Easy Upcycled Marimekko Decorative Tin Can Planters

DIY Colourful Spring Decorative Tin Can Planters

Every time I go into a Scandinavian/Nordic interiors shop I wander around swooning over all the beautifully designed furniture. I can’t afford the furniture but don’t want to leave empty handed so I buy a pack of Marimekko paper napkins.
 
Marimekko prints are a favourite of mine and have used their designs in lots of crafts and DIYs. I even have a Marimekko wallpapered staircase in my home and a unique decoupaged Marimekko bench in the garden.
 
This time I thought it would be fun to show off lots of the Marimekko designs in one go. That’s when I got the idea for making a load of upcycled decorative tin can planters for the garden with the paper napkins. I love to repurpose tin cans into planters and collect them throughout the year.
 
OK, you may be thinking, you aren’t a paper napkin addict like me. And you I don’t want to buy lots of packets of paper napkins, just to make some decorative tin can planters. Well, you don’t have to, there are plenty of sellers on eBay that sell paper napkins in small amounts specifically for decoupage. You can easily buy a variety of Marimekko paper napkins without having to buy lots of packets.
 

 
 
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What you need to make Marimekko Tin Can planters

• Empty tin cans – I used lots of the normal soup sized cans and a few big catering tin cans.
   
  

 

• Marimekko Paper Napkins – As I have mentioned on eBay, you can buy just a few napkins at a time rather than a whole packet for each design. You only actually need one napkin per tin can.
   
  

 
 

• Rotary cutter and mat.
• Mod podge
• Foam brush
• White spray paint
• Acyrlic spray varnish

 

For planting

• Drill with steel drill bit
• Small Stones
• Potting soil
• Bedding plants

How to make Marimekko Decorative tin can planters

1. Before decoupaging the tin can planters spray paint them white.
    
   

 
 

2. Firstly using a rotary cutter and mat, cut a Marimekko paper napkin to the size of the tin can to be covered.

 

3. Next cover the white tin can in Mod Podge.

 

4. Separate out the cut three-ply napkin to the top printed ply. Carefully, lay the paper napkin on to the Mod Podge covered tin, and press down using a large foam brush. Wrap the napkin around the tin until it is all covered.

 

 
 

5. Once the Mod Podge has dried spray paint the decorative tin can with at least 2 coats of acyrlic varnish. Allowing the varnish to dry in between coats.
    
   

 
 

Planting in the decorative tin cans

6. I planted up the Marimekko tin cans in the same way as I planted my colourful tin can planters. That is I firstly drilled holes in the bottom of the cans for drainage. I then added a layer of stones before the potting soil and bedding plants.
    
   

 
 

 
 
Now all that is left is how to decide how to display the decorative tin can planters. I sprayed my Marimekko planters with the acrylic spray as I wanted them for outdoors in the garden rather than indoors. I have a traditional Victorian walled garden and they certainly brighten up my brick wall.
 

 

 
One thing is for sure these Marimekko planters are a cheep and easy way to add a lot of colour to my garden. I’m busy saving more tin cans to upcycle into decorative planters.
 

 

 

 
 
If you are looking for an even easier tin can planter idea you should check out my gold crushed tin can planters. Or you can find more upcycled planter ideas on Favecrafts.