We rummaged through the recycling cans to prepare for Recycled Creations with Kimberly Canale. Taking used soda cans, spray paint, glass gems and a crimping tool, flowers and suns popped up by the end of class!
Kimberly Canale original Pop Can Flower
I encountered these adorable lawn decorations at a local craft fair and asked Kimberly if she would work with First Friday Art Club to make more. Collecting trash over several weeks, I had a stash of soda cans ready to be bloomed. There were options to create a flower and a sun for this project. The sun was a more difficult endeavor, but so pretty!!
A sun in process
To make these, cut off the top of the can. This tutorial from Make It Easy Crafts reveals the steps to make a spinner. This tutorial will guide you through the same method we used to make the flowers and suns.
Make It Easy Crafts flower tutorial is absolutely adorable!
Ask an adult to help get the can cut clean and even, so there are no metal bits to snag your skin. The can without the top resembles a cup. Cut strips down the sides of the can from top to bottom. These strips will be petals for flowers or rays for suns.
Step 4 from Make It Easy Crafts
The images from the Make It Easy Crafts tutorial are for a flower. If making a sun, create more "petals" to be sun rays.
The tricky part begins
The tricky part begins by folding the strips at 45 degree angles closest to the bottom of the can, which is now becoming the center of the sun.
Roll the rays
Roll each "ray" toward the center of the sun. Roll these strips as tightly as possible. Be sure to roll so that the color of the can is concealed, unless you choose to use the color to your advantage.
Using the original logo can reveal a cool design or pattern
Once the rays are rolled, all that is needed is a little paint to unify the look of the sun to your preference. Adding a glass gem once the sun is painted gives another bit of pizzazz.
final product
These suns can go in the ground by gluing a post to the back. We hammered holes in one of the rays and added string to hang these in windows or from the ceiling. There was time left to make flowers, but they were made too quickly for me to get pictures.
Another option to create something useful with recycled materials is a mini basket.
Soda cans and plastic bag strips
There was not enough time to create these mini baskets. I will save this activity for December, when we Make and Bake Gifts for the holiday season.
Check back next month to see what we make in our Block Printing lesson.
We took an introductory leap into tin-work by transforming soda cans into boxes and pouches in First Friday Art Club for October. I prepared each can by slicing off the top and bottom of each can with a utility knife, then cutting up the side with scissors to reveal a sheet of tin. This process is a little demanding when prepping over 25 cans for this class. I supplied ballpoint pens, rulers, books for design inspiration and a quick demonstration.
Mark making is easy to do with ballpoint pens.
I provided templates to fold tin sheets into pouches and boxes.
Kids made their tin unique with their own designs.
This project was inspired by this tutorial by Atomic Shrimp. I simplified this process in consideration of time for the class, but would love to try the original version.
That little trinket box is so enticing.
Rulers, pens, tutorials and a little creativity aided this project.
There were struggles in precision with this project, but we all learned how to take trash and recycle it into something of beauty. Many students were excited to take extra cans to make more boxes at home. I know several parents were involved, too!
Pouches make cute gift presentations.
There were learning curves to folding the tin, which gives me the idea to try paper origami in the future. Mastering folding techniques could have made this project a bit more successful.
This little pouch has seem some troubles, but looks very sweet.
Even with learning curves, the students made great art! Their designs on the tin were fabulous. Their ability to work together was fantastic.
Visit again next month for the results of beading with Soulshine Studio! We will be making these cool necklaces for Native American Heritage month.
