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How To Make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials

4/30/2017

46 Comments

 
As many of you may or may not know tomorrow is May Day.  It is the traditional celebration of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere.  It is also the International Worker's Day in celebration of workers and the working classes, which is celebrated in September in North America. 

But today we are going to talk the flowery kind of May Day. Here in Greece, Tradition dictates that we go out into the fields and pick flowers.  We then make a wreath and hang it on our doors.  

Last year shared my May Day wreath. That happens to be my favorite wreath ever!  I knew that there was no way to try and top myself so this year I gave myself a new challenge.  I wanted to incorporate something into the wreath that we all have at home. And help the earth while I was at it. 

I'll be sharing with you how to make May Day Wreaths with recycled materials. 


Dried Wreath, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
The idea behind this custom is that we get ourselves out of the cities and towns and go out into nature.  This gives us an opportunity to relax and enjoy the surrounding greenery. Of course no proper Greek festival is without food, so we also bring along a picnic blanket and lots of food. Maybe too much. "wink"

Materials Used

  • branches or vines from nature
  • wildflowers
  • a piece of wire, or a wire hanger
  • a mesh bag, 
  • a ribbon

This year I went to the farm a few days early to gather some vines.
​
vines from nature, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com

The How - To


Take a piece of wire and shape it into a circle. My wire was very thin so I wrapped it around itself to make it a bit thicker. But if you use a wire hanger I'm sure it will be fine. 

wire shaped into a circle, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
Take the vines or branches, whichever you have and wrap those around the wire.
​
vines wrapped around the wire, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com

​ I just kept wrapping until it became a thick wreath. 
​
move vines wrapped around the wire, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
And here is where I show you my secret material. We all have these mesh plastic bags that the potatoes or onions are packaged in. I took one and cut it into two pieces, removing the ends where the clips were.
 
cutting the mess plastic bag into two pieces, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
Beginning at the top, you can wrap each piece of the plastic mesh until the two meet at the bottom. And then tuck them behind. 
​
wrapping the mess plastic bag around the wreath vines, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
And now for the fun part.  Just add flowers.  I had found these lovely yellow daises on the side of the road and bought them home. I simply tucked them into the mesh and the vines. 
​
adding yellow daisies to the wreath, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
Aren't they just full of life and vibrancy?  Of course you can use whatever flowers you want.  Or go out to your garden and pick some flowers. 
​
 
adding yellow daisies to the wreath, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
The last step is to add an embellishment of some sort.  Of course this is optional.  I chose a red ribbon with embroidery.  It was in my stash so why not. I love the way it complements the plastic mesh and at the same time makes a nice contrast to the yellow flowers. 

adding a red ribbon for the final touch. How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
​Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links and link to Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission, that way I can continue to provide you with lovely content.  There is no extra charge to you for purchasing through my affiliate links.
​
the finished may day wreath, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
The tradition is that we go out to the country side and collect wildflowers.  Now who am I to break with tradition?  I love what nature has to offer. 
​
detail of yellow daisy, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
vine and daisy wreath for may day, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
Of course this beauty will dry up after a few days. You can see what it looks like after 3 days by scrolling up to the first photo.  But I think of it as a work in progress, so I'll be adding some more yellow flowers as they come my way and make it a bit fuller. 
​
Yellow daisies on a vine for May Day Wreath, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
We certainly don't need to have May Day as an official holiday to celebrate the beauty of Spring and the bounty of Mother Nature.

I hope you have all enjoyed my simple tutorial of a May Day Wreath made with recycled materials.  

​This wreath will cost you nothing to make. No running to the dollar store or anywhere.  Let's all look to mother nature to give us her beauty and we can give back by reusing items such as that mesh bag.

What recycled item will you add to your wreath?

​If you'd like  to see more of my wreaths click here.  


Recycling a mesh plastic bag and wire to make a May Day Wreath, How To make May Day Wreaths with Recycled Materials theboondocksblog.com
​If you like what you see, share it with your friends, or save it on Pinterest.  Above is a Pinterest worthy image!

​If you really like what you see subscribe to my blog and get my adventures twice a week in your mailbox. The form is on the sidebar and your e-mail will never be shared with a third party.
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More wreaths:
Celebrating May Day
The Lopsided Summer Wreath
<<Sweet Inspiration Link Party#54              HOME         Facebook Photos for April >>

Linking up to these Link Parties
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This blog is for entertainment purposes only; my DIY tutorials are not professional advice. Read my full disclaimer here.​


I love it when I get your comments and I will try reply to them or visit you on your blog. ​Please do not add a hyperlink to your comment, otherwise we cannot publish it.
46 Comments
Katrin link
5/1/2017 02:53:59 am

Aw, what a clever recycle Mary! Your wreath looks so pretty and just screams SPRING! Unfortunately my potatoes are in a brown mesh bag...not my favourite colour for spring, but hey, for Fall maybe? I hope you enjoy your May day and have a wonderful time picking more flowers!

