Upcycled Newspaper Flowers Wreath

 I'm old school and still get the newspaper each and everyday! I know I can read it online and I do that, too! Lol! I've been subscribing to the Washington Post newspaper since I was out on my own. My dad got me into reading the paper each day when I was growing up. Now I can't do without my daily routine! So why not put them to good use after reading, by upcycling or repurposing the newspapers into something fun and crafty!

There are tons of things you can create with newspaper - just look on Pinterest! I got really tickled when I came across this pin - by a fellow crafter who said she reads the New York Times each day - one of the papers I read online. And one day the NY Times had a diy article on 'Turn the News Into a Rose.' So, being a crafter, she had to make a few newspaper roses on a wreath that turned out really pretty! How cool is that!

Newspaper is a great source for upcycling and making something unique and creative! I love making things that are inexpensive and earth friendly for my home.  It's amazing how many different kinds of accent pieces you can create using ordinary newspapers. And it's interesting to see how newspaper can be transformed into very unique decorative objects like here, here, here, here, and here to share a few of the projects I've made!  And the best part, they costs next to nothing to create.

So, for this month's Sustainable Pinterest Challenge, hosted by Julie @Sum of Their Stories, it's all about Floral Crafts and I'm sharing how to make my very own newspaper flowers wreath!

Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! The affiliate money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

Materials used:

• Newspapers
• Yard stick/scissors
• Mod Podge/brush
• Parchment paper
• Table knife
• Magic Marker
• Tacky Glue
• Bamboo stick (thin)
• Wrapped Vine Covered Wire
• Hot Glue Gun/glue sticks

Let's get started by cutting newspaper into squares. I thought a four inch square would be a good flower size and divided a newspaper section into four inch wide 

strips with the help of a yard stick for measuring -

then 4" squares. 

Once the squares are cut out, take one newspaper square and  .  .  .

fold it in half diagonally creating a triangle .  .  .

and fold in half again.

Then draw what I call an 'ice cream cone' shape from the folded side around to the opposite side. 

And cut out.

Open, and you have created a flower with a total of eight petals!

Then fold 47 more flower petals from the newspaper squares you cut out. It's easier to use the first folded cone shape as a pattern to cut out each additional folded triangular shape.

Next, spread out sheets of parchment paper on your work surface and paint each flower with Mod Podge - first one side, let dry and .  .  .

then paint the other sides and let dry. The Mod Podge gives the newspaper a faux leather-like feel. Once all are dry, take a table knife to help unstick the newspaper  from the parchment paper. Picking them up by hand might cause them to tear - just saying!

To make one completed flower, you will need four single flowers. Take the first flower and cut out one petal. Take the second, and cut out two petals. The third, cut out three petals and the fourth, cut across (half) for four petals.

You will need five cut out pieces to make a decorative flower. Use the three petal cut-out for the fifth piece. The other pieces can be discarded.

To add color, I used watercolor paint to brush on a purple border. Then decided that using a purple magic marker would be easier and quicker. 

To shape each piece, apply tacky glue on the adjacent side petal and .  .  .

glue the petals together for a cupping effect.

Once all the pieces are glued, use a bamboo stick to roll the edges - if you want.

Then glue each one together by adding tacky glue to the bottom center -  graduating in size -  starting with the largest one on the bottom and ending with the smallest, inserted (glued) in the middle. Use the end tip of a large paint brush or utensil to hold in place until the glue takes hold.

To make a newspaper wrapped wreath - decide the diameter of the wreath (12") and cut out three pieces of vine wrapped wire - each one a little bit longer than the other to wrap around.  Then cut out thin strips of newspaper dipped in mod podge and begin wrapping a strip around the vine covered craft wire  - 

from one end to the other.

Once dry, wrap each newspaper covered vine wire over and under each other and around forming the wreath.  Secure by intertwining the wire ends together.

Glue flowers on to wreath and each other, using hot glue for a decorative look!

 Don't you just love it when an upcycle project comes together that looks really gorgeous!

Now, it's time to meet the other participants and their projects!

Julie | Sum of their Stories
Gail | Purple Hues and Me
Terri | A Good Life
Ann| The Apple Street Cottage
T’onna | Sew Crafty Crochet
Julie | Treasures Made From Yarn
Allyson | Southern Sunflowers
Mel | Decor Craft Design
Donna | Modern on Monticello
Niki | Life as a LEO Wife

And be sure to check out all of the Sustainable Pinterest Challenge Floral crafts shown below:

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