Attention all hands-on crafty people - Coffee cans, any crafty ideas?

1. 60

   Miss-Takenposted 15 years ago

   Can anyone give me some suggestions of what to do with empty coffee cans?  (Now be nice!)
   
   I have several and just hate to recycle them (meaning - toss them to the recycle place) I'd rather attempt my hand at being crafty (hahahahahahaha...*ahem*) yeah.. attempt being the key word there.
   
   I have googled and found some ideas, but nothing really jumps out at me as something practical or.. well something that my friends or family would want or use if made by me and given to them.
   I'd like for them to give it a place of honour rather than just tossing it in the back of a closet or tucking it away in their own recycle bins. I mean.. if I'm gonna attempt to be all crafty and stuff.. well, they should be all respectin' and stuff.. right?  You get me? 
   
   Muchly appreciated.

   replyreport
2. 82

   dineaneposted 15 years ago

   not crafty, I'm afraid, but I use my old coffee cans to throw away other yucky stuff - like cooking oil that's fried it's fair share of food, or leftover bbq sauce after I cook a crock pot of ribs - you know, all the yucky stuff you don't want to dump directly into the garbage.

   replyreport
3. 57

   Dame Scribeposted 15 years ago

   I have a patch of forest behind my house about 15 m away. Summers, we get bears roaming about so I took my coffee cans and turned them into chimes ...strange looking but noisy and yes, I even painted them hopefully it keeps the bears away, lol

   replyreport
4. 0

   Rainbow Briteposted 15 years ago

   Dame Scribe - It should...I mean, they use cut up miniature pie tins to keep deer out of gardens...its just a bigger, louder version of that, so I'd imagine it would work....
   
   As far as the original topic of this thread, idk, coffee cans are probably one of the WORST ways to start crafting, on account of they aren't really good for much.  Piggy banks, pen cans, cookie jars, the smaller ones are good for organizing larger sewing notions such as thread...that's about it.  And really all you do for that is decorate in any way you like (paint, feathers, glitter, paper, etc.)

   replyreport
5. 81

   SweetiePieposted 15 years ago

   Coffee cans can make cute banks for kids.  Using construction paper to cover up the coffee label on the can, and cut a slit in the lid to slide cash through.  With bigger coffee cans you can even make an outdoor grill for roasting hamburgers and hotdogs.  I remember we did this when we went to camp back in 1989.  We simply cut a square out of one side of the cofee can, which allowed us to place a little bit of wood under the can to start the flame.  Without the square vent the flame woud go out, but this vent turn the can into a very primitive oven.  It was fun roasting hamburgers and hotdogs on this make-shift grills .

   replyreport
6. 58

   mandybeauposted 15 years ago

   I rub them down with light sandpaper, if they are trhe painted ones, and then seal them with shellac, browny varnish product. I put labels on each a square, of vynl Label them as containers. for the shed.
   they look all mellow and old cool for kitchen containers.
   Or Put over a log and use a punch to punch holes in a pattern Heart shapes are good, anything simple, and punch holes around the shapes, you then thread wire through top, place a tee light in them and they make awesome outdoor lanterns.

   replyreport
7. 74

   Anna Marie Bowmanposted 15 years ago

   Hmmm...a hanging lamp.  I am serious!!  Sand it down a little, to scuff up the surface, cut a hole in the bottom (which will be the top), spray paint it with metallic paint, and then punch holes in a pattern for light to get through, and feed a hanging light kit though the hole.  Or, I saw these online...
   
   

   replyreport
8. 60

   Miss-Takenposted 15 years ago

   Wow.. you gals are wonderful and have come up with some great ideas! Thank you!
   
   dineane - we have a very strict recycling program in force here in Nova Scotia, meaning food items of any kind get tossed in a ventilated recycle bin which is collected every two weeks along with our other recycling and garbage. Otherwise your suggestion would definitely be used and I thank you for taking the time to answer.
   
   Dame Scribe - All I can say is.. WOW.. you have bears!!? Eek!
   
   Rainbow Brite - I KNOW right!! Not the best thing to try for a first-time non-crafty person. My boyfriend is a coffee junkie and I just couldn't bear (haha.. no pun intended Dame!) to toss them away. I do like the idea of a bank though, I have several younger relatives who I think would like this idea too. Muchly appreciated!
   
   SweetiePie - An outdoor grill is an AWESOME idea! You are ingenious!! We do plan to go camping this summer so that idea will really come in handy.
   
   mandybeau - Ok girlfriend, you are far more creative and crafty than me.. I can see many holes getting put in more of my body parts than the coffee can.. BUT I shall don some protective clothing and give it a shot.. it sounds like a fantastic idea to put around my deck and flower garden for those warm summer nights when the sig-other and I are sitting outside! Thank you!
   
   Anna Marie - My living room/dining room actually has no light in the ceiling and the lamps I have just don't shed enough light over my dining room table (where the son does his homework) this is a wonderful idea! I was actually trying to find those old swag-hanging lamps (I think I'm calling them by the right name) but haven't had any luck. Not to mention, this way I can match it to my decor and have a little fun with it! Amazing idea!
   Although, I do like those outlet and switch covers too, in an odd way. I just don't think landlord-man would like it. Maybe once I get my own house.

   replyreport