How to Make a Lollipop Flower Sculpture

Michelle Stitzlein recycles hundreds of assorted lids to create this piece of artwork.

Lollipop Flower Sculpture

All About

Product Ideas

Materials and Tools:

100 or more clean, small plastic caps (from milk jugs or soda bottles)
10 or 12 clean, medium plastic caps and lids (from softener jugs, margarine tubs, sour cream containers, shampoo bottles or yogurt cups)
clean, large plastic lid (from a detergent tub, 5-gallon paint bucket or ice cream tub)
black felt-tip marker
tape
sandpaper
2 straws for butterfly antennae
15" x 15" sheet of Plexiglas
5-1/2" colorful plastic ties or cable ties (found in electrical dept. at hardware store)
4' of 16-gauge galvanized wire
4' of 3/16" steel rod/stake (from an old election signs works well)
needle-nose pliers
aviation snips
jigsaw with a metal and plastic cutting blade
drill with 3/16" drill bit
old piece of wood (for drilling surface)
vice
gloves

Step 1

1. Cut a 3/16-inch rod to a 4-foot length with a jigsaw. Bend the top end of the rod 1/2 inch in a vice to make an L shape.

Step 3

2. Drill holes into the top and bottom of the rim of the largest lid to be used for the flower background.

3. Slide the rod onto the largest lid with the bend at the top of the flower.

Steps 4-6

4. Drill a pair of holes 1/4 inch apart in the center of all caps being used for center of the flower. The caps should gradually increase in size from the center out.

5. Drill a pair of holes 1/4 inch apart on either side of the stake.

6. Stack the caps according to size for the center. With the open side up on the largest lid, string a plastic tie through one of the holes on the side of the stake, up through all the caps and down through the second pair of holes to the back.

Steps 7-9

7. Secure the plastic tie on the back around the stake.

8. Choose caps for the flower rim circle and drill single holes into the center of each one.

9. String the caps onto wire, making sure that the large caps don't swallow the small caps.

Step 11

10. Form a circle with the stringed caps and measure it against the perimeter of the largest lid. Snip away any excess wire and hook the ends together with pliers. Make a second circle slightly smaller.

11. Drill four pairs of holes 1/4 inch apart evenly spaced around the perimeter of the large lid in 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock positions to affix the circle of caps. Attach the circle with plastic ties using pliers.

Step 12

12. Attach the second circle to the lid inside the outer circle.

Step 14

13. Slide caps onto the stake making sure that the open ends are facing down so they won't collect water outside. Add caps until the stem is proportionate in size to the flower. Use a tighter fitting cap for the last one on the stake. Leave extra rod at the end to allow for 9 inches to penetrate the ground.

14. Cut off any extra beyond that with a jigsaw.

Steps 15-19

15. Draw a shape of a butterfly onto Plexiglas with black marker.

16. Cut out the shape with a jigsaw and gently sand the edges.

17. Lay out the plastic caps on the Plexiglas with the open side up and organize them in a nice design. Keep in mind that you'll need room/blank space to add the butterfly body.

18. Tape the caps in place temporarily.

19. Turn the butterfly over and draw pairs of dots 1/4 inch apart onto the Plexiglas to designate where you'll need to drill holes for the caps and body.

Steps 20-21

20. Remove the caps and drill holes into the Plexiglas and matching caps separately.

21. Attach the caps to the Plexiglas with plastic ties.

Steps 23-24

22. Choose the caps for the moth body and drill single holes into them. String the caps onto wire. Loop the wire at one end and cut the other end allowing for 2 inches extra.

23. String a straw on each of the wires for the moth antennae. Snip excess length of wire and loop both ends with pliers.

24. Loop the top of the body wire around the center of the antennae wire.