WEDDING: Project Centerpiece

Hey all!

Sorry it's been awhile, August kind of just flew by, and before I knew it Autumn and September arrived on my doorstep. But what a fun month August was! My friend Dao got married, and I got to learn how to do many things: decorate cans as vases, make flower centerpieces, bake her wedding cake (with accompanying cupcakes), etc. It was such a joyful day! One project that I really enjoyed was decorating aluminum cans as vases. The cans are great because they are: 1) Pretty! 2) Environmentally friendly, and 3) Really, really, easy.


All you need are: old cans (big soup cans work well), cardstock paper, modge podge (or some sort of sealant), scissors, brush, and vintage labels. Here's the how-to:
1. Clean and dry outside of cans.
2. Cut and measure cardstock paper to the proportions of the can. It does not have to be exact measurements. In my case, using a 12" x 12" piece of paper, I eyeballed the approximate height of the can (about 8") and then chopped off 4 inches of paper. Now, a 12" x 8" piece of paper was not enough to make it around the particular can I was using, so I cut the 12" x 4" piece of paper I had leftover to cover the space. Because a vintage label is going to be going over this layer of cardstock, the end results from this step does not have to be neat.
3. Slather on a layer of modgepodge on the can.
4. Press cardstock onto can. Then modge podge this piece of paper. Continue doing this until your can is covered with cardstock and modgepodge.
5. Allow to dry for 4 hours, or for best results, overnight.
6. Slather modgepodge over the area you want you label to be.
7. Press label onto modgepodge.
8. Paint yet another round of modgepodge over your label.
9. Let dry for at least 4 hours.

I found my vintage labels here and here from i-DiY, which stand for i-do-it-yourself weddings. Great site for very pretty labels and other goodies! Here is a preview of some the labels available:


Okay all, take care, and catch you all again soon!
--J