So are you tired of buying expensive metal accents for your cards and scrapbook pages??? Well I have a solution…. MAKE YOUR OWN:)
What you need:
1. pop cans ( use pepsi product cans because coke uses thicker aluminum)
2. you will need 2 thick dish or hand towels
3. A pair of old sharp scissors ( DON’T use your good scrapbooking scissors it will ruin them)
4. iron
5. punches or die cut
6. an older paper cutter you don’t care to dull
OK now the directions……..
1. cut your pop cans open. You are going to cut the top and bottom off, then cut in half like this…
* Warning edges will be jagged and sharp be careful when handling)
and this
and this
Now your can should look like this
Step 2:
Now lay a towel down on a hard surface. You are going to want to fold the towel twice. Then open you can up with the cans design facing up like this..
now lay the other towel over top of the can like this..
Now you are ready to iron your can flat. This is how you are going to iron it…..
With one hand on the iron pressing firmly down and your other hand under the bottom towel on one side. now press up with the towel hand as you iron like this…
( excuse the no hand on the iron because someone had to take the picture:)
When you are done with the one side turn the towel around and do the other. What you are trying to do is make the can lay flat. like this….
ok let it cool a few minutes before you pick it up!
Step 3
Get out your punches and die cut machine ( do not use your cricut machine). I used my ancient sizzix machine and it cuts through the aluminum like butter.
or use your punches like this…
Now you can use a paper trimmer to make borders like this..
Now you can use your Alcohol inks and metallic rubs to alter the metal.
Well everyone, now you can go create your own metal accents and recycle at the same time:)
Have fun!