This type of container - a circular cardboard/steel affair - must be native to the US as I don't remember seeing them in Canada. But suddenly my cupboards are overflowing with these empty coffee and oatmeal containers (don't worry, I finally found a decent bulk foods store). Then, for a variety of health reasons, I had to start buying formula for my baby daughter and the rapidly piling up empty cans added to the guilt I already felt about not being able to continue breastfeeding. It was time to make these cans into something useful and beautiful and declutter my psyche along with my cupboards.Here's what I did:
I had some leftover ice blue paint from a backyard furniture project (Baby Bonnet by Glidden) so I spent an hour or so gathering up the containers and painting their exteriors. Be careful, try not to slather too much paint on or the paper shell will buckle a little.
Once painted, I drove a nail 4 or 5 times in the bottom of the can to make drainage holes.
I wanted to use white paint for the lettering but a quick root through my paint box only brought up a zinc oxide white - too transparent for this
project. Instead I chose Naples Yellow and used my set of rubber letter stamps to label the cans. I'm transplanting a bunch of seedlings later this month and want to be sure to remember what I planted. Suddenly container gardening is inexpensive and rather pretty.
In the background of the first photo, you can see my makeshift starter greenhouse for my seedlings - essentially Jiffy Pellets left to soak in a spare muffin tin. I put them in an East facing window and after planting the seeds, I covered the pellets with clear plastic containers (ex-salsa containers) and wrote the name of the plant-to-be in dry erase marker on the top.
I confess I have, if not a black thumb, than a scarily mordant grey thumb. I'll let you know in a few weeks if they actually grow...
I'm using some other cans as pantry cannisters. What do you use yours for?
