Upcycled Design Lab Blog

DIY - Upcycled Tin Can Hanging Flower Pots

I am still in gardening mode with this weeks project.  As you may already know I have recently constructed some garden edging from upcycled wire hangers and the lids of some tin cans.  This project left me with some cans without lids which I had planned to use for the stand for my upcycled wok birdbath but as it turned out I only needed one can for this super simple project.  So I still had a lot of cans left over.

 

So here is what I did with them.

 

 

  In addition to all the empty cans.

 

 

I also had some pieces of my wok left over.

 

I don't even know what this piece with the spokes is for but it worked great for my project.  I decided to use 8 cans since there were 8 spokes.

Materials and Tools

8 emtpy tin cans

1 steamer piece from old wok

Heavy guage wire

Spray Paint (optional)

Wire cutter

Needle nose pliers

Hammer

1 or 2 nails

Hot Glue Gun

Clean edge can opener (the kind that lets you put the lid back on the can)

2 tin can lids

Hook with threaded bolt

 

Step 1 - Punch drain holes in the bottoms of the cans.

 

Step 2 - Punch two more holes in the sides of each can.  This step was a little trickier but you can do it by laying the can on its side and punching the hole from the inside out.

 

Step 3 - I have a lot of green trim outside so I decided to spray paint the cans to match.

 

 

 Step 4 - Cut eight pieces of wire 12 inches long.  Bend

Step 5 - Insert wire into the top holes of the can.

 

Step 6 - Use the needle nose pliers to curl the ends of the wires to secure into the can.

 

 

Step 7 - Bend and reshape the wire.

 

Step 8 - Cut eight more pieces of wire in graduating lengths and bend a hook on one end.

 

 

Step 8 - Attach wires to the spokes on the wheel.

 

 

Step 9 - Mark and cut notches in one soda can lid to match the spokes.

 

 

Step 10 - With hot glue attach the two can lids together with the wok piece sandwiched between the can lids.

 

 

 

Step 11 - Drill or punch a hole in the center of the tin can lids and insert hanger hook.

 

 

Step 12 - Pot plants in tin cans.

 

And Hang.

 

 

Happy Upcycling,

 

Super Simple Upcycled Birdbath

For over a year now I have been planning to do something with my wok.  (I never cook with it.)  I suppose that I could have donated it someplace but the inside of it is not in the best condition and something about its rounded shape and pretty handles has made me keep it tucked away in my cupboard for all these years. 

 

I have been experiencing some serious spring fever this year and so of late a lot of my inspiration for upcycling projects has been focused on the yard and garden.  I recently made some garden fencing/edging from some wire hangers and I am working on another upcycled hanging flower basket that I hope to have completed for next weeks post.   I also have the beginnings of an idea for an upcycled mosaic project for the garden.  (We will have to wait and see if that one comes together.)

 

For you t-shirt enthusiast, fear not I am still plugging away at upcycling my pile of 20 t-shirts.  But they have been side lined a little bit by the call of the great outdoors.

 

Anyway onto today's project. I was planning to make a much fancier stand for my wok birdbath but in the end nothing worked as well as this simple tin can (I think it was a 32oz size.)  We have a lot of green trim on our patio so I decided to give the can a quick coat of color to match.  The rounded bottom of the wok fits smoothly into the open end of the can and the weight of the wok itself plus the water makes the whole thing quite stable.

 

 

 

Happy Upcycling