Enhance your summertime meals with fresh herbs picked right from your window-sill garden. Better yet, make that garden from old tin cans.

If you're imagining sloppy looking herbs spilling out of rusty cans, think again. This tin can herb pot tutorial will show you how to make beautifully decorated aluminum pots.

Intended as a family project, your children will enjoy painting their own patterns on the can. You can tie in lessons about recycling, plant life and sustainability; as they re-use tin cans, grow their own herbs and use them for cooking.

After the break you'll find more details on creating these tin can pots.

While this is great for sharing with your children, I wouldn't be inclined to label it exclusively as a kiddie craft. Grab some of your favorite stencils, or free-hand a painting and make your own herb pots, designed as a gift for a friend or complimenting your own kitchen decor.

The full instructions have all the detail you need to make this recycled herb garden. Basically, you'll prepare the tin so that it can easily receive the paint. You'll also need to prepare the can so that it can be a healthy environment for your plant. How you decorate them is entirely up to you. Have fun with it!

With drainage holes in the bottom, rocks, and potting soil inside, you are ready to add your 4-inch herb plant. Finally, you'll label the herb names, attach them to craft sticks and add one to each pot. You can let your creativity take control here too, decorating them with stamps, or stickers.

Place your herb garden on the window-sill where it will get a healthy dose of sunlight. If you're looking for some suggestions on how to use herbs in the kitchen, check out this article all about cooking with herbs.