Almost everyone has a tin can or three around the house. Many foods such as soup, beans, tuna, tomatoes, coffee and even maple syrup are more economical to purchase in a can. While I am not a huge fan of purchasing green vegetables in a can, I do always seem to have multiple cans go into my recycling bin every week. Some of the chic ideas below have changed my mind about saving those humble cans. Here are some amazing ideas that you can use to ditch the recycling bin and repurpose those cans to decorate your home on the cheap.
Homemade Tin Can Clock
I love the pop of colour on this homemade tin can clock. Use these simple instructions from Easy DIY Toys to give your clock a new chic look. Wouldn't this clock also be amazing in a matte gold for an antique look? Maybe I will take apart my old Ikea clock to make this project for my house. Expect a clock in a fun design and colour to cost you $20-$50 if you were to buy a similar clock at the store.
Tin Can Pedestal Stand
Need a pedestal stand in a snap to display cupcakes or other food for a party? This tin can pedestal stand from Sweet Paul will be super chic for your table. Use any decorative plate on top, some matching paint and some strong epoxy to create this fun look. I could see this project working for a wide variety of parties. This stand would look great at a chic brunch, or coordinate the design to match the decorations for your kid’s birthday party. A super basic cake stand will normally cost you between $25-$60 depending on the size and style of the stand if you were to buy a stand at the store.
Tin Man Family Marionettes
These marionettes are precious from Adventures at Home. Use several tin cans, empty leftover tea light metal wrappers, string and your craft supply stash to create this sweet little family of Tin Man Marionettes. This is a great project to pair with a Wizard of Oz movie night, or even read the classic book with a cup of tea. This is a great project for the whole family, or a super little gift to a child if crafted by an adult.
Tin Can Pendant Light
Need to shed some more light in your home?Shelterness featured these funky tin can pendant lights that will do the trick. This project could either use a bigger coffee can or several smaller cans for a multiple light fixture. Decorate using paint, drawing a bohemian designs with a sharpie, or using Mod Podge to decoupage a decorative paper onto the outside of the can. Ikea, Lowe's and Home Depot should all have inexpensive pendant light hardware to complete your project. If you are replacing an existing light fixture that is wired into the ceiling, you may want to read over these tips from Do It Yourself first. Pendant lights normally start at around $50 and go up to well over $200 depending on the style.
Cork Covered Tin Can Pencil Cup
You can cover a tin can with almost any fabric, pretty paper or paint and turn it into a pencil cup. For a twist on this idea, I like the modern design of this cork covered pencil cup from The 3 R’s Blog. Using some contact paper and a printer, they were able to create stencils to paint a silhouette onto the cork. I could easily see these same decorative cups selling for $20-$30 in a boutique or gift shop.
Wall-Mounted Tea Light Holders
These chic tea light holders from Practically Functional are made using the smaller cans from wet cat food or tuna. Clean the cans well, then spray paint them with a metallic colored paint for extra shine. Wrap the outside in some pretty scrapbook paper or wallpaper and then mount on the wall. I would make at least three or four and group them together on the wall for effect. While a basic table tea light holder for a tabletop tends to be inexpensive, most wall mounted tealight holders generally ranged from $10-$40 depending on how many candles it holds.
Mosaic Multi-Purpose Decorative Cans
Wow, these decorative mosaic jars are impressive. Check out this Instructable by Creativeman as he turns tin cans and colourful craft foam into decorative mosaic pieces. This idea is so much simpler than cutting glass bits with tile cutters to make glass mosaic pieces. This is also a safer way to lets kids join in with the project, with an impressive end result. Use these cans to hold your kitchen spoons, art supplies, hairbrushes in the bathroom or just to hold miscellaneous items on your dresser.
Bargainmoosers, what would you make out of the humble tin can?
(Image Credit:Geofy Sowrey)
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