Soda Can Embossing Tutorial

Pinterest has solidified in me the notion that people out there are extraordinarily talented.  If you're like me, you can queue things up on your boards that one day you need to do until you realize there just isn't enough time in the world for it all.  So, I've been trying to focus on starting and completing projects all the way (which is much harder for me than it sounds).  

Therefore, when I find really awesome, quick craft projects I can do entirely, I jump at the chance.  This particular project--Soda Can Embossing--is ridiculously easy!  You just need an empty aluminum soda can, a ballpoint pen, sandpaper / sanding block, and cardboard.  Soda cans are perfect for embossing because the aluminum is so thin, it holds a nice shape, and you don't have to buy extra materials.

One thing I love about the idea of embossing soda cans is how versatile this craft is.  You could use them for Christmas ornaments, gift tags, bookmarks, notes, scrapbooking embellishments, etc.  

Depending on how intricate your design is, this project can be done in under an hour.  I love that.  I'm planning on getting my whole family in on the idea of making some fun ornaments this year by embossing soda cans.  

Want to emboss your own aluminum cans?

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Collecting Things.

There's something so comforting about collecting things.  I've gone through phases of collection items.  I used to collect rocks when I was a kid, and I had a hand-painted, smelly egg carton to put them in.  Then I started a key collection of old, useless, rusty keys.  Soon I switched to buying skeins and skeins of yarn of all kinds:  Fluffy, fuzzy, furry, stringy, barf-colored variegated, neon pink, scintillating green.  It was a disease.

Then there's my obsession with all things paper.  I keep every note I've ever been written, and I have this thing about writing notes to people and never actually giving it to them.  I also just love types, weights, colors, and textures of paper.

But my new collection obsession is fabric. The problem I have now is that I've been slowly buying more and more without actually using it up.  I have visions for them all, but with all of my schoolwork and work work, I have to keep pushing it off until I get some free time.  I keep all of my newest fabric piles in a stack on my desk so I can smile at them while I'm doing homework late into the night.  Somehow something silly and small like this just helps make doing all of the hard stuff that much nicer.  There's just something about the aesthetics and personality and imperfections about making stuff for yourself or for others that makes this world unarguably better.  And that's why I love collecting things.

Collecting anything is soothing and such a commonly-shared human trait.  It's when you collect something too specific and odd that gets you into trouble.  A hair from every girl you've ever dated?  That's weird.  Probably anything that is from the body is a little different to collect.  Not that I'm saying you shouldn't collect spleens if that's your thing....Do what you need to do, I think.  This is venturing into some weird territory, now.

Anyway,  I bought these lovely new fabrics recently:

And these ones:



A lot of them are connoted with particular people because I have them in mind when I'm shopping for fabrics and thinking of presents I'll eventually get to making when I have the time.

And I used a small plastic storage tote to store my fabrics, which works out so nicely.  I'm kind of loving the look of them all together.  Plus, seeing them all like this makes me realize that I need to slow down on the purchasing.  At least I don't really care about clothes or anything else.  This and N64 games lately dominate the spending habits of late. 

What do you collect?