Thursday, April 16, 2020

A Recycling Project

Hi everyone. Today I am writing a guest post.  Elizabeth from Altered Book Lover Blog is celebrating her birthday on Earth Day. And to celebrate, she is creating recycled art in April. I was excited to be asked to join in the fun and create a project as a guest on her blog.
So here is my project.
As you can see in my first photo, I have lots of tins. These metal containers are great for storage and also for art projects. So I decided to combine both uses and decorate some of these metal containers.
I began by covering my tins with some scraps of Japanese paper. I bought this paper to use in my travel journal when I visited Japan back in 2018. And since I had some pieces left,I decided to recycle them  as the covers of these containers. Then used a page out of a paperback book I bought on that trip and ripped it into thin strips and added them onto my tins. It took awhile for all this to dry, and once it did I took some black paper and made some die cuts from this ancient but great set of Asian images ( I have packaging with the dies so I don't even know who made it). 
On the 2 tea tins, I painted the tops with white gesso and then cut out a circle of Japanese book paper. I didn't do anything to the cookie tin(the tall container) because of the way it sits in the tin.
 On the blue tin, I took a scrap of orange ribbon and covered the top and bottom where paper edge was a little rough.  And on the tall tin and the other shorter tea tin in the cherry blossom paper, I took this felt ribbon I had to make the edges. And on the shorter pink tea tin I added a flower to the top as well as a bit of scrap ric-rac trim around the edge of the cover.
 You might notice there was also a flat tin in the top picture, and I started that one but ran out of time before this post and  didn't get beyond priming it with gesso.
And I had a whole bag of assorted coins, some left over from trips and some that I had had since a kid. (I had an uncle who was a big traveller and gave me his left over coins on occasion.) I thought I would show you them in the tin. I've already filled the others with some beads and charms.
Hope you like my project!
And be sure to check out all of Elizabeth's recycled art this month too.

Thanks for visiting.


19 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

Wonderful project, great way to use up those cans, I think we all have lots at home. They look very special now. Have a great day, hugs, Valerie

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Thank you SO much for creating these incredible repurposed tins, Erika. Your tins are simply beautiful and fit in perfectly with my idea of recycling and repurposing art. Thank you again for this gift of time. I couldn't have asked for a better gift.

J said...

I love your decorated tins, they are beautiful , the papers are lovely and adding the embellishments just finished them off.
I actually covered a time a few years ago but forgot to leave room at the top, I couldn’t get the lid back on!! I might have a go today for a change from scrapbooking as I have quite a few, LoL
Have a great day, Jan x

Iris Flavia said...

Beautiful make-overs!!!
I still have a Japanese brolly - a tad too large for an art project- and a pin from SEIKO. My Dad loved Japan. That´s all I know. How about telling of your travel/journey there?

Meggymay said...

A beautiful recycling project and so useful to give tins a make over like this. I enlarged the photo to see all the lovely detail you used, the pink colour tones are so pretty as well.
Stay safe and well.
Yvonne xx

kathyinozarks said...

I save tins too-I love them for all sorts of things in my craft room. I love how you decorated these-very pretty Great project

Karen said...

These are so pretty ~ what a fun way to hold what-nots. this would make a nice gift refilled with tea again too.

Barbara said...

Terrific inspiration! Also very pretty decor for your craft room. Thanks!

R's Rue said...

❤️

sirkkis said...

A great recycling page, Erika.
I wonder if I can participate Elizabeth's party with my work, which I just made to celebrate 'Earth Day on 22nd April'? I haven't publish it earlier.

Jeanie said...

These are so very pretty and what a good idea to jazz them up with papers from your travels and so much more. A wonderful re-using project!

Divers and Sundry said...

I just came here from Elizabeth's blog post featuring your work. Nice! I love these :)

Caty said...

Wowwww This is a fantastic project Erika !! A great way to recycle, and these little tins are perfect for storage, as you well say. I love the beautiful japanese papers, and the lovely flowers.
Wish you a nice Friday,
Stay safe and well,
Biiig hugs my friend, Caty

froebelsternchen said...

Amazing tins, a fantastic project Erika!!

The Padre said...

I Cant Thank You Enough - Well Done - Enjoy Your Weekend

Cheers

Stevenson Q said...

Erika these Japanese inspirations are very much a great idea! I love the way you got consistent with the design across all of those tin cans that are so cute! We don't have lots of tin cans on products here but when we do I definitely save them as containers. I have a couple here used as ribbon box and a sewing box :)

Happy Birthday to your friend Elizabeth!

Marjut said...

Fantastic recycling Project.

nwilliams6 said...

Very cool projects. They look fabulous!!!!

Words and Pictures said...

Wonderful upcycling post - those Japanese papers really came into their own on these elegant slender tins. Delightful guesting!
Alison x