A Recycled Christmas Project!

When does a holiday project get your heart all a flutter?  When it's made from something FREE, something you were going to put out on TRASH DAY!

Presenting the first of many recycled holiday decorating projects!  Picture this...

Looks like an unassuming soda 12 pack right?  How many of these have you thrown out in the last year?  I've trashed a lot of them (I am a diet coke junkie and yes, the first step is admitting you have a problem!)

These cases can become really COOL containers!  See...

Here's the very easy step-by-step.  These literally took me 10 minutes to put together and about $2 in materials each!

1.  Cut your soda can case to the desired height, trying to get the top edge as even as possible (don't worry though, because ribbon covers a multitude of cutting mistakes!)
2.  Inspect case for any loose edges and tape them down.
3.  Using holiday wrapping paper, wrap the case, securing in the back with tape.  Wrap the bottom like you would a Christmas package.  At the top, tuck the wrapping paper down into the opening and tape all 4 sides.
4.  Insert holiday branches or flowers into a square piece of florist's foam.  You may need to trim your branches with wire cutters to get the height to your liking.
5.  Place the foam inside the container and use tissue paper to stuff the case, leaving about 2 - 4 inches at the top.
6.  Fill the remaining space with pinecones or Christmas Ball ornaments.
7.  Tie ribbon around the top edge, securing with double sided tape.

Voila!  You have a cute container and you spent next to nothing!  I'm planning on making several of these with coordinating wrap to use as centerpieces and mantle decor.

I'm linking up to 2 blog parties today:

 

This is also one of the projects I will feature at the holiday decorating workshop I'm hosting this Thursday.  I'll post more of those projects later!