This easy Mother’s Day craft upcycles tin cans into a Mama Duck Vase using cardboard, paper mache, paint, and glitter! And we couldn’t forget her ducklings, so I’ll follow up with a post on how to make the Upcycled Tin Can Duckling Vase as well. (Note, it’s probably more of a Mother Goose vase, but I liked the term duckling so much better than goslings. It honestly was a whole internal debate, first-world problems.)
Full disclosure, while this blog post is not technically sponsored, my Instagram post was sponsored. I was inspired to make this Mama Duck Vase using cans because of Kitchen Mama’s Mother’s Day Can Craft Contest. They reached out to me to ask me if I’d help promote their contest on Instagram. Since I love to upcycle cans, it was an easy yes. Little did I know that their Kitchen Mama Can Opener is the best little kitchen gadget. So be sure to check it out as well as their contest. All you have to do to enter Kitchen Mama’s craft contest is upload a can craft idea to their website. All entries win a special surprise Kitchen Mama product and the grand prize winner will receive an iPad Air and an Apple Pencil. How cool is that? I can’t wait to see all the submissions.
As for my Mama Duck and Duckling vases, they basically are free because the main materials are literally trash and all the craft supplies are something you probably already have in your craft box. So let’s get crafting!
Materials
- FREE Duck Pattern PDF file
- 2 Empty Tin Cans (Average size can, like 14-16 oz)
- Cardboard
- Newspaper
- Flour & Water to make Paper Mache Paste
- Hot Glue Gun & Hot Glue Sticks
- Masking Tape
- Paint (White and Orange)
- Black Sharpie
- Crystal Clear Glitter
- Mod Podge
- Paint Brushes
- Clear Glossy Spray Paint
- Fresh or faux daffodils (optional, just the flowers we used)
Instructions
1: Cut Duck Pattern from Cardboard
Download the FREE Duck Pattern PDF file. The file is set up to print on 11″ x 17″ paper. Print the file and cut out the duck and wing shapes. Trace and cut two duck shapes and two wing shapes from your cardboard pieces.
2: Create Duck Form from Tin Cans & Cardboard Pieces
Hot glue the two tin cans together. Bend your cardboard duck pieces so that they will mold around the cans. Hot glue one of the cardboard duck pieces to the can. Next, you’ll use hot glue and masking tape to attach the other duck piece. Start by hot gluing the beaks together. Once aligned, tape the head and front edges together. Hot glue the form to the can. Align the tales and hot glue. Again use the masking tape to help the back edges stay together. Bend the cardboard wings so they too mold around the shape. Hot glue one to each side (glue goes towards the front of the wing and you’ll only glue about a third (or half) of the wing, the other third/half will stick off from the body.
3: Paper Mache the Duck Form
Make paper mache paste from equal parts flour and water (start with about 1/4 cup). Cut newspaper into small strips. Dunk the newspaper strips in the paper mache paste and remove excess with your fingers. Apply to the duck form. Work around the duck until you’ve covered the entire form. Let dry. Once dry, apply a second coat of paper mache. Concentrate the most on building up the weaker areas like the neck and where the wings attach. Let dry. If needed, apply a third coat of paper mache where needed.
4: Paint the Duck
Please note: since we are using glitter, you don’t need to sand your duck before painting. Your duck will be rough, but don’t worry because the glitter will hide any of the unwanted creases and rough spots.
Paint your duck white. You’ll probably need 2-3 coats depending on your paint. Let dry. Paint the beak orange. Draw eyes using your black sharpie.
5: Glitter the Duck
Working in sections, paint on Mod Podge and then sprinkle glitter on duck. Be sure to work over a piece of paper or paper plate so you can reuse the glitter that doesn’t stick. Once you’ve glittered the whole duck, let dry. If you see spots you missed or want the glitter thicker in an area, apply more Mod Podge and glitter. Keep in mind, the Mod Podge goes on white but will dry clear. Once the Mod Podge and glitter are dry, spray your duck using the Glossy Clear Spray Paint. This will help make sure the glitter stays on the duck and doesn’t rub off when handling the duck.
Add flowers and enjoy!
The DIY Mama Duck Vase and matching Duckling Vase make for a perfect Mother’s Day centerpiece. I set the table with a mixture of glass candles, white dishes, and a blue and white striped table cloth. The napkins are vintage floral handkerchiefs to add extra spring flair and whimsy. Even though none of the handkerchiefs match, they go well together because each has a touch of yellow, all are floral, and I used a lot of other white accessories. The table is made complete by the use of the tiny duckling vase, so stay tuned for my DIY Duckling Vase Tutorial, coming soon.
