Crafty Cans

If you’re like me, you use many food products that are canned, and after a few weeks of groceries, you’ve got a bunch of soup/veggie/fruit cans lying around.

Instead of throwing them away, I’ve decided to give mine a new use and a cute new look. I happen to have several spools of ribbon to use, but you can also complete this makeover with colored or patterned paper.

What you’ll need:

Ribbon of your choice

Scissors

Hot glue gun

Aluminum can

Wash and dry your can. Then pull the label off. Soak it in water for a few minutes if you’re having trouble pulling the label off.

Cut enough ribbon to cover the circumference of the can, giving yourself an extra inch or two to make it easier to work with. You can use this to measure your other pieces. Play with the colors and patterns until you find the ones you like best.

I’ve found it also helps to line up the ribbon, use a piece of tape to keep them together, and then line up the pattern on the can to determine how many pieces I’ll need.

Dab a bit of glue on the can and press the ribbon carefully onto the spot. I usually glue the ribbon in the same area where the label was glued, since it's not an area I would display anyway.

Pull the ribbon around the can, add another dab of glue next to the first, and press the other end of the ribbon onto the glue.

Repeat until you’ve covered the can to your liking.

Now you’re ready to store your pens, pencils, receipts or even a small bouquet! This cute can’s uses are only limited by your imagination.