Last weekend while my nephews were visiting me...we had to come up with an easy holiday ornament project that used a throw-away item for one of their school projects. After much thinking, we decided to recycle aka re-purpose metal soup and tuna can lids to make some hand painted snowman ornaments.
We used a can opener that unseals the tin can lids, so the edges of our lids are smooth and won't cut or hurt anyone.
Ages: 8 and up with adult supervision
Supplies Needed Per Ornament:
1 clean soup can lid
1 clean tuna can lid
acrylic paints - white, orange, navy blue and black
paint brush
foam paint brush
quick drying all-purpose craft glue
scrap of fabric or ribbon (for hanging loop)
Scissors
water dish and paper towels (for cleaning your paint brush)
(optional) clear acrylic paint sealer
Since painting is involved, lay several sheets of newspaper down onto your work surface or lay down an old plastic table cloth.
Step 1: Paint the one side (the outside) tuna can lid a dark navy blue. We had to apply two coats of paint, letting each coat dry for 20 minutes. Paint both sides of the soup can lid with white acrylic paint. We had to apply two to three coats of paint. Let lids thoroughly dry.
Step 2: While your lids are drying, cut a piece of ribbon or scrap fabric to measure 6" long by 1" wide to use as your hanging loop. Wash your paint brushes and let dry.
Step 3: Squirt some all-purpose craft glue on the wrong side of your white soup can lid and use your foam paint brush to spread it around so its an even coat. Fold your fabric strap or ribbon piece in half and form into a hanging loop. Sandwich the strap between your tuna can lid and your soup can lid and press them firmly into place. Let dry for 10 minutes or until the lids no longer slide around.
Step 4: Let the child paint on black eyes, an orange carrot shaped nose and black mouth dots. (My nephews used the end of their paint brushes just dipped in black paint to do their mouth dots).
Set your ornament aside for a few hours to completely dry. If desired, you can spray it lightly with some clear acrylic paint sealer and then let them dry for 24 hours before using them.
Shelly Hill is a mother and grandmother living in Pennsylvania who enjoys sewing, quilting, crafting and scrapbooking. You can visit Shelly's online craft blog called Passionate About Crafting at http://passionateaboutcrafting.blogspot.com for free craft project ideas and tips. You can find a photo of the completed project on her blog at http://passionateaboutcrafting.blogspot.com/2009/12/kids-craft-project-recycling-can-lids.html
