Recycled Fall Wreath with Painted Paper Bag Leaves

This fun, kid-friendly project is a great way to re-use those old paper grocery bags and decorate for fall!

MATERIALS

Leaf template {DOWNLOAD LEAF TEMPLATE HERE}

Large paper bags

Paint (in fall colors – I used red, yellow, brown, and gold)

Hot glue and/or double stick tape

Wire (26 gauge)

Styrofoam wreath

Burlap or ribbon

DIRECTIONS

Download & print out leaf pattern. Wrap the wreath with burlap strips or ribbon, hot glue end to hold in place.

Here’s where the kids can get involved: it’s time to paint the paper bags. I cut the bag into sections, and painted each a different color (red, gold, yellow, brown).

After the paint is dry, cut two rectangular pieces large enough for the leaf.  Put one rectangle painted piece down (non painted side up) and glue (or use double sided tape) wire down the center. Then add more glue or tape and place the other rectangle on top (paint side up).  Lay your leaf pattern on top, then trace and cut out.

 

I made 35 leaves.

Push each leaf with wire into the wreath and continue until your wreath is covered in leaves.  The wire is flexible and allows you to bend and shape the leaves to give the wreath a little dimension.

Once the wreath is completed, you may want to attach ribbon or burlap strips so that you can hang it  – I just used small straight pins to pin my burlap strips to the back of the wreath.

 

Sharing this with Kissed by a Frog & Tip Junkie.