Friday, December 20, 2013

Upcycle an Old Coffee Canister!

I needed something to store my shake mix in for my most recent radical diet phase, so I found some ideas on Pinterest and decided to try them myself.


What you will need:
An empty, clean coffee canister
Painter's tape
Sand Paper or Sanding Block
An old sheet or drop cloth
Krylon Plastic-Compatible Spray Paint in desired color
An empty paper towel roll
Mod Podge (glossy finish is best)
Decorative paper, stickers, and other decorative items


 
Step 1: Wash and sand down the empty coffee can.
Step 2: Apply Tape around inside of canister. Do not fold the tape over the top, let it sit up so you cover as much of the red (or other original color) as possible. Put a few old grocery bags inside the canister to cover the rest. Tape the bags down if necessary.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Step 3: Always use spray paint in a well ventilated area- outside is best. Lay something across the grass to cover a large area, like some old towels, a sheet you don’t care about, a disposable plastic tablecloth, or newspaper. (I am all about getting a second use out of old stuff!) Then, begin to spray the canister with paint, waiting until the coat is dry before flipping it over to do the bottom. (about 10-12 minutes)
 
 
 

Step 4: Wait another 10 minutes or longer before bringing the canister inside. I set it up on an old paper towel roll to finish drying overnight.
 

Step 5: Now comes the fun part! Be patient and wait overnight before adding any decorations or labeling to the canister. Mod Podge is great for projects like this. You just put add your decorations one layer at a time, coating each side of the items thoroughly with the mod podge and stick it where you want it on the canister. I went over the whole thing with more mod podge when I was finished placing it all on the canister. I wanted to be able to wash the thing when the time came! I don’t suggest using any stickers that stick up off the page unless they are already some kind of plastic material and not paper. I am testing this with a plastic anchor sticker, so we will see how well it holds up. I always try to use stuff I already have around the house instead of going out and buying more junk!