charlys-room: Easter Baskets Made From Recycled Cans

I had so much fun this weekend turning some recycled tomato cans into Easter baskets for my pretty chillens. I love creating and it's always amazing to me how scrapbook paper and ric rac ribbon can dress almost anything up! My kids are now a teen and a tween, and other than a special family dinner, we don't celebrate Easter in a big commercial way. In fact, giving each child a little basket with a few treats inside is just fine for them, so this year I have decided to downsize the baskets and replace them with something smaller. Just so happens my husband made pasta sauce yesterday and as I was rinsing the tomato cans out for the recycling bin, I began to think how the tomato cans were the perfect size for a few treats.

I know that many of you will be inspired by just looking at the pictures, but I want to share a visual of the supplies needed for this project, along with step-by-step instructions to answer any questions you have.

Supplies:
-28 oz. can, label off, washed and dried.
-drill or hammer and nail to add a hole on each side of the can for the handle.
-scrapbook paper and cardstock scraps
-stickers or chipboard letters for the monogram
-pipe cleaners
-ric rac ribbon
-plastic flowers
-beads
-scrapbook adhesive
-glue gun and glue

Directions:
1. Using a drill or a hammer and nail, make a hole to each side of the can for adding the handle.
1. Measure scrapbook paper to fit around the can. Using scrapbook adhesive, add the paper to the can.{You could also use a glue stick, white glue or modge podge...your choice!}
2. Using a glue gun, add ric rac ribbon around the top of can.
3. Use the tip of the scissors to press through scrapbook paper that has covered the holes for the handle.
4. Thread a pipe cleaner through each hole on each side of the can to create the handle for the basket. If desired, add a bead to each end of the pipe cleaner to slide over the ends as shown below.
5. Embellish the basket as desired. I have added a circle with a letter inside as a monogram for basket. You could decorate any way you wish! Glue flowers on side of basket as shown if you like.
6.When finished, line the inside of the basket with tissue paper and fill with little treats!

This is the basket that I created for my daughter. I also added a sweet little bunny pick to make it look pretty!

Inside the basket is: a small chocolate bunny, a pack of gum and soft, fluffy socks.

This is the basket I created for my son. His basket has a cute little bunny pick too!

Inside my son's basket are the same treats his sister has. I like to keep it simple!

This project is a fabulous way to recycle cans into something that is both useful and pretty. When Easter is over, it could easily become a cup for pencils or markers for a desk.

This would also be a wonderful activity to make as a craft with a group of children such as a class at school, a Sunday school group or a Girl Guide troop.

Have you been busy making any Easter crafts recently?

Here are some other great crafts for kids:

Chickadee Pencils

Pretzel Hugs

Playdough Bunny Favors

And tons of other ideas on these Pinterest boards:

Easter Ideas

Mother's Day Ideas

Spring Decorating

Thank you so much for visiting!