Mini Dipped Paint Can Planters

Did you know that you can buy plain empty paint cans at your local home improvement store? Every time I pass them, I think… ‘there MUST be some fun project to do with those’!

And then it hit me.

FUN RIGHT?! Welcome to THE MOST SIMPLE and rad tutorial of all time.

Gather the following:

• Quart paint cans
• Oil-based paint in bright colors (we used RustOleum!)
• Lids from a oatmeal container… or somesuch disposable thingamajig to hold paint
• 

This project is SO simple, in fact, that I rallied the tiny troops to ‘help’.

We started by pouring a bit of paint into our oatmeal lids… enough for it to spread out and reach all the edges without overflowing. Then dip your paint can upside down until the lip of the can is totally immersed in paint. We used a heavy duty plastic tablecloth under these because I knew there would inevitably be overflow.

Then set the can upright and watch the drips slowly make their way down! I love that no two cans will be the same!

We did one can in each color. (PSA! If you’re doing this with your kids, protect their clothing with paint smocks… this is oil based paint! It’s also fumey so open the window and listen to the birds chirp)

We just set these aside to dry overnight, and now those glorious drips are a rock-hard candy coating! So cheerful!

These cans could be used for any number of things (marker / paintbrush / art storage, etc) but we chose to plant some leafy plants in them! The girls are obsessed with watering the plants in our house, so these can be their responsibility. Haha… NOT. I’ll be helping them.

For drainage, we drilled a hole in the bottom of the can, as well as two tiny holes on the sides to put the ‘handle’ (which is a wire hanger we cut and bent to fit).

Then I stuck in my house plants/potting soil! SO CUTE!

It’s important to use oil-based paint if you’re going to put plants in… latex paint will start to flake off after while.

Now… the girls and I will give our best effort at keeping these little plants alive. I’ve been doing pretty good lately!  they make a room feel so much more alive and cheerful!

Thanks for pinning!!