Over the holidays, I made these upcycled snowman containers and filled them with homemade chocolate peanut butter cheesecake truffles to share with friends and family. (I’ll share the recipe for those later.)

The snowmen were a hit! Not only because they’re cute, but also because you can carry them like a pail. If you’re looking for a way to breathe new life into your soup and vegetable cans, this is your sign. Save them all year and turn them into functional gifts.

As with most of my craft projects, these tin can snowmen are easy to make and fun to create on your own or with a group. Grab the supplies and follow the steps below!

Tin Can Snowman Supplies

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• Tin cans
• Pipe cleaners
• Sparkle pom-poms
• Paint brushes & sponge
• Acrylic paint (black and white)
• Newspaper or paper towels for working space

Note: I like the large soup cans (18.8 oz) for this project, but you can use the smaller ones (12oz) too. The large ones are best for cookies.

Step 1: paint the tin cans black and white

Using your sponge brush, paint the entire can white. I like to use a dabbing technique to create texture in the paint. Just pick up the brush and lay it down like in the image above. This keeps the paint streak free.

Let it dry.

Paint the top 1 inch black.

Let it dry.

Note: You could use spray paint here if you’d like, but be sure to use painter’s tape to keep your lines straight.

Step 2: paint a smile

Using a thin bristled paint brush and black paint, make a smiley face with dots.

Let it dry.

Step 3: glue on the pom poms and pipe cleaners

Glue one side of the pipe cleaner to the side of the can. Then, wrap it around the top and glue the other end to the opposite side of the can.

Now, glue your pom poms over top of the ends of the pipe cleaners.

On my first can, I glued the pom poms in place first, then glued the pipe cleaners inside of the pom poms. This also works but is less stable.

Now, wrap up your treats and place them inside the snowman cans. How cute!

I used cellophane bags because my local store was out of paper bags. If you plan far enough ahead, you can get the paper bags online.

If this is getting your in the mood to craft, check out more Christmas and holiday craft ideas!

I’d love to get your thoughts! Leave them in the comments below.

Happy crafting!