Make Craft Game

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Upcycling Talenti containers is a great way to organize storage or store prepared meals.

There are some containers that just call to me. I am shopping in the grocery store, and I pick one product over another because I know I will be able to reuse that container until it can no longer handle being used. And yes, I do have a habit of wearing down things until they fall apart. I still have clothes from sixteen years ago.

One container that has caught my attention is the one belonging to Talenti ice cream. I love ice cream. So, I will buy it on occasion anyway. The Talenti container is perfect in terms of size, shape, and reusability. The containers are sturdy, have a threaded lid for tight seals, and have a visually appealing shape.

I am one to support the idea of reduce, reuse, recycle, but I do tend to fall back onto that last option a bit too much. This container provided me with the perfect opportunity to upcycle something that is typically thrown in the recycling bin.

Check out the Craft section of MCG for more fun patterns in strings and things or more unlimited ideas.

Supplies

My final goal is to remove the Talenti labeling and replace it with one of my own. This project is simple and doesn’t require a lot of supplies. I did need:

• A Talenti Container (or any container made of durable plastic)
• Acetone
• Gloves, optional but highly recommended
• Sticker or Label
• Metal Spatula

Process

Removing The Words

The first step of this process is removing the labeling on the container. Now the Talenti has two branded parts, the container itself and the lid. I am mainly going to focus on the container while throwing out some ideas for the lid.

Anyway, after the container had been adequately soaked (about ten minutes), I used a small metal spatula to scrape off the words. I tried to be as gentle as possible because I did not want to leave any scratch marks on the containers themselves.  This was a tedious process to be honest.

The more the acetone soaked or got under the labels, the easier it was to scrape them off. Some came off with no applied pressure. Other areas decided they wanted to be a problem. But with some determination, I was able to get each container clean.

Adding a Label

I added a label written “homemade” because I wanted to use these containers for my overnight oats (more on that in an upcoming post). A Talenti container holds one serving perfectly. I used the Cricut to cut out a label from vinyl but I’m sure there are stickers available, or you can use a sharpie.

I do put the containers through the dishwasher (some people recommend against this as they can warp but I haven’t seen any significant problems when putting them on the top rack) so I am not sure how sharpie would hold up!

Upcycling the Lid

Last comes the lid. I did not touch the lid as I am still using these containers for food, and I would need to find a solution that was food friendly and dishwasher friendly. And that’s going to take some time to research. I found some paint that was food friendly, but I wasn’t comfortable enough to pull the trigger.

If using these containers for non-food items, I would recommend sanding off the embossed letters on the top and spray painting the lid. If the sanded area doesn’t come out as clean as desired, stickers are always an option.

Reflections

This is an easy project with a lot of uses, especially for someone who either makes prepared meals or has a lot of small items and needs a good storage container. Plus, it came with came with ice cream! That’s a pretty good bonus for the crafting project.

Removing the branding was a little more finicky than I had anticipated. Some bits and parts got scattered over the area leaving little black dots. This is one that does take some patience for it to come completely clean. At first, I was using cotton buds over paper towels but that took way too long and didn’t cover areas as evenly as I desired.

All in all, this is a project I will continue to do as I try to move toward more prepared meals and as I continue to be a hoarder for crafting materials that I probably should get rid of…

Lessons

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

This is a phrase I have heard a million times. But I never fully realized that the order these words were in was important until I was an adult. And learned it from a late-night comedy show… When it comes to plastic and others, the most important thing to do is reduce usage. Makes sense.

Then seen how to reuse the plastic, which is what I am working on more and more. Recycling is supposed to be the last option to choose. And I know I have put it first so many times…. So now I am hoping to change that by finding more areas I can continue using items.

Quick Recipe