How to Make a Wreath With Grocery Bags

Try a wreath shaped like a heart rather than the traditional circular form.

Transform all of those empty grocery bags in your cabinet into a chic wreath. By reusing plastic grocery bags, you can keep these out of the landfills as well as save money on a decorating project. You can also design a wreath for any holiday or season according to the shapes you make for the wreath. While this wreath is a statement piece, you can accentuate the wreath by spraying it with glitter or attaching small objects. For example, embellish the wreath for a baby shower by adding baby socks to the front.

Things You'll Need

• Metallic spray paint
• 14-inch foam wreath
• 20 to 30 plastic grocery bags
• Pinking shears
• Pencil or pen
• Craft glue
• Wreath hanger or nail and hammer

Instructions

1. Paint a 14-inch foam wreath using a metallic shade of spray paint, such as silver, gold or copper. You want to use a paint that adds shimmer and luster to the wreath. Allow the paint to dry. Set the wreath aside.

2. Flatten out a plastic grocery bag with the printed side facing up. Cut across the bag one inch from the bottom using a pair of pinking shears; remove the bottom of the bag. Cut across the top of the bag to remove the handles; toss these aside.

3. Use the pinking shears to cut around the logo; remove the logo portion. Cut three-inch wide shapes, such as circles, squares, stars, daisies, hearts or triangles, from the remaining sections of the plastic bag. Repeat with 19 additional plastic bags.

4. Hold one of the shapes in your hand. Press the eraser-end of a pencil or the flat end of an ink pen into the center of the shape. Press the plastic shape up around the pencil or pen so you have a flat place in the center of the shape.

5. Squirt a small amount of craft glue suitable for foam and plastic on the plastic-covered end of the pencil or pen. Press the plastic bag shape on the wreath. Repeat this step with the remaining plastic bag shapes.

6. Position the shapes as closely together as possible for a fuller wreath. Alternatively, space the shapes apart so you can see more of the metallic color of the wreath. Cover the front, inside and outside of the wreath with shapes, cutting more shapes if needed.

7. Display the wreath on the front of a door using a wreath hanger, or hang the wreath on a nail in a wall.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for different colors of plastic grocery bags, such as black, or bags made from brown paper to use for the wreath.

References

• Design Sponge; Weekly Wrap Up and DIY Wreath Project; Grace Bonney; December 2008
• Two Peas in a Bucket; Designer Garden -- Eco-friendly Wreath; Tia Bennett