This post was featured in "10 Recycling Craft Blogs to Follow"
I recently found a wonderful site called Terrain that's an offshoot of Anthropologie. Briefly, Terrain is a celebration of nature and design that highlights a fabulous collection of unusual earthy items. There were so many things on the site that caught my eye, but I was truly taken with their lovely metal flower and leaf wreath.
OMG! Anytime I get a chance to do a knock off of some sort, especially using a freebie like cans - I go for it, as seen here and here. Oh yes! So here is how I made my version of their wreath.
OMG! Anytime I get a chance to do a knock off of some sort, especially using a freebie like cans - I go for it, as seen here and here. Oh yes! So here is how I made my version of their wreath.
Materials:
Aluminum cans
Rustic vine wrapped wire
Utility knife/craft knife
Scissors/pencil
Flower/leaf template
E6000 glue/hot glue
Primer spray paint/acrylic craft paint
Floral stem wire
- Gather aluminum cans - beer or soda.
- Find leaf and flower templates (large to small) online, print, and cut out.
- Carefully cut off the ends of clean cans using a utility knife. Make a vertical cut with scissors. Cut an even edge, removing any slivers or jagged edges. Smooth out the curve of the can by rolling on the edge of a table or countertop. You may want to wear gloves for this!
- Trace the outline of the flower and leaf templates with a pencil . . .
and cut out.
- Leaf texture can be added by placing cut-outs on soft corrugated cardboard (cushion backing) and drawing on lines with a dull pencil point.
- Do the same for making flowers, cutting out gradually from large to small.
- Spray primer paint on cut-out and let dry.
- Then paint cut-outs with an array of acrylic craft paints.
- Add texture to flower petals by rolling and shaping with a skewer stick.
- Assemble flowers in layers gluing on with E6000.
- Glue on short floral stem wire to leaves.
- Shape rustic vine wrapped wire into a 15 inch circle wreath.
- Arrange and glue on finished flowers and leaves onto the wire wreath.
After trying on more flowers (different color) and leaves, I went for a cleaner look with fewer leaves and flowers.
What a great repurpose use of beer cans! I love how this looks . . . and if I hadn't told you, no one would think the flowers and leaves were made from beer cans!
Take a little time to
enjoy
and
Happy Crafting!
