Recycled soda can spinner with duct tape

I love creating with recycled materials and soda cans are a great material to work with.  It cuts easily and has limitless uses in crafting!  I made this little spinner with patriotic duct tape for the fourth of July, but you can change the color on the blades to solid and a different color for the center and make all sorts of flower spinners.

You will need:

Empty soda can

Wine cork

Large pushpin

Wooden barbecue skewer or small dowel

Awl or drill with small bit

Duct tape in desired color or colors

Scissors

Needle nosed pliers

Ruler

Compass and pencil

Plastic mat (optional but helpful when cutting duct tape

X-acto or craft knife

1.     Use the X-acto or craft knife to cut the top of the soda can completely off.  (You can use pointed scissors for this step but the X-acto makes a smoother cut with less sharp edges)

2.     Measure two strips of duct tape 8 ½” long.  Begin at the cut edge of the can and apply one strip of duct tape around.  Repeat with the second strip to the bottom thereby covering the can.

3.     Using the scissors cut down the length of the can to the bottom edge.  Measure one inch from the cut piece and cut again.  Continue making approximately 1 -inch strips down the can.  You will end up with 7 strips.

4.     Use the needle nosed pliers to help bend the strips out and down like spokes.  (See photo)

5.     Meanwhile use the compass to mark and cut a 1 ½” diameter circle from duct tape. Attach to the center bowl bottom of can (Which will be the front of the spinner) Use an awl or drill with a small bit to drill a hole in the center.

6.     Trim each spoke ends into a curved petal edge.

7.     To make the spinner spin you need to bend each spoke base at an angle towards the center and pull the blade forward.  Continue around in the same direction, bending each spoke at the base. (See photo)

8.     Drill a hole in the wine cork about ¼” from the edge and insert the skewer or dowel.  Using a large pushpin inset through the hole in the center of the spinner and through the end of the wine cork. This will allow the can to spin freely.

front side

Back side

Note:  Always use care when working with recycled soda cans as the edges can be somewhat sharp.  You can also use a nail file to get rid of small sharp edges.

Patriotic July 4th recycled napkin rings and coaster set tutorial

Do you save the tops from containers and even empty paper towel rolls? Have you been looking for a project to use these recycled items? Well, you are in luck because you can use them to make these quick and easy recycled napkin rings and coaster set for your 4^th of July celebration.  All you need is patriotic duct tape, an empty paper towel roll, and a plastic 2 in-diameter top for each coaster. (Mine came from a container of breadcrumbs)  You can whip up a whole set in minutes!

You will need:

Empty paper towel roll

Patriotic duct tape print  (Or you can substitute solid colors, red, white or blue)

2-inch diameter plastic top (one for each coaster)

Scissors

Ruler, pencil

X-acto or craft knife

Plastic or cardboard work surface

Gather your supplies

To make the napkin ring:

1.     Measure and mark 1 ¼” from the end of the paper towel roll.  You can flatten it slightly and use the mark as a guide to cut it.  Use your fingers to open it back up.  Cut as many 1 ¼” sections as you need- one for each napkin ring.

2.     Cut a piece of duct tape 5 ¾” long.  Lay the duct tape sticky side up and roll on the paper towel roll ring.  Make sure you center it on the duct tape.  Smooth out any wrinkles.

3.     Use the scissors to cut sections right to the edge around the napkin ring that are overlapping and fold each section inward.  (See photo)

To make the coaster:

1.     Apply two pieces of duct tape to the inside of the plastic top.  Use your finger to press around to reveal the raised center circle.  Using the center circle as a guide, cut around with an X-acto or craft knife.  You may have to go around twice.  Remove the excess duct tape  and you will have a perfect center circle. 

2.     For extra flair cut a piece of duct tape ¼” x 11 ¾” and press around the rim.  Trim off any excess.

Red daylily flower painted wine glass tutorial

It’s time for another painted wine glass tutorial.  A few days ago the red day lilies started to bloom in my front yard.  They were just so breathtakingly beautiful that I just had to paint a version of one on a wine glass and with this easy tutorial you can too!

You will need:

Acrylic gloss paint (It will say it’s for glass on the label) Red, black, yellow, lt. green

Wine glasses

Alcohol

Paper towels

Liner brush

Flat brush

Tape measure and clear tape

Cotton swab or toothpick

Paper plate or palette to hold your paint

Home oven and cookie sheet

1.     Wash and dry the wine glasses.  Wipe down the glasses with alcohol to remove any residue, oils or finger marks.

2.     Wrap the tape measure around the bowl of the glass.  Attach with clear

tape.  Thin some red paint with water and make dots two inches apart for a total of six. (My wine glass was 12 inches in circumference.  If yours is smaller make allowances for six equal sections. Remove the tape measure. Using the thinned paint make petal shapes using the dots as guides.  It is not important to be perfect since flower petals are not perfect.

3.    Turn the glass over and work on the outside bottom of the glass.  Use the liner brush with black paint to make dots on the bottom of the bowl, a bit down the stem and some on the lower petal areas.  Let dry.  Add some black lines in between the dots.  (See photo) Let dry.

Inside of glass view

Inside of glass view

4.     Load the liner brush with yellow paint and add some longer yellow lines in between the black dots.  (See photo)  Do this in every petal space. 

Inside of glass view

5.    Paint the entire bottom black.  This will make the center of the flower appear darker on the inside of the glass.  Let dry. 

6.    Load the flat brush with red paint and fill in the first petal right over top of the dried dots and lines.  Continue with red paint filling in the second petal, but before the paint is dry, dip a corner of the flat brush in black paint and use it sideways to darken the area between the petals.  Rinse and dry your brush.  Continue making petals in this manner till you have filled in all six petals.  Let dry.

7.    Repeat step six for a second coat. Let dry.

8.    Paint the stem lt. green and let dry completely.  If you make any mistakes you can easily fix it with a cotton swab and alcohol or scrape it with a toothpick.  The paint is not set until you bake it.

Inside view

9.    Place your wine glasses on a cookie sheet and put in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.  Let cool in the oven before removing.  (Don’t worry it won’t melt)