A few years ago, my little niece needed to come up with a craft project for her scout troop that repurposed old soup cans into new craft items. After some thought…we decided our project together would be a new pencil holder for her scout leader’s desk.

This craft project is really easy to do requiring only a few craft supplies and makes a great group project for older kids to do.

Note: We use a non-cutting style can opener that opens our can lids so there are no sharp edges. If you are concerned about sharp edges, you can use a plastic or glass jar that is about the same size.

Recommended ages for the project: 7 years and older with adult supervision.

supplies needed

Empty and clean soup can

1 roll of twine or jute rope

All Purpose Liquid Clear Drying Craft Glue

foam brush

1 bag of colored seashells of various sizes

1 felt circle to fit the circumference of your can

sharp scissors

Step 1 – Cut 24″ long pieces of jute from your roll. I find short lengths easier to work with. Using your all-purpose liquid craft glue, drizzle some glue around the top of the sides of the can, in 1″ wide sections. Use your foam brush to spread the glue around so it’s an even layer. Carefully wrap the jute around the can, tucking the ends in as you go. As needed, add more glue and cut more jute from the roll. You will continue to coat the sides of your can in this fashion until you are done. Allow to dry for approximately 6 hours.

Step 2: Once your backing is completely dry from the gluing process, it’s time to glue the seashells. Start with the large shells first and then use the small shells and sea pebbles to fill in the design area. We were able to purchase a small bag of dyed shells to give our pencil holder some color.

Step 3: Cut a circle out of felt or fabric to fit the circumference of your can. Stick it on the bottom to protect your wooden desk surface from scratches.

Tips: It is better to put the tin on its side to stick the shells. Let them dry for 15 minutes before moving them. You can do just one design on the front or decorate the whole thing, the choice is yours. If you don’t have felt, you can cover the bottom of your can with additional jute twine.