Recycle your empty water bottles to make these crafty sunflowers. You can make just one, or make a bunch for a resourceful sunflower garden.(Note: This craft was inspired by an entry in an art competition I attended where it was encouraged that people go home and try this recycling idea for water bottles)
Author: Beverly
Materials:
3 Empty Water Bottles (about a 16 oz size)
Craft Paint: Yellow, Green, and Brown
Paintbrush
Black Sharpie Marker
Scissors or Exacto Knife
Hot Glue Gun
2' Green Bamboo Garden Stake
Instructions:
Remove the labels from the water bottles. I also removed the plastic ring around the top but this might not be necessary.
Cut the bottom off one of the bottles. I cut where the last ridge was, but then still cut an additional 1/4" off the bottom piece. You don't want a very high edge.
Use the Sharpie marker to make small dots on the inside of the bottom water bottle piece. (This will be your sunflower center)
Paint two of the bottles yellow. Paint the third bottle whose bottom is already cutoff with green. Paint the outside of the bottom piece you put the dots on with brown. I used two coats and let the final coats sit overnight to dry.
Cut the bottoms off the two yellow bottles.
Next you will cut the bottles into 12 strips, leaving about 1.5" at the top uncut. To arrive at the 12 strips I found it easiest to first cut the bottle in half, then cut each of those pieces in half again so you have quarters, and then cut each quarter into 3 pieces. Fold them back a little bit if they are not flopping over very well.
Cut the end of each strip into a point.
Now you will nest the three pieces together with the green first and then the two yellow pieces on top of that. Use your hot glue gun to glue them together. It is actually the inside of the water bottle that faces out with the color of the paint showing through.
Glue the brown piece with the "open" side facing up onto the top.
Finally put the garden stake in and use hot glue to secure it to the edge of the bottles.