Eco-Laurel Leaf Wreath Made From Recycled Newspapers

Got a pile of newspapers hanging around?  ...and maybe some cardboard?  Well, you have the makings of a classic Greek laurel wreath right under your fingertips! 

Laurel wreaths were the symbol of victory for Ancient Greek athletes and I say if you can recycle your paper castoffs into stylishly modern home decor, well, then you're certainly a winner in my book. This wreath was basically made with dyed newspaper sheets, a cardboard box and a bit of Elmer's glue. Actually, the dyed paper was recycled from another eco-project. That's a two-time recycle payoff. Remember the dyed "LOVE" art piece I did for Edie's room makeover? Well, I had leftover dyed newspaper and thought I'd put it to good use. Pretty nifty, huh? This really makes a perfect indoor accent for most any room. 

What's fun about working with overdyed newspaper is how the greytones and colors of the original newsprint give the wreath an almost natural, shaded look. Wouldn't this make a lovely gift if you used the news from someone's special day like a birthday or wedding and made a wreath to commemorate it?  

Here's the tutorial to get you started:

SUPPLIES:

• Rit Liquid Dye: Lemon Yellow, Aquamarine, Cocoa Brown
• 3-4 Sheets of Newspaper 
• Cardboard Box ( 12"+ square)
• Measuring Cup/Spoons
• 1 Gallon Rectangular Container
• Large Mixing Spoon
• Elmer's White Glue
• Clear Acrylic Spray
• Scissors
• Paper Clip
• Rubber Gloves
• Plastic Table Cover

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Cut your cardboard box open and draw a circle about 12" in diameter. Next, draw a circle centered inside that one about 10" in diameter.  Then cut out the ring. Helpful Tip: You might find a couple of round household objects that are the right size to trace to make these circles. I used two different sized pot lids. 

2) Make 3 cardboard rings. Stack and glue them together. Cut strips of newspaper about 1½" wide and wrap around the stacked rings. Attach to the cardboard using the white glue. Note: I had some purple dyed newspaper that I used for this purpose because it was extra. You can use undyed newspaper here because it won't be seen when from the front when the wreath is finished. 

3) OK, on to the dyeing. Cover your work surface with plastic and wear rubber gloves. 

4) For the full dye process, I'll need to refer you to the original project where I dyed this newspaper; the Dyed Newspaper Eco-Art project. Basically, I immersed the sheets quickly in a hot dye bath and hung them to dry.  I used one sheet each of the green, aqua and brown dyed newspaper for this project. Another method that would work great for this project is dye-painting the paper. By painting the hot dye solution, the brushstrokes create a naturalistic watercolor effect that would look stunning as leaves. Here's a link to that technique. So it's your choice which dye technique you prefer for the desired look.

5) Once the dyed newspaper is dry, fold it half and trace out a leaf shape that you like. I made a 3 ½" leaf template from the leftover cardboard. Continue to trace the leaf until you've covered the paper. 

6) Then just cut them out. It doesn't need to be perfect. Fold each leave in half lengthwise. This gives the leaf a three dimensional look.

7) Start attaching the leaves to the cardboard one at a time with a dab of glue on the bottom tip of each leaf.  Working around the wreath, glue the leaves in an overlapping fashion. When you get to the end, you'll need to sneak the tip of the last leaves under the first leaves for a continuous ring.

8) Spray the wreath with a clear acrylic spray to seal the dye. Spray in multiple light coats for full coverage without drips. Don't forget to spray the back of the wreath as well.

9) Glue a paper clip to the back of the wreath as a hanger. 

There you go!  If you like, you can add some accents like beads to simulate berries or maybe a paper bow to make it extra festive.