How can I reuse or recycle sardine tins?
We’ve had an email from Carla, saying:
I’ve recently developed an obsession with sardines and my green bin is now full of cans! Is there anything I can do with them?
We’ve already covered standard food cans but most of the ideas take advantage of those cans’ cylindrical nature and height.
The shallow nature of sardine cans might make them useful for under small plant pots (but watch out for rust) or for candles – both to catch drips of tall ones or a mould/dish for making new ones.
Any other suggestions?
(Photo by stroinski)
My great-grandmother used to make beautiful dollhouse furniture from all types of metal cans.
http://cathyofcalifornia.typepad.com/cathy_of_california/2007/03/tin_can_doll_fu.html
Try doing a search on “tin can doll furniture” and you’ll get lots of links to pretty curled can furniture.
I’m not sure if they’re magnetic or not, but you could clean them out and use the bottoms for gifts involving magnets. (Cute magnets you make, magnetic poetry, etc.)
If they aren’t magnetic (and even if they are), you could make little shadowboxes out of the bottoms and maybe even fill them with clear resin for effect. I’m envisioning maybe some cute fake fish and rocks for a mini-aquarium! :o)
you could put these pretties in them:
http://www.notmartha.org/tomake/marblemagnets
and then wrap themas gifts. or put them on a desk to collect paperclips, etc.
use them as soap dishes or soap molds if you dabble in that
I found this interesting option also. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ihanna/330279811/in/pool-craft
I know what I’m doing with them!!!…open them up with a can opener…wash them then built a little cabinet and use the can as drawers =)
They make a nice ashtray for poor college students.
There are several famous classic custard pudding recipes where you must set the custard cups into a pan of water while they bake so they get even heating all around. Fish tins are absolutely perfect for this. Search online and check out; custard cooked in a “water bath”.
I forgot to mention I clean mine with an old toothbrush to avoid getting
cut by the sharp edges.