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 01:56:25 pm

Aww, Katrin brown is not so spring like. I think I also saw some of them that were holding apples. And of course we have a ton of them at the farm in yellow for the lemons. I hope your May Day was enjoyable!

Reply
Michelle Leslie link
5/1/2017 03:35:56 am

How beautiful is that Mary. Wow, I think it's the perfect way to celebrate Spring and Mother Nature. Hope you have a wonderful, relaxing, nature filled May day my friend. Don't eat to much ;-)

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 03:23:27 pm

Michelle, we ate at home and went to the country in the afternoon, it is already too hot to function here. We get that sleepy feeling at about 2 pm and cannot go outside. But otherwise we had a great time and took lots of pictures.

Reply
Marissa_Travel Greece, Travel Europe blog link
5/1/2017 05:07:55 am

Love it! The wildflowers of Greece are so beautiful -- combination of red, yellow and purple. I look forward to it every year and love the wreath May Day tradition here.

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 03:25:23 pm

Marissa it is the best time of the year for me. Before it gets sweltering hot and we are dragging. And the aroma from all the blooming flowers is incredible.

Reply
Debrashoppeno5 link
5/1/2017 08:21:35 am

This may be the prettiest wreath to date. I like how you took the natural elements and created the wreath. The red ribbon with the yellow flowers is so pretty.

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 03:26:11 pm

Thank you Debra, I am really liking that contrast with those strong colors.

Reply
Kim link
5/1/2017 09:42:31 am

Just lovely, Mary!! Happy May Day! :)

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 03:27:50 pm

Thank you Kim! I hope you also had a lovely May Day!

Reply
Marie|The Interior Frugalista link
5/1/2017 09:48:29 am

Your May Day Wreath is beautiful, Mary! You captured the true meaning of Earth Day both with the pretty natural elements and use of recycled materials - love it. I'll never look at onion mesh the same way again after seeing this!

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 03:38:38 pm

Thank you Marie, it is not a great beauty or anything but it does have a deeper meaning. And of course I love those bright colors. Now off to find another mesh bag!

Reply
Doreen@foxdenrd link
5/1/2017 09:52:48 am

So clever Mary! You are so fortunate to have such beautiful flowers at your fingertips. Greece is such a gorgeous place, and your wreaths do it justice.

xxx

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 03:43:47 pm

Truth be told, Doreen I just grabbed some wildflowers I found in front of me. But there are gardens and streets that are full of beautiful flowers and the aroma is as if you are walking down paradise. This really is the best time of the year for me here. In the summer, because of the heat everything dries up , but now we have lush green colors

Reply
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures link
5/1/2017 11:01:42 am

How pretty! I have some jasmine that needs to be pruned a bit. This would be a perfect way to use it! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

Pinnned

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 04:02:34 pm

Marci, Jasmine is my favorite flower. The aroma is just heavenly. It will certainly make a great wreath.

Reply
Lisa link
5/1/2017 04:40:02 pm

Mary, I love your lively color choices and I enjoy how wild and free it looks.

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 04:29:09 pm

Since the flowers are picked out in the farm I too like that feeling of freedom it has Lisa.

Reply
Florence link
5/1/2017 07:28:23 pm

This is so so clever Mary! Love how you've used that mesh material. It not only provides color, but I bet it helps keep the flowers in place too. Love the yellow flowers you chose! Pinned for future use.

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 04:29:55 pm

Thank you Florence. It was a super easy wreath to make.

Reply
Debbie-dabble link
5/2/2017 03:13:03 am

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by!!
This wreath is just darling!!
Hugs,
Deb

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 04:31:50 pm

Thank you Debbie! I hope you had a wonderful May Day!

Reply
Beverly link
5/2/2017 08:55:59 am

What a fun way to show off nature's beauty, Mary. Your recycled projects are always unique. Pinning to my Spring Decor Board.

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 04:32:52 pm

Thank you Beverly. I had spotted that mesh bag a while ago and was anxiously waiting to use it instead of having it end up in the landfill.

Reply
jeanie link
5/2/2017 11:06:23 am

This is splendid, Mary! I won't be making this on May Day, obviously, but when I get up north where we have loads of wild daisies in the summer, I think I'll add this to the cottage door. I'm surprised how well the mesh bag works -- it looks quite pretty and that's a wonderful tip!

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 04:34:35 pm

Jeanie I had seen this pretty one and could not bare to throw it out but was waiting for the perfect opportunity to use it somewhere. When I thought of the wreath this red color looked like the perfect contrast to the yellow flowers. Looking forward to your summer wreath!

