Recycled can succulents
This weekend I was looking for ideas for using aluminium cans that I collected. The final result was to make these recycled aluminium can succulents.
I like to make use of recycled materials whenever I can and have some rock roses (echeveria glauca) in the garden. I love the shape and colour of these plants and thought they would make a perfect project for the aluminium cans.
I mounted the finished petals on a couple of bun feet sprayed with Rust-Oleum Metallic in warm gold. You will find the full range of Rust-Oleum products at your local Builders Warehouse.
YOU WILL NEED:
Aluminium cans (beer or cold drink)
All-purpose scissors or tin snips
Template - print out in different sizes
Pencil (HB)
Rust-Oleum 2X spray paint in satin sweet pea, green apple and new gloss ocean mist
Bun feet (sprayed with warm gold)
Hammer and 30mm panel pin / nail
HERE'S HOW:
1. Cut open the aluminium cans and flatten these as much as possible. Wear gloves when working with the aluminium sheets, as the edges can be sharp.
2. Print out the template and rub the back with an HB pencil.
3. Turn over the template and transfer the design onto the flat sheet aluminium.
4. Cut out each shape will all-purpose scissors (I use Olfa scissors) or tin snips.
5. You need a total of 6 to 8 petal shapes, varying in size from large to very small.
6. Place these on newspaper or material to protect your work surface. Lightly spray the petals with a coat of green, then pink, and finally with ocean mist. Don't wait for each coat to dry - you want the colours to run into each other for a mottled effect.
7. Let the paint dry and then gently wrap the leaves around a pencil to bend the petals slightly.
8. Now you want to mount the petal sections onto a panel pin or small nail - working from smallest to largest at the bottom.
9. Carefully arrange the petals before securing onto a painted bun foot. Now you can display your aluminium rock roses.
