I just love to try out new things and especially enjoyed altering paint cans with my kids. It was so easy, we made a whole bunch to give away as presents to our relatives.

As we ran out of paint cans I started collecting our daily cans that lurked with food in the pantry. Whenever we had some canned items for dinner I opened the cans with a can opener that leaves no sharp edges, put the cans in the dishwasher and we ended up with cheap cans (instead of the store bought paint cans) and even saved the recycling for those cans! What a way for kids to learn how to recycle!!!

We cut some paper in the width of the can, out double sided tape on the back and covered the sides of the can with the patterned paper. The upper and lower edges were masked of with nice ribbon and already the can looked like a masterpiece. Then we decorated the cans with buttons, flowers, bottle caps, feather boas and rhinestones, every single one looked different and unique and my kids had the most exciting ideas and tons of fun working with it. It is a wonderful idea for those hot summer days....when you rateher stay in the house than "sizzle" outside....

I use one in the kitchen for pens, one in the laundry room for buttons and one for those coins that always pop out of nowhere in the washing machine, there is tons of uses even at home, but these decorated cans also make wonderful gifts for all those nice people out there!

Just give it a try and you just might get hooked!