Tin Can Lid Angel

One year, our family (or maybe it was my sister's and my idea) decided to decorate the whole tree with angels. Mostly homemade angels. We collected and saved as many tin can lids as we could and made these, among other things. Another year I made a bunch for myself, and developed bursitis in my thumb from the overuse of pliers and tin-snips! I even had to wear a wrist splint for a couple months! I must have been a bit compulsive in my crafting that year!

This is not a great child's project as you can imagine, but I like them. They're thrifty and shiny and reflect the light on the tree.The first one I saw had a tiny gold glass Christmas ball for a head, but I've never been able to find them, so I've resorted to jingle bells. The first angel held a miniature music book, but I'm too lazy to create one on the computer, so I also left that off too. (Are you seeing a pattern here?)

To make this angel, choose a can top or bottom of any size with no printing on it. I prefer lids that are all gold or silver and not white on one side. Cut the top red lines for threading the head on. Make sure the strip is thin enough to fit through whatever hole is on the bell or ball or bead. String your head and then bend a curly loop at the top for a ribbon to hang the ornament.

Cutting on the green lines will form the arms. Using a needle nose pliers, curl each arm toward the center of the angel. Cut "feathers" on the bottoms of the wings and bend the tips of the wings forward a bit. Using the pliers, grip the lid on the dotted lines and fold the portion between the green and dotted lines backward, forming the angel skirt.

The great thing about this project: if you mess one up, you didn't waste anything! Retrieve another lid from the recycling and try again!