But...just to be on the safe side, we bought one of those can openers that is supposed to leave a clean cut edge...and yes, indeed it does.
And then one day I noticed that since the opener cuts the edge of the can below the lip of the lid, you are left with a lid that sits securely on the can...my mind started racing...the eureka moment hit...
How easy would it be to turn these cans with their accompanying lids into little gift containers...
I gathered up a collection of empty cans...
See how smooth the rim is...no ragged edges here!
Next I compiled a selection of coordinating papers...some vintage wallpaper, some papers from Cavallini & Co... I'm not much into buying "new" art supplies, but the quality and design of the Cavallini & Co. products are first rate...its my art splurge...
Finally I rounded up supplies and tools...
and then I went to work...
My idea was to cover the cans with decorative paper with the crowning touch of a knob on the lid...after its time as a gift container, it could be used to store any number of things in one's office, studio or work space...
I measured the circumference of the can as well as the height to get the measurements for the paper to cover the outside of the can...
I used heavy duty double-sided tape...adhering it first to the can, around the top and bottom edges and one strip along the can seam...the seam is a good guide to use in ensuring that the wrapped paper is laid down straight...
Once the can was wrapped, I added washi tape along the upper rim...
Next up...covering the lid and the bottom of the can...
I worked with a variety of vintage papers...old dictionary pages, french book text, vintage graph paper...even a scan of an old photo...
I used my circle cutter to get a clean cut edge...but first I did a trial run with a piece of plain white paper to ensure that the circle would fit...no use in using up precious vintage stock!
Once I had the correct size, I glued the paper circles to the lid top and to the bottom of the can...
There was a major benefit in using my circle cutter for these paper circles...there's a pinpoint made by the cutter in the exact center of the circle...which came in handy when attaching the knob in the middle of the lid...I knew exactly where to punch the hole for the screw to hold the knob...
I used a variety of old knobs for the lid tops...searching in my metal banker's box of assorted knobs and pulls yielded a good supply...just needed to find shorter machine screws to attach each knob securely...and then...finished!
the tuna fish can was narrow enough that a length of wide washi tape encircled the can perfectly...
Pages from old books, run through a paper shredder, provide the filler for each can...giving a cushion of protection for the gift inside...
Short or tall...plain or fancy...the possibilities are endless...
and it all starts with a simple tin can...and a little imagination...
