Any ideas on how to transform these milk canisters?

I picked these canisters up at a garage sale for $5! However, I'm really at a loss on how I want to redo them. Any ideas?
  21 answers
  • Laurie Lambries Laurie Lambries on May 22, 2015
    Turn them into stools. Paint/stencil/decal and add a pillow top.
  • Linda Foster Linda Foster on May 22, 2015
    umbrella stand
  • 861650 861650 on May 22, 2015
    Possibly use them as planters. First you have to decide how you want to use them. Take your time in doing this. Sometimes when we see "something" it's sort of filed back in your memory. Two months later, this great idea pops up and it is the best one yet. Go figure! Another idea. Use them as a base for some sort of table...hmmmm. Three days later, I'v got another idea. Even though the milk can is kind of country, you don't have to make it country. For example: if you have an Asian/Chinese theme, you could paint or stencil a "letter" or 2 or 3 of them on the can. If you like a soft contemporary look, decorate it with a similar theme. If you like the airy beach look, paint and decorate it with a similar look, etc., etc.,
  • Bev Deardurff Bev Deardurff on May 22, 2015
    I have one from my grandma, but I can't get the top off and I was thinking about a walking stick/cane stand like an umbrella stand. You could paint one and use it to as the bottom of a mailbox stand if your mail is delivered liked that. If you turn them into stools, you'd have an extra storage space under the pillow tops
  • B. Enne B. Enne on May 22, 2015
    They are great! I would put a wooden or glass/acrylic top on them and turn them into end/night tables.
  • Lu Smith Lu Smith on May 22, 2015
    they make great planters if painted to match your house colors...or even paint them with red, white and blue and add some flags to the plants..
  • Pat Mountfort Pat Mountfort on May 22, 2015
    I turned one on it's side in my garden and planted white flowers in front of it so it looks like spilled milk. fitting since my husband is a milk man!
  • Gail Salminen Gail Salminen on May 22, 2015
    @Jacqueline Elaine I agree with @B. Enne they would make great tables. Would be a very unique accent piece in the sitting area of the patio and would be able to withstand the elements.
  • Jean Jean on May 22, 2015
    My son sandblasted then and painted 3 of them and we put our house numbers on them and I put plants on top. I have one more can I want to paint it silver turn it on its side and put white flowers like spilled milk.
    • Brenda Hayes Brenda Hayes on May 23, 2015
      Spray paint and stencil bottoms. Put square board on top and use as end table on patio or porch
  • Germaine Fryc Germaine Fryc on May 23, 2015
    clean off the rust/surface so it's paintable...
  • Cindy Tedmon Cindy Tedmon on May 23, 2015
    I had one that was repainted, had a wooden circle glued to the top. I added with a sponge some brown paint on the edges and had a stick on picture of the rooster that I also sponged the brown paint around to frame it. I use it out on my patio. Crafty Cindy
  • Sandy Moroney Sandy Moroney on May 23, 2015
    We put our mailbox in one at the end of the driveway and used another one as a planter on the porch.
  • Pam Pam on May 23, 2015
    I painted my to look like a cow to match my kitchen.
  • Denise Reynolds Denise Reynolds on May 23, 2015
    Put your house numbers on one
  • Laura Martin-La Fontsee Laura Martin-La Fontsee on May 23, 2015
    Rustoleum has GREAT a hammred silver, we used, on our outdated bathroom fixtures. You could use a can on this and either stencil welcome down the front or even house address numbers.
  • Mary fredrick Mary fredrick on May 23, 2015
    a planting pot will fit right inside i painted mine red/ white and blue
  • Everything Old Canada Everything Old Canada on May 23, 2015
    Those are just super! We've added old tractor seats to the tops and they are just awesome for outdoor seating. A table base as someone else suggested. Hope this helps :)
  • Darlene Clonts Darlene Clonts on May 24, 2015
    glue mosaic tiles or sea shells on them and use for decorative flowers
  • Beverly Cady Cabaday Beverly Cady Cabaday on May 24, 2015
    Scrub them...if you like the color, then just use a sealer. I use mine next to my fireplace and put flowers in them. Also, would look great on each side of your door on your porch.
  • Jean Jean on May 26, 2015
    Where I live we have the greatest huge thistles, that dried, are amazing when spray-painted. I took the two milk cans I inherited with this house, left them the original silvery color (they have lids with a chain attached that I just let hang) then weighted them with some rocks inside to avoid tippage in the wind. I gather the thistles in the fall and have a collection of different holiday-themed colors that I put in the milk cans on the front porch - usually with a door wreath to match. But you could use any large dried flower or plant. My favorite is the red, white and blue (and a few silver!) set with my American flag wreath - I usually leave that set up from Veteran's Day to Labor Day.