Snazzy Cans

      I've been a firm believer in a place for everything and everything in it's place for most of my life. If I'm honest I'd guess that things are only actually in the place I've made for them about half the time, but having a set place for things eliminates a lot of stress. Cleaning up is much simpler and (the best part) you can quickly find just the thing you are looking for without having to hunt through everything 

                   you own.                             

When it comes to pencils, markers, clay tools, paint pens, even silverware, the cheapest quickest storage solution I've found is to use a can.

I have a friend who rinses out say, a can of corn, and puts her pens in it on her desk, corn label and all. While that is certainly an option (and it cracks me up every time I'm over there) I opted to punch it up a bit with some fun colors and patterns.

Tools you'll need for this:

Empty can, washed and dried

Scrapbook paper or card stock 

Mod Podge

Scissors

Pencil

scrap paper (optional)

-If you don't have any Mod Podge on hand, I've seen a lot of recipes floating around on Pinterest lately and I've linked one here. I haven't tried it out, but if you do and have good results, I'd love to know in the comments.

So if you are just planning on making the one can, a template isn't necessary, but if you're planning on more later or making a few, it will save a lot of time.

The one here is for a medium (average) sized can

I make mine by cutting my paper in half, wrapping the can, tracing on the upper and lower edges and trimming to size. 

Making a template out of scratch paper ensures you will have a perfect fit before you cut into the nicer (and more expensive) card stock.

Once you have your paper, it's time for the Mod Podge. Apply a thin layer on the outside of the can, wrap the paper around and dab a bit on the end where it overlaps and press down to hold. Next go over the outside of the can with another layer and set aside to dry. 

Note : If the paper ends keep trying to pop up, I sometimes stick a clothes pin on there to hold them down for a few minutes.

And that's it, you now have a cute, custom container for your space! 

We've literally used these for everything from pens to planters. Just punch a few holes in the bottom with a nail, add some dirt and plant a few seeds, the kids will love customizing their cans and watching their plants grow.

 Have fun!!