Paint Can Packaging

Wow!  It is FREEZING here tonight!  I think we are definitely in for some more snow!  With all this cold weather, Christmas must be just around the corner.  Yipee!!!

If you are looking for a unique way to package some of those Christmas gifts, grab a paint can and some scrapbook paper and look what you can create!

MATERIALS

• Paint cans.  Although these are available at many craft stores, they are much cheaper to purchase through a paint store directly.  Mine were $2.50 each.
• Scrapbook paper
• Jingle Bells
• Ribbon
• Glue (double sided tape is also helpful)
• Modge podge
• Snowman or reindeer (or whatever else you would like!) paper piecing pattern.  If you would like a copy of mine, just let me know and I can email them to you (or if someone knows how I could upload the pattern on to here, that would be great too!).  There are also some cute patterns at Scrapbooks Etc. that you can find here.

DIRECTIONS

• To cover the paint can, I used 2 different colours of patterned scrapbook paper.  My paint can was approximately 8 1/4 inches high.  For the bottom half of the paint can, I cut 2 pieces of paper that were roughly 4 1/2 inches x 10 1/2 inches.  For the top half, I cute 2 pieces roughly 4 x 10 1/2 inches to allow for a little bit of overlap. 
• Start at the top of the paint can and place the first strip of paper around the can so that the ends of the paper roughly line up with the part of the paint can where the handle attaches.  You will need to cut out a section on each end of your paper to account for the round bit.  (This is the only tricky part!).  If you are making multiple paint cans, you just need to do this step once to make a good template.  You can then use this first piece as your template and trace onto all of your subsequent pieces.

• Once your have your pieces cut, paint a generous amount of modge podge onto the paint can and glue down your pieces.  I always use a little roller over the paper to really secure it down.  If you don't have a roller, make sure you take a few minutes to really press down the paper and get all of the bubbles out.

• Once you have all 4 pieces of paper glued down with the modge podge, put a piece of ribbon around the can to cover where the two pieces of paper overlap.  Have the ribbon seam end where you are going to place your paper piecing pattern so it will be covered up.  You can either glue the ribbon down or use double sided tape (which I found much easier!).
• Next you will need to find or create something to put on your paint can.  I made a couple of paper piecing patterns of a reindeer and a snowman (just let me know if you would like a copy!)  Cut out all of the pieces from your pattern and trace it onto whatever colour cardstock you would like.  Glue all the pieces together. 
• For the Reindeer, draw on some eyes and a mouth.  I used a little chalk on the cheeks to make them a little rosy.  I also outlined all of my paper pieces in a fine black pen just to make them stand out a bit more.  To finish him off, I tied three bells to a piece of yarn to use over his collar ( I just taped the ends of the yarn to the back of the reindeer).  Glue him on (with lots of glue!!) to the can.

• For the snowman, I also outlined all of the paper pieces with fine black ink.  Draw on an eye and his mouth and glue him down to the can.  Punch a hole in the tag and add a ribbon and a couple of jingle bells.  Glue down the tag onto the snowman's hand.  I had a couple of felt snowflakes that I also added to the can for some extra decoration.

• Depending on what you are going to be putting in your can, you may want to decorate the lid, add some ribbon to the handle, or just add some tissue paper.

Although the directions, seem really long, they are really quite easy to do.  If you are making a few of them at a time, it does tend to go quicker!  I love how they look and the lucky recipient can always use them afterwards for decoration or storage.  I think they make a great kitchen caddy!

Again, if anyone is interested in the paper piecing patterns, I am happy to share.  Sorry I couldn't figure out how to upload them on here but email should work!

This post is linked up with these gret blogs: Funky Junk, I Heart Naptime, Tidy Mom, Young and Crafty, ChildMade, Under the Table and Dreaming, Fingerprints on the Fridge, The Shabby Nest, Me Making Do, CRAFT, Craft-O-Maniac, Skip To My Lou, Sugar Bee Craft Edition, These Creative Juices, Night Owl Crafting, Fun to Craft, Paisley Passions, Paper Issues, Scrappy Gifts, Tip Junkie, and Tattertots and Jello.

Have a fabulous weekend!