Reply
Magdalena link
5/2/2017 04:48:48 pm

Such a great idea! I really like yours Spring wreath. Looks fantastic! Thank you for sharing.
You very welcome to my blog DIY - it's in polish language, but a lots of photo relation showing how to make something.
Hope you will enjoy there. :)
Regards Magdalena

Reply
Mary
5/2/2017 06:09:12 pm

Happy Mad Day Magdalena. Thank you for visiting.

Reply
julie link
5/2/2017 06:22:35 pm

What a lovely May day tradition, here in the UK way back in the day I think people did maypole dancing (we used to do that when I was at primary school but you don't see it so much these days - wow that makes me sound old!) Nowadays it's just a chance for a day off work for most people.
I love how you used the netting, I rarely find a good use for it but this looks really pretty. Thanks for sharing with us at Handmade Monday - I hope you had a lovely weekend.

Reply
Mary
5/3/2017 03:23:00 am

Thank you Julie, it was lovely, I went to the farm with the family and my daughter took a bunch of photos. Her photography is effortless while I have to work at it. Haha. But we had a great time. It is so important for us to try to stay close to nature.

Reply
Cindy link
5/3/2017 09:14:59 am

So cute! The netting just gave it a pop! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

Reply
Mary
5/4/2017 09:18:18 am

Yes that netting was the secret ingredient Cindy! Hope you have a great weekend.

Reply
Wendi@H2OBungalow link
5/4/2017 06:23:04 am

What a sweet tradition! I love your pretty wreath and the ones from prior years too. How festive your town must look when seeing all the fresh wreaths outside on everyone's door.

Reply
Mary
5/4/2017 09:20:15 am

Wendi the streets smell like a flowershop all throughout spring. All the balconies are full of flowers (except mine) and even the streets have orange trees on the sidewalks with blossoms.

Reply
Sam @ Raggedy Bits link
5/4/2017 11:52:42 pm

Such a beautiful wreath Mary! I love how the yellow flowers pop against the green and that you have used recycled goodies to make it!! Pinned :-)

Reply
Mary
5/5/2017 03:31:37 pm

I know you can relate to looking to revive or reuse old things Sam. Your blog is full of so many old things that you've reused. And although my mesh bag is not old is certainly deserves a little love. ;)

Reply
Keri Roberts
5/5/2017 12:18:39 am

Mary, what an absolutely gorgeous wreath!! I love the combination of yellow and red! The mesh was a very clever move, nice. Your celebration of May Day sounds wonderful, I hope you enjoyed every minute my friend!! :)

Reply
Mary
5/5/2017 03:33:04 pm

I did Keri, we went to the farm in the afternoon to avoid the noonday heat and it was wonderful. I even took a video which I'll be sharing soon.

Reply
Debbie Roberts link
5/6/2017 01:57:32 am

Hi Mary, I love seeing the bright flowery wreaths people put on their doors. Strangely though it's not something we have ever done, probably due to my lack of craftiness (I don't care what my family says I am not crafty!... Maybe when it comes to sneaking a crafty chocolate or two!). Your wreath is so simple even someone like me could manage it.... I never really knew the story behind the wreath making, I thought it was simply because it was spring.

xx

Reply
Mary
5/6/2017 12:46:21 pm

Forget about being crafty Debbie, hehe you are too funny. I can definitely see getting crafty with the chocolate. I agree with you my wreath is so simple and that is what I aim for. No Styrofoam in my wreaths because it is bad for the earth. Simple and easy. Now go give it a try! And then post about it on the blog. :D

Reply
Maya link
5/7/2017 01:27:06 pm

This is such a beautiful tradition Mary, to go out and pick flowers to commemorate the day with a beautifully arranged wreath!

Reply
Mary
5/7/2017 01:47:52 pm

Yes Maya we love doing this especially in such a country that is in full bloom by May the first.

Reply
Amber Harrop
5/9/2017 05:51:49 pm

When we were kids we would go down to the woods and pick flowers for Mum on Mothers day this is like a really grown up version of that and I adore it

Reply
Mary
5/11/2017 11:03:45 am

Yes that is so true Amber. I wish those kids of mine would do the same for me.

Reply
Katerina Konstantinou link
5/10/2017 01:40:51 pm

I was so busy with work that I don't have a May Wreath yet! The cool thing is that now I can make one using your fabulous tutorial!

Reply
Mary
5/11/2017 11:05:47 am

Katerina, it is good to be busy but not on May Day! Anyway the wreath can stay up for a long time. Καλο Μηνα!

Reply

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     I'm Mary and I recently  moved to New York from beautiful Greece.  I like to re-purpose and up-cycle  anything that is old or looks like junk.  Join me as we use our creativity to spark some life into old things.  And do it frugally!  You will also see lots of photography of my Greece and New York.

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