DIY: Beer Can Brilliance

Now that Halloween is over and done with, we’ve moved on to cringing over Christmas. Displays are going up right and left encouraging us to be good consumers. But who has the money to shop for all your loved ones, roommates, acquaintances, former lovers and drinking pals? No one we know, that’s for sure. But if you’ve got time, then you can craft yourself up some options right quick. And what better raw material than empty beer cans? There are probably still a dozen left on your coffee table from this weekend so wash out some of them and grab some votives, '˜cause we got some ideas.

A word first about the jagged edges of beer cans. That word is 'œouch.' That word could also be 'œstitches' or, everyone’s least favorite field trip, 'œSF County General.' If you have gardening gloves, or some other gloves you can use to protect your hands, I’d highly advise it.

Beer Car Candle Screen '“ scissors meet beer can, beer can meet scissors. Really, that’s all it takes. Not nearly complicated enough for you? Then go to town on the beer can candle screen. You’ll still wind up carefully cutting down the beer cans, but you’ll be cutting them into a pinwheel shape then folding them down and sealing them with a screw and nut. There’s also a wire stand to construct for the candles, which involves bending some wire and attaching a needle so the candle can pinwheel and the screen of pixel boxes itself (cardboard cut and folded into similar squares).

Too much? Yeah, it’s an overachiever’s project. For something a wee bit more basic, cut and fold your beer can into an ashtray. Like the easy votive holder, you’ll just need to (carefully) cut the can down into strips then fold them over. Good for an on the go fix, like at a campground or beach.