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Altered Art - Altoid Tins


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Okay, i just have to start this. Thanks to our most wonderful Ro, im addicted to the chocolate covered altoids. Then someone brought up an idea of covering them, scrapping them etc. I want to do that. But for the life of me i dont know how! I have searched the web and have found some info. So lets all get together, figure this out and have some fun!!

 

 

First, i want to cover 2 tins, one for each daughter. I want to make the paper/embies to be flat, as the tins will slide in a sleeve on their backpack. Ie i dont want them to fold or bend or peel. I have no clue on this end of scrapbooking, im really just digital.

 

So, GLUE: Ive read... use tacky, super magic (have no clue what that is) or even mod podge to adhere the paper/embies. Then coat it with mod podge to seal it. Then i read somewhere that mod podge didnt work. Ugh! So what works...

 

I guess i have 4 tins, i could just start, figure it out and let you all know how its going.

 

What are you all up to with your tins? Anyone have experience? Ideas? Share Share!!!

 

Angela Nussbaum

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So, Angela, we are in the same boat. I have more than four tins. :)

 

I can't remember who posted that they were working on a template, but I believe it's in the works. As to glue, I'll do a little research. I have an idea of where to look. :)

 

Here's hoping someone comes up with the answers before I do! :D

 

~Zaz, paper and glue challenged

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I love the hint too.................AND I wanted to thank Ro ALSO for mentioning the choco altoids because not only am I addicted to SG, but also the stinken altiods also. Ro, what are you doing to us! LOL Your creating monsters out of us. LOL

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OK, I can't say I'm officially addicted to the chocolate Altoids (yet) but I sure do like them. They are just a little too expensive for me to buy very often. :) I'm still on my first two tins - one peppermint and one cinnamon.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've done several of these for gifts... and they are a hit every time. Once people know what you can do with them, they'll start pouring in to you.

 

It's easiest if you separate the lid from the base before you begin to do anything. If you slightly bend the lid back, it will begin to loosen the 2 metal flaps on the back that hold the lid on (don't bend too far or you'll bend the back of the tin in and it won't close right later). I then use a screwdriver or nail file to further loosen the flaps to remove the lid. After all of your painting and embellishing is done, you can easily replace the lid and bend the flaps back into place.

 

The first thing is that you have to sand them to give them "tooth" for the glue or paint to stick.

I usually spray paint mine to get rid of the altoid look. (although, if you watch, they occassionally come out with special collector tins which are pieces of art unto themselves!)

 

The best glue that I've found to use on the tins is Diamond Glaze by Judi-kins. This is a very versatile glue, it can also act as a laminate to protect your more delicate pics and embellishments. I've used it for dragonfly & butterfly wings, making them pretty durable embellishments. It's great for embedding your more bulky embellishments. You can mix in Mica flakes to give it color and sheen. OH YEAH, it goes on milky but dries clear.

 

As for pages for the inside, it's like any other scrapping project. Make a template for your paper size and go. I usually get an 11x14 piece of cardstock to accordian fold my pages. You will want to decorate both the front and the back of the "pages". Because this is a very tactile project, I always add flaps and other things to "discover" making it an interactive album.

 

It's a good size for scrapping your kids' friends' school pictures - those little 1x2'ish pics that are only good to put in a wallet. Believe me, your kids will like the altoid tin WAY BETTER than the plastic wallet inserts! Make a page for each friend.

 

I made one for the 11-year-old son of a friend whose wedding I shot. I wanted to give him a special memento that a tween-boy would like and not find hokey. He LOVES the album and keeps it on a special shelf in his room. I've done them for Mom's brag books too. A great size to carry in a purse. Using the Diamond Glaze glue makes them very resiliant and hardy to handling. When opened, they stand up nicely acting like a frame.

 

I'll try to attach a photo later- if I can find some!

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I have some of that Post-it Picture Paper; Do you think this sticky photo paper would work for

these tins? I guess I'd have to put something on top of it, too.

 

What do you think?

 

Thanks,

 

im not familiar with that paper so I wish I could answer this. but personally i just print mine on plain white cardstock.

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I do have some of this paper, and it does stick.... BUT I don't think you will have good results in the long term. The thing about these tins is that they will get handled a lot, I think the 2 strips of sticky just won't hold up for very long. The edges are going to lift, etc.

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I'm SO excited! I just picked up Amanda's templates. The time-consuming just went out of these projects. These templates will work great vertical OR horizontal. I've always done mine vertical in the past, the pics always worked out best that way. But I'm getting ready to do one of my granddaughter so it needs to be horizontal (since she usually is) and these templates are going to work great.

 

Hey Winda, Keep your eyes open. These exact shaped tins are all over our stores for a variety of purposes, not just the mints. They sell already decorated ones by our registers for gift cards to go into - and they are VERY inexpensive. I've seen them in discount stores, book stores, hobby stores... etc. Paper scrapping supply places sell plain ones, although they tend to cost more. You may be surprised.

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I just thought I'd chime in here with a few tips on making tins.

 

First, I'd like to share a website that answers all gluing questions: This to That. You can find out how to glue anything to anything there - great resource!

 

Another thing to keep in mind on the tins - Mod Podge works great for the most part, but if these are going to be exposed to water in any way, don't use it! Use a varnish, instead.

 

If you just want the tins, but don't want the candy - look in the bridal sections or party sections of craft stores or places like Wal-Mart. I found tins yesterday - 15 for $9.99, I think. You can also order them in bulk online from places like SKS Bottle (by the way - they have CD tins, which are great for little scrapbooks).

 

Pester friends and family for their tins - AOL also sends out their cd's in tins, sometimes. And haunt the thrift stores (one of my favorite activities!) - I've found tons of little boxes and tins there fore cheap, cheap, cheap.

 

Happy crafting!

 

Ry

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  • 11 months later...
I just thought I'd chime in here with a few tips on making tins.

 

First, I'd like to share a website that answers all gluing questions: This to That. You can find out how to glue anything to anything there - great resource!

 

Another thing to keep in mind on the tins - Mod Podge works great for the most part, but if these are going to be exposed to water in any way, don't use it! Use a varnish, instead.

 

If you just want the tins, but don't want the candy - look in the bridal sections or party sections of craft stores or places like Wal-Mart. I found tins yesterday - 15 for $9.99, I think. You can also order them in bulk online from places like SKS Bottle (by the way - they have CD tins, which are great for little scrapbooks).

 

Pester friends and family for their tins - AOL also sends out their cd's in tins, sometimes. And haunt the thrift stores (one of my favorite activities!) - I've found tons of little boxes and tins there fore cheap, cheap, cheap.

 

Happy crafting!

 

Ry

 

I have an ATG gun and that adhesive works perfectly....it is the 1'4" permanant acid free Gold tape...

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