Easy Fall Craft: Tin Can Pumpkins!

Last Updated on September 12, 2018 by Diane Hoffmaster

Fall is almost here!  Despite the God awful heat and humidity, we have been experiencing here in Georgia this week the calendar says fall is on the way.  I am starting to see leaves drop off from the trees and it is darker in the evenings earlier that it was last month.  Soon we will have crisp, cool mornings and piles of leaves in the yard to rake up.  Okay, that part of fall I am not looking forward to! I decided to try my hand at an easy fall craft and turn some leftover tin cans into decorative pumpkins to adorn my table.  If you are looking for other easy ways to celebrate the cooler weather, check out my post on simple fall family activities!

This Easy Fall Craft is Eco Friendly!

I love crafts that take 'trash' and turn them into something creative.  Why?  Two reasons...one I am a very 'green living' sortof person.  I like being able to say that I salvaged something from the trash and/or recycle bin.  Even better than reducing my carbon footprint is saving money.  Trash is free!  The fewer supplies I need to buy the better, right?  These tin can pumpkins were incredibly easy to make and there was very little actual work involved.   Nature crafts are another way to go green when it comes to your crafts.  Check out a few acorn crafts in my post about what to do with acorns from your yard.

For the spray paint on these tin can pumpkins I used Martha Stewart's glass painting system.  Basically, you buy a paint concentrate, dilute with their special solution in a small plastic spray bottle.  Then just attach the sprayer and hose and you have spray paint.  There are a TON of options to choose from in terms of color and style.  There are opaque, clear, metallic, glitter and many more options.  For this easy fall craft I chose an orange opaque that has just a touch of shimmer to it.  (technically the color is called 'Tiger Lily' but I am a simple kindof girl and call it orange!)  I found that multiple light coats worked best, letting it dry for a couple of hours in between each coat.

More Fall Craft Ideas

• Easy Thankful Tree Craft to Remember What Matters Most
• Make This Pumpkin Spice Playdough Recipe for the Littlest Trick or Treaters!
• Easy Bottle Cap Pumpkin Craft is Awesome Fun for Everyone!

Tin Can Pumpkins Fall Craft Supplies

The only other supplies you need for this easy fall craft are some twigs from the yard, green pipe cleaners, and a hot glue gun.  I chose to make a collection of three tin can pumpkins using various sizes I found in the recycle bin.  I think they came out really cute and will make a nice centerpiece for my Thanksgiving table!

Easy Fall Craft:  Tin Can Pumpkins

Supplies needed

• Tin cans, labels removed and washed/dried
• (--->>> affiliate link!) Martha Stewart Spray Paint System with Glass Medium
• Tiger Lily opaque paint
• Hot glue gun
• small twigs
• green pipe cleaners
• scissors
• newspaper

Directions

1. Lay newspapers on table
2.  Spray tin cans with paint following directions on sprayer system.  You will want to cover with only a thin layer of paint and let dry several hours.  Repeat multiple times until the paint is the color/density you want.
3. Cut a pipe cleaner into 3 inch lengths and wrap around pinky to create a 'twirl' for a vine.
4. When the last coat of paint is dry use hot glue to adhere the stick and pipe cleaner vine to the top of the can.
5. Let glue cool and display your creation!

Want more fall crafts?  Try making your own simmering spices!

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Diane Hoffmaster

Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy.  She has two college aged kids, one husband and more pets than she will admit to. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire  but left her career in science to become a stay at home mom. Years of playing with LEGO and coloring with crayons had her craving a more grown up purpose to her life and she began blogging and freelance writing full time.  You can learn more about her HERE.