Don't Throw Out Old Cans: Try This Adorable DIY Vase For Flowers

Flowers usually steal all the attention — but why can't the vase sometimes be the star of the show? Amazingly, you can upcycle an old tin can into the cutest giraffe vase for your flowers. While it may start as a simple can, you'll never know it by the time the project is through! Tin cans aren't just recyclables; they can be repurposed around the home and used for illuminating your garden planters, too. If you use them to create home décor, you can keep them plain for a rustic look. Or, you can take them to another level by turning them into adorable characters.

Big food cans work perfectly for this DIY project. They usually have a lining inside that helps keep them from rusting, which is great for making vases and planters. Along with an empty tin can, you're also going to need supplies like wooden chopsticks, hot glue, aluminum foil, tissue paper, and decorative items like beads and paint. Begin by slicing four chopsticks in half, then attach the back ends of the sticks to the bottom of the can using hot glue (they will be the legs). Now, cut another chopstick to about two-thirds its original size, and glue it to the rim of the can. This will be the animal's long neck. Keep in mind that you could also try forming the neck out of bent wire.

Wrap all the sticks in aluminum foil, using hot glue as you go to ensure it sticks well. Then create a giraffe head using balled up foil, making tiny ears and ossicones (ossicones are the two pointy antenna-like stuff at the top of giraffe heads). Glue a pair of beads to the tops of the ossicones. Next, tear tissue paper into tiny pieces and attach them to the giraffe using a mixture of white glue and water — covering the animal completely. Once dry, paint it with a gypsum paste, which will help strengthen it into a sculpture-like piece. After the paste dries, sand it, then use acrylic paint to give the creature a base color.

Paint spots all over the giraffe using whatever color you like. You can either use the typical yellow and brown combination or make yours bold with a purple base and gold spots! Finish your friend up with tiny details like eyes and a nose, and perhaps give the spots some extra sparkle. Once it's all dry, add your favorite flowers to the can, and your giraffe is now the most charming vase on the block. Set it on a tabletop in a main area of your home and wait for the compliments.

If you'd rather it be a unique colorful flower pot instead of a vase, add several drainage holes to the bottom of the can prior to starting the project. You can do so with a hammer and nail. This way, you can use your giraffe to display little plants or succulents as well. Keep in mind that your paint colors might help determine what kind of flower or plant looks best inside of it.

While a giraffe is adorable, you can really shape any animal you think you'd be able to pull off. For example, you could create a dog by using large brown wooden beads as its paws instead of chopsticks. The key is to shape the foil to form the creature's details, and add in features that it's known for. On top of it being a wonderful piece to display, it would also make a wonderful gift, especially if you have an animal lover in your life.