Celebrate Spring & Mother Nature by Upcycling Paint Brushes into Bouquets
Rather than toss them out, add more items to landfills—turn old paintbrushes into cheery, flowering decorations.
Thanks to thrifted silk florals, these small bouquets will always look fresh and colorful. Wondering what to do with those paintbrushes that no longer work for painting? This simple DIY project is such a happy one that it will add charm and whimsy wherever you display these upcycled delights.
The silk flowers featured were donated to a previous Goodwill-hosted Art Supply Swap event and picked up by yours truly. Looking for a fun evening?
You are invited to join Finding Your Good and Tim Kime Art today, Tuesday, March 11, for our Art Supply Swap event hosted at the Brookland Arts Walk from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. All are invited to attend this free, fun community event; simply bring those unwanted/unused art supplies you have to share and swap. Like this paint brush transformation project, this is another way we are honoring our planet by sharing existing resources.
Step 1: Build your bouquet on a base: your old paintbrush
If you are like me, you do your best to keep your paintbrushes in great working condition. Sometimes, however, their bristles get worn out or dried out from repeated use. Don’t toss them in the trash ,as they can be easily and joyfully reused for many DIY projects like the one featured here.
Ideally, you have some wider brushes with flat handles to enlist for this project. Ones with wooden handles add the most charm and visual appeal.
Step 2: Paint on some pop
Use colorful craft paints to give your brush handles some added energy and to make them more attractive. Apply a light layer to allow the wooden handle to show through and give it a well-used, well-loved and distressed look. If you have a plastic handle on your brush, add a more solid coat of paint to mask the darker or plainer appearance.
Consider painting your brush handles in the same tones as the flowers you will use for your bouquet.
Step 3: Hot glue flowers and leaves
Carefully pull apart your silk flower stems. Use your hot glue gun to apply glue to the top of your brush’s bristles, then add a flower or two. Repeat this step several times, of course, to ensure the flowers hide most of the bristles. Secure a leaf or two on your brush base as well.
Expert Tip
Nonprofit Goodwill retail stores often have silk flowers available. However, they might be part of existing arrangements. No worries! Simply remove the flowers and stems to repurpose them for this project.
Step 4: Got to have a hanger
Turn your paintbrush flower bouquet over now, so you may add a hanger on its back for displaying. What do you have on hand to reuse for this purpose? Twine, string, and wire work very well.
Consider doing what I did: use parts of your silk flower leaves and stems as hangers! Long, slim plastic strips were cut, looped over, and secured on the back with more hot glue. Their green color blended in perfectly, and their cost was zero. This was one more small item that was reused rather than tossed.
Step 5: Show, share, and celebrate
Display with delight on your wall and create a happy vignette by positioning it with other Goodwill-found items like candle holders, artwork, figurines, and more. With Mother’s Day around the corner, these make wonderful gifts for Mom and the mother figures in your life. The one we all have in common—Mother Nature—will appreciate that you transformed an item in such a blooming way and helped to show care to her, too!
Similar Reads:
- Use Sunflowers to Inspire Your DIY Designs! – Finding Your Good
- Noodle on This DIY: Fun Flowers From Pool Accessories & Goodwill Finds – Finding Your Good
- DIY: Toilet Paper Roll Flowers & Butterflies
Tim Kime
Artist, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach
