When there are babies, there is very often baby formula! Hopefully not in place of nursing, which we all know is the best for any baby, but every mother has to make decisions about how to raise her family that are for the good of everyone! That said, Materna (baby formula) is quite popular here in Israel, and so there are lots of cans floating around begging to be used for craft projects!These metal cans have wonderfully strong lids which make them ideal candidates for recycling as gift containers for any occasion!
It's true, you can't pack too much into one of these, but I think everyone appreciates a beautiful container that they can use again more than an abundance of treats which they really don't need! So ask your neighbors to save their Materna cans if you don't have any, and for those of you in the rest of the world, well I'm sure you can find a nice substitute. Just make sure the cans you choose have smooth sides, and choose a color scheme that works with the color of the lid!
You'll Need:
- Metal baby formula cans (or of course any type of can with a lid, or not) Materna has two sizes, the large ones are really great!
- Sparkled contact paper (tepet in Israel)
- Metallic silver tape (mine was from the hardware store!) or metallic silver contact paper
- Round metallic silver stickers in two sizes, I like to use the largest together with some that are about the size of a shekel (penny)
- Purple ribbon for the decorative bow on the top
- Thin ribbon to wrap around the box and to hold the card
How To:
- Preferably using a metal ruler and a craft knife, cut strips of contact paper no wider than half the height of the can. The thinner the strips the easier they are to apply. Trying to cover the whole can is generally a mistake as you'll end up with lots of bubbles and creases. That's with the product I used though. With thick American style contact paper you may be able to do the whole can in one strip. Try both and see what works for you!
- With most cans you'll want to start applying the contact paper to the can just beneath the area covered by the lid, though it definitely depends on the type of can you'll be using. The main thing is that taking the lid off and putting it back on won't dislodge the paper.
- After you've covered your cans in the base color, add strips of silver tape or paper to disguise seam lines and add some interest.
- Finish off your work of art with metallic stickers placed evenly around the circumference of the box.
- Make the bows for the top by simply looping ribbon back onto itself, and securing in the center with a staple. Secure to the top of the can with a piece of double sided tape.
- Make small cards from some interesting paper, punch a hole in them and tie onto can. (This was paper I'd stamped for another project I'll be showing you soon.)
- Line up all your creations and enjoy looking at them before you give them away!
