Tasty Tins
Many of us recycle our tins without much thought, but have you ever considered upcycling? Upcycling your tins is the perfect way to create a beautiful herb garden that can bring life to your kitchen, patio, or window sill. Not only do they look great, they take up minimal space, and smell amazing! Best of all, the tins can be moved around to suit the weather.
What You Need
• Tin cans (from soup, tomatoes, baked beans etc.)
• Sandpaper
• Spray paint
• Twine
• Clear exterior varnish (weather-resistant)
Method
Begin by preparing your tins, sanding back any sharp edges, removing labels and glue. Pick your shades to suit your vibe, spray paint the tins
and leave to dry. You can spice them up by using or even creating your own stencils. Once the tins are dry, decorate anyway you choose,
we wrapped and glued twine on the bottom for an elegant rustic finish.
Tips: You can create your very own labels with little pegs and attach these to each tin so you remember which herb is what.
You can also screw the tin to a shelf if you plan on putting them outside to stop them from falling over.
To avoid rust, use removable plant pots inside the tins.
You can also reuse takeaway coffee cups if you don’t have any tins.
Crafty Cork Trivet
If you’re after a corker of a craft activity for the little ones, and you happen to love a vino, this may be the craft for you. Being a cork collector certainly has some upsides, and it’s not just about freeing those corks from their bottles. It’s time to make a ‘Trivet’ – a great asset for any table top that loves to hold tasty hot food without leaving a mark. This trivet has been done using a chevron (zig-zag) pattern, but you can create any pattern you wish.
What You Need
• A selection of corks, the same size and shape
• An old sheet or baking paper to protect your table
• Wood / craft glue
Method
Collect all your corks, categorise them into shapes and sizes and ensure they’re all dry and clean. Lay out your protective baking paper, then using single types of corks, lay them out in your pattern of choice to the size you find most suitable. Once the design is all set, begin glueing the corks into place, and let dry. Repeat this process until all your corks are used up, making the trivets as large, small, and distinguished
as you like.
Tip: If you’re after more corks, ask around at your local bars, and remind your friends to save their corks for you.