pretty recycling

 

 

 

 

We’ve all seen this project before,

but today I was reminded of it once again as I was sorting the recycling.

 

 

 

Gather together

metal food cans ~ empty + washed

decorative paper (wall paper, graph paper, pages from a favorite magazine, old food labels a color copy of a child’s drawing)

 

glue stick

scissors

 

 

Cut labels or other paper to the same height as your can.

If the label does not go all the way around, no worries, cut another piece of coordinating paper to fill in the space ( my labels did not go all the way around so I cut a piece of vintage paper to fit the gap)

Glue your label to the can.

 

 

Your project is finished.

 

Unless…. you want to punch some holes in either side and add some handles for hanging.

I used a crop-o-dile. A dremel drill or nail and a hammer would work as well---let’s make this easy (although I will admit the crop-o-dile cuts through cans like butter).

 

 

I used vintage chain, a section of an old tape measure + a length of number ribbon.

These would be pretty hanging on a door knob--or filled with fresh flowers and left on a neighbor's door knob...maybe when the weather is a bit warmer (in these parts anyway).

 

More can love:

• If you have the opportunity to purchase canned food products from an Italian grocer save those wonderful cans for desk storage. I am especially fond of the tomato cans
• Use the cans as they are, with the labels they came with. Elevate that bean can to a place of stature on your desk top- filled with pens + pencils
• Some cans do not have paper labels but have the logo directly printed on the metal-great for small flower bouquets, especially several of them grouped together
• the prettiest of pew markers--cover with decorative paper to suit your wedding colors or theme, fancy the exteriors wth bits + bobs, a monogram perhaps

a simple idea = craft room happiness