I have a somewhat crazy fascination/borderline obsession with unusually small things: Model trains, doll houses, hotel soap bars, single-serving boxes of cereal that look EXACTLY like the full-size box (just smaller), puppies, pencil sharpeners shaped like Lilliputian typewriters or cameras, travel-size bottles of shampoo, those little paper umbrellas that bartenders put in your pina coladas. The list goes on…
The full-size versions do nothing for me (except for grown-up puppies, of course).
But when something is shrunk down to a tiny percentage of its full-size self, I can’t get enough of it. Case in point: miniature sprinkler cans.
I find them at thrift stores all the time, and I have to say, in my book, they are the best thing since miniature sliced bread.
I think my favorites are the galvanized cans.
… but I like the painted ones, too.
This one was just a plain white can when I bought it:
 I decoupaged the bee (crookedly) onto it.
(Even with a crooked bee on it, it’s still worth every penny I paid for it.)
The one below isn’t really a sprinkler can, but it’s close enough.
When I pulled my little collection out of storage this spring, I decided to display them with some vintage seed packets. Unfortunately, I didn’t own any vintage seed packets…
… so I made some. I found an old box of invitation envelopes that were about the right height, and I figured if I cut them in half, they’d be about the right width too.
Once the envelopes were cut in half, I slid one side inside the other…
…and trimmed off the flaps on the back.
The Graphics Fairy provided some fabulous old-time vegetable images that I added my own verbiage to in Photoshop Elements.
I trimmed the images to fit and folded them in thirds around the envelopes.
Then I just had to run a few beads of glue along the seams and voila: five (almost) vintage seed packets:
Another small project done.
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I am always amazed at those who can just “whip up a craft”, especially one like you did where you just made something up. My brain does not think that way! The seed packets you made are fantastic and I love your display. Perfect for spring.
I second the miniature thing. I have a couple of shadow boxes in which I have tried to contain my collection. Didn't work, they're all over.
I have one little watering can that would fit right into your collection. If I ever tire of it, I know who to send it to 😉
Very cute project!
That's a fun collection, and I love the little seed packets you made.
thanks for sharing at Catch as Catch Can.
gail