This winter has been one of the coldest and snowiest in memory. Generally, here in Colorado, we get a fair amount of snow, but it melts before the next snowfall. I remember sunny days in January when the temperature crept into the 70s.

But not this year. As I write this, the current temperature is a balmy 5 degrees Fahrenheit, and we have had snow cover on the ground since the end of December.

The dogs are restless, the cats are grumpy, and the hubby is recovering from knee replacement surgery, which leaves me “Nurse Betty” to keep peace and quiet in the kingdom. So in between fetching ice, sorting pills, taking out the trash, and preparing delectable meals like frozen pizza, I am sneaking in a little quiet craft therapy while I wait for the hubby to heal and any sign of spring.

This project was practically free to create. All you need is a few pieces of aluminum cans. I cut my aluminum sheets into squares with rounded corners for this project.

Check out this video if you want to learn more about flattening the cans into sheets.

To emboss the aluminum sheet, all you need is a hard surface, a small pad (I am using a piece of an old T-shirt), and an embossing tool. I got my embossing tool at Dollar Tree and have used it on all kinds of projects, so it is well worth the dollar I paid. 🙂

I am not an embossing expert, but I enjoy working with aluminum sheets to create patterns and designs.

I start by drawing a border around my pieces on the printed side of the can using the pad underneath.

Next, I flip the piece over to reinforce the line on the other side. To do this, I switch to a hard surface and draw another line on the outside edge of the impression.

Now comes the fun part. You can use a printed template, but I prefer to make my designs freehand. So whether you use a template or not, you want to start your design by drawing the mirror image on the printed side of the aluminum using the pad underneath.

After you have the basic outline, there are no rules. Just work from side to side, adding more pressure to the place where you want to emphasize the design.

For deep impressions, work on the pad. To flatten and draw crisp lines, work on a hard surface.

Have fun, and don’t be afraid to experiment.

Watch this video for a more detailed demonstration of my embossing project.

To finish my display, I used wooden skewers taped to the metal letters and some oil-based clay to hold them in place.

Happy Upcycling,

Cindy

Below are some of my favorite tools and supplies for working with aluminum cans.

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Want more aluminum can crafts? Check out these mini copper pots.

Or this beer and soda can, rosebush.