How to Make Tin Can Flowers

Posted on March 6th, 2016

Trash 2 Treasure – March

Last summer whilst on holiday in France, I found a street seller in Montpellier selling 1 euro flower ashtrays. On closer inspection it was clear they were made out of tin cans and I was intrigued as to how he made them. Parting with my euro and choosing a colourful Fanta tin can flower I asked in my best limited French for a demonstration on how to make them. He showed me and made it look so easy I couldn’t wait to get back and give it a go.

Tin Can Flowers in France inspiration for Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays, Cornwall, England, UK.

I have to confess it actually took me a few goes to get the hang of it, but with an ample supply of beer cans from Farmer Nick I didn’t need to worry about using up all my resources! We have no use for ashtrays in our house, or at least not that my teens are owning up to, so decided to use them just as fun flowers for the garden or tea light holders indoors.

Tin Can Flowers Tutorial from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays, Cornwall, England, UK.

What you’ll need

  • Tin drinks can

  • Scissors

  • ruler and pen 

  • Tea light candle for a candle holder or string to hang in the garden

What you'll need for Tin Can Flowers from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays, Cornwall, England, UK.

Method

  1. Measure 8 cm into your can from the base from a garden flower and from the top for a tea light holder. Mark with a line all the way round. If you have a tall beer can this will be half the can and will make both flowers using either end.

  2. Pierce the tin can along your line with the tip of a pair of scissors for a garden flower or from the can pull end for a tea light (the base is rounded and will not hold the tea light)

  3. Cut around the tin to separate into 2 halves

  4. Trim any rough edges

  5. Draw a line 1 cm from the base of you half can

  6. Use your pen to mark 1.5 cm even spaces around the can judging by eye to end up back at the start.

  7. Cut down from your pen marks to the line.

  8. Bend down the cut sections to make the leaves

  9. Now begin folding on an angle so the right hand top edge of a leaf tucks behind the bottom left corner of the leaf in front.

  10. Keep working round till you come back to the start.

Step by Step Can Flowers from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays, Cornwall, England, UK.


Tip

  • I was worried that cutting the metal cans would risk cuts to my fingers and was very reluctant to let the children try, however it is surprisingly hard to cut yourself so I would say safe for children to have a go supervised and ordinary kitchen scissors work well.

  • The tin is very pliable so you can refold any leaves you are not quite happy with, though too much tinkering and they will snap!

A Few Additions you could try   

  • We nailed a few of ours to stakes and placed them in welly planters to have a little flower display before the spring daffodils came through

  • Why not thread small flowers like daisies through as a cute upcycled mother’s day present

  • Hang a few close together from a coat hanger and hang from a branch or post in the garden to make a wind chime.

Other Ideas for Tin Can Flowers from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays


A vlog tutorial on how to make tin can flowers

Joining in with Trash 2 Treasure

If you have post about something you have made with something from nature or something you would have otherwise have thrown away please come and share on Trash 2 Treasure. The linky will run on the 1st Monday of every month and stay open for the full month. Posts can take any form, all that matters is that the item made has primarily been upcycled from something of little value or found in nature. Leaves and loo rolls, sticks and staples, there are so many throw away items which, with a little imagination, can be turned into something of value. Most of my something from nothing craft tutorials will come from fun keepsakes we have made with the children in our farm activity hour but sometimes I will share bigger upcycling projects from Farmer Nick too. I hope through the linky to acquire some new ideas and I welcome all posts old and new.  

A little extra from the awesome folk at Duck Tape Colours

Trash 2 Treasure sponsored by Duck Tape UK with Coombe Mill Holidays for creative fun.

 

Trash to Treasure is sponsored by Duck Tape Colours, makers of colourful tape to add pattern and sparkle to all your upcycling projects. Our favourite upcycling post each month will receive 3 colourful rolls of tape to inspire your next project. Do check out their website for plenty of creative ideas. 

 

My February Duck Tape Colours winner is Patchwork Parent with a easy to follow tutorial on how to make an egg box bluebird in a tree; a great craft to use for Easter. Easter Tree Patchwork Parent Feb 16 at Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays, Cornwall, England, UK.

 

As always there were some wonderful upcycled ideas again this month, here are 3 more that really caught my eye:

The Gingerbread House made peg characters inspired by The Gingerbread Man book.

Tea and a Sewing Machine personalised their diary with a homemade fabric cover.

The Real Lara Shoe was inspired by her son’s love of weather to create some weather bangles.

When joining in please use the hashtag #Trash2Treasure on twitter, instagram or Google Plus and I’ll find you

If you link up I’ll send you an invite to pin on my Trash 2 Treasure Pinterest board

   

  Follow Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays’s board Trash 2 Treasure. on Pinterest.

 

 

Please grab my badge and join my crafting journey and do pop back to check out other people's posts during the month.




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