Paper Plate Flowers

For each flower, create petals by cutting a series of triangular notches around the rim of a plastic plate or bowl.

Use the nail to poke a pair of holes, spaced about 1/2 inch apart, in the center of the trimmed plate or bowl.

Attach a plastic straw to the back of the plate by threading a piece of craft wire through the holes. Then turn the flower so the front is facing you.

Poke two holes in a plastic lid. Attach the lid to the front of the plate by threading the wire ends through the holes. Next, thread on a button, and tightly twist the wire ends together to hold all the pieces in place.

Lengthen the stem, if you like, by pinching the bottom of the straw and inserting it into the top of another straw. To strengthen the stem, insert one or more wooden kitchen skewers into the center.

To create the flower stamen, thread a plastic bead onto each wire tip and then twist the wire back around itself to hold the bead in place.

To make the flower using plastic spoons, tape two spoon handles together then make two more pairs. Arrange the spoons in a star pattern and tape them all together.

Poke a pair of holes in the center of a plastic lid and thread the ends of a piece of craft wire through them from the front side.

Set the lid on a tabletop, bottom facing up, and lay a straw stem and the spoons on top of it. Tightly wrap the wire ends around all the pieces to hold them in place. Arrange your finished flowers in a plastic jug and tie on a decorative bow.

This recycled crafts project is excerpted from "Recycled Crafts Box" (c) by Laura C. Martin, photography by Ed Judice, illustrations by Lisa Adams, used with permission from Storey Publishing.