Halloween Time!

Halloween is getting close...too close! I can't believe how fast the summer went and now autumn is cruising by.

I thought I would share one of my Halloween crafts that I completed last year but never got around to sharing - Coffee Can Jack-o-Lanterns! Because Mike drinks coffee like water, it seems like we always have coffee cans in stock. 

Items needed:

•  metal coffee can
•  hammer
•  nail (Mike, and supposedly the rest of the world, calls it a spike)
•  freezer
•  orange spray paint
•  black craft paint
•  small paint brush
•  thin wire

First start by filling the metal coffee can with water and place it in the freezer until the water is frozen solid. This will allow you to make the holes in the can without the can completely flattening or getting major dents.

Remove the can from the freezer and place a towel underneath it on the floor (to protect the floor and limit movement). Now you'll need the hammer and nail spike. I used the nail to 'draw' my design on the can like a pencil. This worked because of the frost on the outside of the can. Then start hammering the nail along the lines you 'drew' - creating the outlines of your jack-o-lantern face. A couple quick hard hits will be sufficient for each hole. You will need to work somewhat quickly so the ice doesn't melt too much. After punching the holes for the face, punch a hole at the top of the rim on the left side of the can and the right side of the can for the wire on the last step.

Once you have the entire face created, let the rest of the ice melt so you have only the dry can left.

Now it's ready to be painted. I used regular gloss orange spray paint from Wal-mart. Give it a few light coats, rather than 1 thick coat.

The two pictures above were taken with different camera settings so ignore the crazy coloring between the two!

Once the can is dry you're ready to paint the faces black. I used a gloss black craft paint and small paintbrush. Stay between the lines if you can!

Last step is adding the wire handle. Place the wire through the holes on the right and left side of the can at the top and curl the ends around a pencil for a cute little curl. I used about 18-20 inches of wire for a can. This allows for the curl on the ends. 

Now you can place a small lit candle or tea light in the bottom of the can and enjoy the glowing faces!

I ended up making two of them so I had a 'set'. Here is the final product!

Next time you're thinking of throwing away those coffee cans - consider making yourself a piece of Halloween decor! 

I wish everyone a fun and safe Halloween!