30 Days of Flowers - Day 8 - Anthropologie Inspired Recycled Flower Chandelier

While checking out the Anthropologie website I found this awesome chandelier. While I obviously couldn't spend this kind of money (over $2,000) I realized I had some of these things around the house and could try to make something close. I didn't make this one with lights, but now that I figured out what I did and what I should have done and how I can make it better, I will try to wire the next one with low voltage or battery operated lights to hang in my garden. The first one is always my favorite, but not always the best. : )

 

 
  I used:

• ·         1 -2 Liter Soda Bottle and cap
• ·         20  -25 (16 oz plastic water bottles)
• ·         22 Gauge Wire
• ·         Sturdy String
• ·         Spray Paint
• ·         Bottle caps from the water bottles
• ·         Straws
• ·         Scissors
• ·         Needle
• ·         Tacky Glue
• ·         Old Hawaiian Lei
• ·         Old Beads from the Goodwill  

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I grabbed a bunch of misc. stuff not knowing for sure how I was going to put this thing together, so some of it went unused, but will show up on some other project in the future, I am sure.

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I cut the water bottle tops off then made even cuts all the way around to make a flower form. Spread them out and push them down to get the full effect.  My teenage daughter had fun helping spray paint (carefully) the water bottles and caps.

I cut the two liter bottle exactly the same way, but made smaller cuts in between the larger cuts.

I then poked a hole in the cap with my needle and threaded the strings through. These will be the strings that attach to the bottom and to which I thread all the “goodies” on to.

I added a hanger in before I sealed the cap shut. I wove it in between the strings and doubled it up. It isn’t as pretty as the Anthro hanger, but it is functional.

 

After my plastic water bottles were dry, I began to place them on the string alternating colors until I had a small circle. I tied off the circle then placed it over the top of the two liter bottle so that the cap with the strings was hanging down. I then placed another purple water bottle without the cap over the top of this and glued it all together with tacky glue. I placed it upside down to dry.

It is hard to see in the picture, but if you look closely you can see the strings coming up over the top. I placed it in a bowl to help it stand up. I cut up the old lei and used the flowers here and there for more cover.

 

Once the glue was dry, I hung it up and started threading my painted bottle caps, pieces of straw and flowers from the lei on each string. Once I had all the strings completed I knotted them off in the last flower and wrapped them around the bottom ring of plastic water bottle flowers which was about 2 times the size of the top circle. Then I looped my beads around the bottom ring and wrapped them around the top ring so they hung loosely. I wish I would have had more beads. I guess it is time to hit the Goodwill to restock.

Anyway, at the end, I simply trimmed off all my loose ends and filled in any gaps with the extra lei flowers.

Here are a couple of different views. It would be a nice outdoor decoration over a patio table, great for a Hawaiian themed party, or in a garden or pool area

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