Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Well, it's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS...and we haven't even had THANKSGIVING yet!  I'm getting in the mood (sort of) and so thought I would begin making my SANTA CANS.  I will share how I do them with you, but only if you promise to understand that I am definitely not an artist.  I saw one of these and then just made up my own way of doing it since I didn't have any directions. 

The first thing you do is wash, dry, and spray paint (red) any size can you want.  Other materials you will need are:

• acrylic paints (flesh, black, white, pink)
• small paint brushes
• white cotton fabric
• artificial holly leaves & berries (cheap ones will do)
• small red pompom
• small gauge wire (I used stem wire from the floral dept. at Wal-Mart)

After the cans are dry I begin painting the face (remember:  I'm no artist!)  After the flesh color is dry, I actually use a pencil eraser dipped in paint for eyes and nose.

After the paint is dry, it's time to begin the "fur" for his "hat" and his beard.  I cut the cotton fabric in strips of various sizes, depending on size of the can.  Here I am beginning on the fabric that will go above the face.   I folded and glued a strip and then used hot glue to attach it to the can.

Next I begin the beard.  Strips of various sizes are cut, then folded over.  I don't worry about the strips being cut straight.  I fold the top of each folded strip into a point...don't know why, just the way I started and it's worked! 

I begin on the right side (I'm right-handed) and hot glue the strips all around the face, making it as full as I like.

Next comes the moustache.  A longer strip is folded in half, then tied to make a knot in the middle.  I snip the folded end and hot glue it under the nose.  He's beginning to look right cute, I think!

I finish him up by gluing three holly leaves and berries to one side and a red pompom to the other.

The final step is to make and attach the handle.  The floral wire is very easy to work with. 

I use an ice pick to make a hole on each side.  (My husband just watched me do this and told me what I was doing was very dangerous!  He's probably right.  He suggested I use my drill to make the holes....but I'm too lazy to get it out...maybe next time.)   

As you can see I then push the wire from the inside to the outside.  I use a pencil and wrap the wire around it and this keeps the wire from slipping back out.  

They are a little time consuming to make but not difficult at all.  I usually spray paint several cans at once and then after drying complete two at a time in about an hour.

Filled with candy, cookies, or small treats, I think this little guy can make some cute Christmas gifts. If you try one, be sure to send me pictures!