5 Simple and Creative Tin Can Projects

Typically, most people recycle tin cans by rinsing them and dropping them into the recycle bin knowing they are helping the world by doing their part to be Earth friendly. For those of us that are chronic DIYers we know there is so much creative potential in that tin can that we just can’t toss it into the recycle bin just yet.

Today I am treating you to a round-up of tin can projects that will really get your creative juices flowing and make you think twice about dropping that tin can in the recycle bin.

Metal Flower Artwork from a Tin Can


With the assistance of my sweet hubby and his awesome tin snipping skills, I was able to repurpose 3 tin cans into this painted metal flower artwork made from repurposed tin cans. This project took a little bit of time because of all the tin snipping and sharp edges but it’s well worth the results.

Painted metal flower made from 3 tin cans

Tin Can Pencil Holder/Organizer

Repurposing and recycling tin cans is the ultimate trash to treasure project and I am sure we have all done the ole’ yarn wrapped can at one point in our lives. I think mine was a Girl Scout project that was a Mother’s Day gift for my Mom. This fast and easy organizer from 1915 House is wrapped with decorative pattern paper that looks like birchwood. So clever and fun too.

Tin Can Projects Organizer from 1915 House

Tin Can Decorative Planter

I love to repurpose and recycle tin cans that have interesting graphics and typography because they are easy to incorporate into my home décor. Vintage tins have awesome graphics to display but I’m drawn to these simple text graphics too. Sam from Raggedy Bits printed her own vintage label graphics and made her own decorative tin can planters.

Tin Can Projects Planter from Raggedy Bits

Claire from Pillarbox Blue made a window box from an old pallet and lined it with colorful tin can planters she painted with a variety of paints she had leftover from all  of her DIY projects. Then she sealed them with acrylic spray and filled them with plants.

Tin Can Projects Colorful Planters from Pillarbox Blue

Tin Can Photo Vase for Mother’s Day

I always have my eyes open to repurpose and recycle unique pieces and I am quite positive that this Mother’s Day tin can photo vase from Victoria from Dazzle While Frazzled would make any mom’s heart skip a beat. I love the pom pom fringe and the layers of pictures she has added to the tin can.

Tin Can Projects Photo Vase from Dazzle While Frazzled

Tin Travel Fund Coin Bank

I was able to decorate this tin coin bank using scrap supplies I found in my craft stash. After our trip to the Grand Canyon in the Glamper my daughter put it on her bucket list that she planned to do more traveling across the country so I made her a travel fund coin bank to help get her started with saving.

 Travel fund coin bank filled with money for vacation

I love the creativity with all of these tin can projects, not to mention all of the recycling, reusing and repurposing done to make a trash item into a treasured item.

The ultimate in recycling are these simple and creative tin can projects that anyone can make.

12 comments

  1. Sam @ Raggedy Bits says:

    What a super fun collection of tin can projects! Love all of the creativity in each project and am super chuffed that you included my Vintage Tin Garden Planters! Thank you 🙂

  2. debbie says:

    What a great collection. I love the birch pattern paper…that can could be used for lots of thing at our lake home. I also love that Mother’s Day inspired gift a lot. Thank you for sharing at Favorite 5s!

    • Toni | Small Home Soul says:

      I forgot to tell you, I bought a metal flower at the Habitat ReStore that reminds me of your lovely flower. I’ve been wanting to paint it for a while now but can’t decide on a color 🙂

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