Once you have finished drinking your cool, refreshing soda, think twice before you toss it in the recycling bin. You can use your old aluminum cans to create decorative ashtrays. Better yet, you can create these ashtrays for parties or special events and then simply recycle them after use.
Instructions
1. Empty a soda or beer can and then make a small hole near the top ridge of the can, where it begins to slope in towards the rim. A safety pin or fine pointed knife works great to start the hole.
2. Place the tip of a sharp pair of scissors into the hole and then cut off the top of the can. Make sure that you make the cut as even as possible, and be careful not to cut your fingers on the sharp edges. Rinse and dry the can so that the inside of your ashtray in not sticky.
3. Make 1/2 inch wide cuts down the length of the can all around the diameter to create a number of long strips. Stop cutting each strip about 3/4 inch from the bottom of the can. Again, try to make the cuts as straight and even as possible and watch your fingers.
4. Roll a strip of aluminum around a pencils to create a fun spiral look. The loops should roll towards the outside of the can. Continue with all of the strips, rolling all the way to the end of the cut.
5. Pinch the ends of the rolls, bending them outwards and then loosen some of the loops carefully to give your ashtray a unique look.
