Recycled Christmas Cookie Tin


Every Christmas it seems that I end up receiving (or buying) nuts or cookies in one of those Christmas tins. I save the cute ones thinking I'll give someone cookies in them, but if I don't use them the next year, they often end up in basement oblivion. This cookie tin got dragged out of the basement and repurposed.


I grabbed a cardboard box and a can of black gloss spray paint and went out onto the patio. I put several coats of paint on and let them dry 10 or 15 minutes between layers (sometimes less, as it was hot out and drying pretty quickly).


The photo above was after 3 or 4 coats, and I probably put 3 or 4 more coats on after that. Multiple thin layers works best. When I was done, you could still see some raised areas from the design on the lid of the tin, so I decided to cover it with some scrapbook paper.


I'm sure I bought this scrapbook paper on one of those 6 for a dollar sales that they have every now and again at Michael's. It seemed like a good choice as it would match most decors. So I gathered up my Mod Podge jar and a foam brush and got to work.


I flipped the paper over and traced the lid on the back. There is a rolled lip on the lid, so I cut inside the line (using the outside edge of the scissors as my guide). Unfortunately, that was still not enough to compensate for the edge of the lid.


After trying to fix it freehand, I was left with a very wobbly looking circle, so I scoured the cupboards for a plate or bowl that was close in size to the circle I was trying to cut. I ended up using a Corelle saucer plate.


After tracing around the plate and carefully cutting along the line, I wound up with a much smoother circle, and I was ready to glue.


I painted a layer of mod podge onto the lid and onto the back of the paper with a foam brush. Putting the glue on both surfaces allows you to slide and readjust the paper a bit, but if you put too much glue on the paper, it will bubble and wrinkle, so don't over do it, and gently smooth the paper out from the center to avoid big bubbles and ridges as you apply the paper to the lid.


If your paper looks pretty smooth, you can go ahead and put a sealant layer on right away. If you end up with some bubbles, it might help to let it dry first before putting on the sealant layer. Many bubbles and wrinkles will smooth as the glue dries.

Once the glue dried, I was left with a cute little tin that I can use as a decoration and/or as storage for any little bits and pieces lying around--so much better than it quietly rusting away in the basement.


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