Picture tutorial for making labels from drinks cans. Please take care when making these labels – the metal edges can be very sharp and can cut. The folded edges are less sharp but also give the label a bit more “strength”
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- 1 – take a drinks can (preferably rinsed out)
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- 2 -make a hole in the side near the top using scissors/knife.
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- 3 – carefully cut the top off, then cut down to the bottom of the can. Then cut the bottom off with care. Cut away any sharp/uneven pieces.
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- 4 – chop the rolled can sheet up into label sized pieces.
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- 5 – take a metal rule, or something else that is strong and straight and place over the label piece.
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- 6 – carefully fold over one of the edges over the metal rule.
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- 7 – remove rule and flatten the fold.
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- 8 – fold the other side
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- 9 – make two folds to make a point. If there is a bit of a gap at the side of the pointing fold, flatten it with the end of a metal rule
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- 10 -you can use a biro (doesn’t matter if no ink in), or an embossing tool to write the label with on what was the outside part of the can. Use a softish surface to write the label on, so that the point of the embossing tool can “dent” the label.
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- 11 – don’t forget to write backwards.
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- 12 – turn the label over and admire your handiwork.
Litany of labels; or “ooh, I wonder what I planted here” « A blog called Fuggles said,
22 February 2009 at 9:49 am
[...] http://multiveg.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/label-making/ – a great idea for turning fizzy drinks cans in to embossable metal labels. Mind your fingers! [...]
tina said,
12 March 2009 at 11:41 am
I have been trying to find a good metal to emboss, never thought of these cans. What a good idea and timely idea. Came over from Anne Tanne via Fuggles.