Metal Ornaments Made With Junk

Don't trash your metal junk; turn it into something festive. Scrap metal can be turned into shimmering ornaments that celebrate the spirit of a "green" holiday. The only limitation is imagination.

Hardware Hinges

Opened hinges look like wings of an angel, a butterfly or a bird. With beads, feathers, paint or ribbon, an old hinge becomes a flight of fancy. Scour a junk yard or your garage to find unique hinges.

Aluminum Cans

Crushed cans require only a little imagination and embellishment to become fanciful creatures. Paint the can, then add ears and a face. Or, cut uncrushed cans apart with tin snips and form into festive shapes.

Bottle Caps

Cut photos the size of a bottle cap. Glue the photo inside the cap and run glue around the outer edge, attaching an 8-inch length of thin ribbon. Tie the ends together to hang. Make some for gift tags, too.

Recycled Flatware

Wrap wire and beads around old forks and spoons and hang on a kitchen-themed tree.

Mexican Tin Craft

Aluminum pie tins and other disposable baking or roasting pans may be cut into any shape and decorated with permanent markers. Softer to work with than most other metal scrap, they can be embossed with a sharp pencil, making them child friendly.

References

• Can Crafts
• Bottle Cap Ornaments