Flameless Tealights and Tuna Can Christmas Tree

by Amy Ellis @ StowandTellU

This was one of those projects that I wasn't real excited about, but I completed it anyway. Have you ever done that? Anyways, I have to say that once this tin can tree was hanging on the wall and the 11 flameless tealights were flickering away, I was kind of awed at just how cozy and warm it made the night-fallen room.
I painted the cans, but they could be left tin-shiny just as well.
I also left the wood board plain with a coconut oil rub, but stenciled wording would have made it pretty swell, too.

flameless tealights and tuna can christmas tree, christmas decorations, how to, repurposing upcycling, seasonal holiday decor

Large sized tuna or chicken cans can be used. I went with canned chicken. I emptied them all and stored them in freezer bags (in the freezer, of course) to use for meals thought out the month.

-The cans were all washed and then soaked to neutralize the odors.

-Then the were painted with primer brown and bright orange combined (to mock rust);

-Then I sprayed them with a sterling silver spray paint.

-Next The cans were spaced out on a scrap piece of plywood in the shape of a Christmas tree.

-A pencil mark was placed on the wood for each can placement.

-One at a time, a hole was drilled through the center of the can and slightly into wood.

-Next a screw was drilled into the hole in the can to secure.

-Two holes were drilled into the top right and left of the plywood for a hanging wire.

-Finally one flameless flickering tea light was placed into each tin can.

I couldn't get a good picture of how it looked in the dark, but trust me, with all the tea lights flickering at once and reflecting off the shiny metal, it really is pretty.

A more detailed tutorial with how the Christmas tree turned out can be found on the blog post link below.

Thank you ~ Amy

Enjoyed the project?

You can do it! Saved to your projects

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this project?

Ask a Question

3 of 4 questions

Judy on Dec 08, 2015
Thank you, Amy!! I have a bunch of pallet boards waiting my attention! One more question........those pallet boards are going to have words stenciled on them in acrylic craft paint. Do you think the coconut oil will still work on the wood?

2
Rebecca Platt on Dec 08, 2015
This is just great. But I have a question. Why did you paint them to look like rust and then paint them with silver paint? They're already silver anyway.

3
Carla A on Dec 14, 2015
I think it's cute...looking at it, I wonder if putting two cans off set close together at the bottom would look good..????

1

Comments

Join the conversation

4 of 157 comments

Mary M on Dec 07, 2015
Beautiful and simple and inexpensive! Love!

1 Reply
- Amy Ellis @ StowandTellU on Dec 07, 2015
  @Mary M Yes, Mary, inexpensive is looking good these days, lol. Thank you!
  
  Like
Sandie Hawley on Nov 17, 2017

my mother made something similar to this about 55 years ago or so, she didn't put it on wood, she made it so the tree stood on its own. Of course back then they didn't have the flameless candles, so instead of candles she hung an ornament in each can. The top and bottom lids were removed from the cans.

1 Reply
- Amy Ellis @ StowandTellU on Nov 18, 2017
  Wow, I wonder how she got it to stand in its own? Sounds like she was quite the diyer and I bet it looked so cute. Thanks so much for sharing your mom's creation with me, Sandie. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays xox Amy
  
  Like