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Easy Tin Can Pumpkins: Recycled Fall Decor

By: Author Kimberly

Posted on  - Last updated:

Categories Fall Crafts

I love reusing and upcycling items from around the house to make cute home decor. And these farmhouse tin can pumpkins definitely are a great way to reuse leftover food cans. These fall decorations are super simple to put together. And they are nearly free to make!

What’s great is that you can customize the look to what works for you. Choose different colors and sizes for a varied look.

Tall cans (such as soup or bean cans) can easily be matched regular sized cans (such as canned green beans) and with short aluminum cans (such as tuna fish or cat food).

Another almost-free DIY pumpkin craft are these 3D paper strip pumpkins!

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DIY Tin Can Pumpkins

Supplies

  • Recycled Cans – (I used Large Bean, Soup and Water Chestnut sizes)
  • 3 Wooden Finials
  • Ribbons
  • Craft Paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Scissors
  • Glue Gun and Glue Sticks

Directions

Wash and dry metal cans. Make sure there are no rough edges on rims.

Apply a basecoat of white craft paint. The white basecoat will allow the oranges to pop.  

Paint the wooden finials with brown craft paint. Allow to dry.

Paint the cans with whatever colors you choose. Let dry. Apply a second coat, if necessary.

Attach wooden finials to the top center of each can with a glue gun and glue sticks.  

Cut green ribbons in random lengths and tie around the finials. Trim the ends of the ribbons with scissors. 

Helpful Tips for Upcycled Tin Can Pumpkins

  • Check Habitat for Humanity stores for cheap finials to use for stems
  • Instead of wooden finials for the stems, use a wine cork, branch, or thick piece of rope.
  • Instead of ribbon on the stems, you can use yarn, raffia, or embroidery floss
  • Adding a variety of colors and patterns of ribbon around the stems gives more visual interest
  • Use varying shades of orange if you’d like. For neutral Fall decor, consider painting white or light blue. Or let kids go wild with bright colors.

If you want to turn these into Jack O’lanterns, it’s easy to do! Just draw or paint a jack o’lantern face on the front (see my tutorial for how to make tin can Halloween Jack O’lanterns for more ideas).

You’ll also want to check out these cheap and easy Halloween and Fall Crafts: