Tin Can Gingerbread Gift Cans

 Perhaps this is seasonally inappropriate in some people's worlds, but....I did this little project in August, so....in my little world, we are two months behind schedule!  I do love the fall, BUT by getting together some of my Christmas goodies early....I'm off enjoying fall 'stuff' while this post are posting!  OK....I don't know why I'm soooooo excited about this idea, except.....I have a really fun idea for filling these little containers this year for Christmas gifts.  I saw some super cute gingerbread face ornaments I wanted to paint, but....I didn't want to do the ornament thing.  I had all these tin cans I'd been collecting from soup etc sitting around the house and the idea just sort of merged. 
I read up on painting on tin, and there were some tips for cleaning it with vinegar to get off any particles that wouldn't allow the paint to stick, but....I found just taking a white paint and doing a first coat it gave something for the additional colors to adhere too. 

 I coated it with several layers of brown paint. 
For the cheeks and the nose I used these round dabber brushes.  I didn't start using these (bought them at the craft store near foam brushes) until about a year ago, and it really does change your life.  OK, fine, maybe not your life-but....the cheeks on your gingerbread men, and isn't that enough?

 I dabbed them in paint, then pressed them onto paper then dabbed the cans so it wouldn't be a solid color, just a hint of blush blah blah blah. 
For the yes, I used the edge of a finger.  God's little natural paint brush, right?

 I used a brush to paint on his icing.  I then put a little white paint onto an old toothbrush (I'm sure the word 'old' wasn't necessary there, but....Just put a little on and start running your finger down the bristles near the can and it will create the splatter look.  The less paint you use, the more speckled it is, too much paint=gobs.  This just really gives it a nice finish.

 At the advice of my friend Terry, I put a flat clear glaze over these little guys so it won't scratch etc.  Even though they are 'just' in place of gift wrap or gift bags....maybe the recipients can reuse them?  I can hardly wait to make the innards.....is it too early to pass out Christmas gifts?