Up-Cycle Craft – Rustic Garden Markers

When it comes to gardening and maintaining a beautiful yard, the cost does not come cheap. So most of us don’t want to be spending money where there is no need. And although you would love to snatch up those fun little garden markers from the store, the appeal fades quickly when you see the price. By up-cycling every day products, you can spend no money and still add these adorable rustic garden markers. How you ask? With a few simple household tools and a pop can you can create these all on your own. Here is what you will need and the simple step-by-step instructions on how to up-cycle a pop can into beautiful Rustic Garden Markers.

Supplies:

• A clean and empty pop can
• Exacto knife
• Ruler
• Pen
• Cutting mat

Step-by-Step Tutorial:

Instructions:

1) Take a clean empty pop can and cut off the top and bottom.

2) Cut down the side to get a rectangular piece.

3) Bend the piece back and forth a few times to flatten out the aluminum. You can use ruler or other flat object to smooth it out.

4) Take your ruler and trim all your edges so they are straight. Hold the ruler down firm so the aluminum doesn’t move.

5) Now you are cutting the strips that will become your garden markers. We cut ours 0.75″ wide, but it’s completely up to you.

6) Once all yourstrips are cut you can begin to trip them into your desired shapes. We cut 2 very small equal pieces from the top corners and cut a narrow “V” shape at the bottom (keep it narrow so it easily slides into the soil).

7) Flip your strip so the graphic is face up. Take your pen and trace a contour line around the edge. Press firmly so the design pops through the front side. Use a ruler for the long edge. We chose to also add a small heart at the top.

8 & 9) If you can write backwords, I praise you, but as I could not I flipped the marker onto it’s clear side to print the name I wanted on my marker. Don’t press as hard as you were for the outline. Flip it back onto the side with the graphic and trace over the lines of your name – you can press hard again.

10 & 11) Congratulations you are done one beautiful rustic garden marker, now step and repeat until you have all the desired markers you will need.

*Be careful working with the aluminum as the edges can cut skin. This craft is best done by adults or by children with close adult supervision.

Have fun beautifying your garden and potted plants, we hope you enjoyed this easy up-cycle DIY craft project from Botanical PaperWorks. For more projects, visit the Crafts and DIY Projects section of the blog.

{as seen in 30 Handmade Days}