She Transforms An Empty Can And Clothespins Into The Cutest Mini Apple Barrel

Clothespins — you can use them to hang laundry up to air dry, or you could be like plenty of other clever crafters and transform these basic fasteners into cute home decor. Case in point — YouTuber Blessings Craft Therapy took a handful of clothespins from Dollar Tree, glued them to an empty can, and created an adorable miniature apple barrel, which she used as a vase for flowers. Her project is simple — if you know how to work a hot glue gun and apply craft paint, you can make your own petite apple barrel using supplies you probably already have at home.

In addition to a collection of clothespins, you'll need an empty metal can — make sure it is the same size or a little smaller than the length of the clothespins — hot glue, jute string, craft wax, and tiny dot stickers to make the apple barrel. The creator uses a mushroom can in her video, but a soup can or bean can would work if you have longer clothespins. Also, if you can't get your hands on wax, you can just as easily paint the pins with craft paint instead.

What might you put in your completed mini apple barrel? Use it as this designer does by placing a small bouquet of flowers inside. Or, similar to another craft project made by repurposing clothespins and an old jar lid, set an LED tealight inside for glowing counter decor. Other options include using the mini barrel as a pencil cup, a catchall for odds-and-ends in the entryway, or as decorative accents on a dining tablescape or on a living room shelf.

Step one of this DIY is to pop the metal spring off of your clothespins, leaving two wooden pieces from each one. Make a mock-up of the apple barrel before you attach the clothespins to the can so you know how many you'll need and whether to press them flush against each other or leave a little space between. You can also measure the circumference with a piece of string and plan the spacing accordingly. In the video, the DIYer admits that she didn't do that, resulting in the pins not fitting perfectly. Once you've figured out the spacing, it's time to start gluing. Run a line of hot glue along the flat side of your first clothespin half, and place it vertically against the metal can. Repeat until the can is covered.

Get ready to decorate your barrel. To make the can look like an old apple barrel, apply a coating of brown wax to the clothespins, and wipe off the excess with a cloth. Attach the jute to the barrel by hot gluing it to the divots in the clothespins. You could also evenly space tiny bump dot stickers around the barrel to imitate the look of nails.

Of course, you're welcome to do you and dress up the barrel however you want. Skip the wax and paint it with white craft paint for a cutesy country vibe, or replace the jute with velvet ribbon for something more elegant. If you don't want the classic natural wood barrel look, you can also paint it with cozy rustic colors like green or black and replace the jute with a colorful yarn to complement the new hue.