try it, or if you hang up flowers around your house, I think that is such a fun idea indeed!
Jen B
February 12, 2010 at 2:49 pmBeautiful wreath and a great tutorial, thank you! Iβve not yet seen the spring Anthro windows in person, just online and they look yummy as usual. I canβt believe I put out our recycling just this morningβI really need to just save everything from now on ;-)
Sonja
February 16, 2010 at 12:25 amFound you through One Pretty Thing. This is such a cool recycling project. The wreath has turned out beautifully. Must recreate this. I like it better than my own bottle-recycled flowers (see my blog if you are interested).
Thanks for sharing!
Katie
February 22, 2010 at 5:38 amGreat tute! Featured on my blog here: http://punkprojects.blogspot.com/2010/02/make-it-monday_22.html
The City Cradle β Bloom party
February 26, 2010 at 11:28 pm[β¦] In the background hang the make me super giddy bike wreaths, they fit in well I [β¦]
Heather
March 1, 2010 at 10:06 pmI was in LA and saw the same window display minus the bikes, and absolutely fell in love w/ the idea! iβm going to try and make a room divider using the flowers suspended on fishing line. Thanks for the instructions! I had no idea they just used spray paint.
Robyn Calvetti
March 15, 2010 at 9:10 pmbeautiful!
I saw these at Antrho, mine has since changed windows but seeing your post reminded me how beautiful they wereβ¦.
MichelleH
March 20, 2010 at 3:26 pmThat is so cool. Thanks for sharing.
becky
March 21, 2010 at 6:50 amThis is my ultimate favorite!! I luv wreathsβ¦canβt wait to try this one!! : )
Inspired weekend- Window shopping | The City Cradle
April 23, 2010 at 9:44 am[β¦] pinwheel window that inspired our latest party. The plastic bottle widow that inspired our plastic bottle bike wreaths. The winter snowflake display that prompted the homemade tissue [β¦]
Lea
October 10, 2010 at 9:23 pmThank you so much for posting this. My friend and I saw that same display in the Thousand Oaks Anthropolgie and have been wanting to recreate ourselves!
I am in midst of a baby boom amongst my friends (7 expecting!) and am getting some great ideas for the showers Iβm hosting from your site!
Thank you.
The Holidays are a-coming! - Daily Dose of Fiber
November 10, 2010 at 1:28 pm[β¦] 2. Bike Wheel Wreath by City Cradle Design [β¦]
Eileen Patterson
December 3, 2010 at 6:26 pmLove the wreath and the thought of finding a use for plastic bottles. I am going to try this. Thanks!
The Ultimate DIY Christmas Wreath Roundup | My.BuzzCritic.com
December 4, 2010 at 2:24 am[β¦] and greens. This wreath just drips with possibilities. See Victoriaβs full tutorial over on TheCityCradle.com.5. For the super industrial, non traditionlist, how about making a wreath out of old signs in [β¦]
diy holiday ideas Β« bohemian newlywed
December 5, 2010 at 6:06 pm[β¦] tutorial via thecitycradle.com [β¦]
Emily
March 14, 2011 at 5:19 pmSo cute! What a good DIY project :). And a great way to recycle plastic bottles!
bendedspoon
September 5, 2011 at 7:07 amI am so inspired by your wreath! Wheel of fun! :)
Laura Ingalls Gunn
September 5, 2011 at 7:32 amWhat an adorable wreath ~ I love it!
I am begining a new linky party on Wednesday ~ βFallβ In Love. Please join in on the fun.
Have a happy and blessed Labor Day!
heartlandfarmhouse
September 9, 2011 at 3:26 pmi hope you donβt mind? i linked a photo of this wreath to my blog today. i was just goofing around with my wreath. but yours is really neat!!!
now off to ck out more of your placeβ¦.
caroline @ c.w.frosting
November 9, 2011 at 2:57 pmjust made a bike tire wreath & ADORE your version using the wheel!
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December 3, 2011 at 5:04 pm[β¦] our hands together and doing that mad scientist snicker. See the full tutorial to this decor here. Thanks to ASubtleRevelry for the awesome Christmas [β¦]
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May 8, 2012 at 9:10 am[β¦] falling head-over-heels in love with the plastic bottle wreath earlier this week, see the full tutorial here. It quickly became my something funky for the bloom party. I wanted to take it a step further and [β¦]
Link Love: Crafts with Water Bottles | FaveCraftsBlog
May 10, 2012 at 10:18 am[β¦] Bike Wreath with Plastic Bottle Flowers from a Subtle Revelry [β¦]
Tim
January 6, 2013 at 11:25 amSome people will actually put a whole bike on a wall as decoration.
A Subtle Revelry | THE imperfect PARTY CHALLENGE- something funky
December 6, 2014 at 2:12 pm[β¦] falling head-over-heels in love with the plastic bottle wreath earlier this week, see the full tutorial here. It quickly became my something funky for the bloom party. I wanted to take it a step further and [β¦]
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December 20, 2014 at 5:35 pm[β¦] : ingenious is all I can say about this wreath. While you check out Victoriaβs amazing DIY at A Subtle Revelry, I am off to collect plastic [β¦]
8 STUNNING REPURPOSED WREATHS - Steaten
November 9, 2018 at 10:49 am[β¦] ingenious is all I can say about this wreath. While you check out Victoriaβs amazing DIY at A Subtle Revelry, I am off to collect plastic [β¦]