Tutorial - Making an Altoid's Tin Book

Last month I created this tutorial for Gingersnap’s Creations as their muse for March.  I thought I post it here in case some of you missed it. 



VIDEO TUTORIAL – There is now a YouTube video tutorial for this project.  The video also covers 5 other altered tin projects.  You’ll find the segment about this project at minute 12:59 in the video below.

WRITTEN TUTORIAL & SUPPLY LIST

In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through creating a vintage Altoid’s Tin book using chipboard and two Altoids tins.  The fun part of this project is that by hinging two tins together it creates niches that you can load up with all kinds of embellishments. 

What You’ll Need

Chipboard

Two Altoids Tins

A glue that works with metal – I used Glossy Accents

A tacky paper glue – I used Tombo Multi

One large or two small hinges

A latch

Decorative Paper

Staz-on Ink or Ranger Alcohol Inks

Pencil

Ruler

Scissors

Paper Cuter

Embellishments and Ephemera

Vintage Images

GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES

Start by collecting paper, embellishments and the vintage photos you want to use.  You can see in the image below that I’ve pulled several items that I thought I might use for my book. 

THE TINS

I used blank Altoid’s tins for my book that measured 3 11/16" long by 2 1/4” wide by 3/4" deep (without the lid).  I purchased my tins at Alpha Stamps.  All the measurements in this tutorial are based on these tins.  You can use any tins you like just as long as you have two of them.

First, remove the lids from the tins and set them aside.  You will not need them for this project. 

Next, either snip off the hinges or bend them flat.  You will be covering the sides of the tin with paper so you don’t want the hinges sticking up.

You’ll be covering most of the surface of the tin with paper except for the edges.  Ink the edges of the tins using Ranger Alcohol Ink or Staz-On.  Both products adhere to metal.  You can always choose to keep the original color of the tin if it works with your color scheme.  I used Mushroom Ranger Alcohol ink to color the edges of my tin, my hinges and my latch.

You will be covering the outside sides, the inside sides and the inside bottom of the tins with paper.  You don’t need to cover the outside back of the tin with paper as it will be glued to your covers.  If you are using the same tin as I did, then below are the paper measurements:

Inside sides – cut two strips of paper ¾” wide by 12” long.

Outside sides – cut two strips of paper ¾” wide by 12” long.

Inside bottom - Use a sharp pencil and the bottom of the tin as a template.  Trace the shape on your paper twice and cut.

Glue the paper to the tins.  To glue the paper I used Tombo Multi glue which is a very tacky paper glue.  Glue the strips to the outside of the tins.  Next glue the strips to the inside of the tins, and lastly glue the paper to the bottom inside of the tins.

Decorate the insides of your tins.  I started with the background elements.

Next, I prepped my pictures.  To popup the images, I first backed them with heavy cardstock for support and then added two layers of double stick tape.

After adding my photos I added images and dimensional embellishments.

To attach the tins, put your tins together with the decorated insides facing each other.  Attach your hinge or hinges to one side of the tins.  I used Glossy Accents to glue on my hinges.  Be sure your tins are facing the right direction and that you are gluing your hinges to what will be the back of your tins.  You don’t want to glue on your hinges, then open the tin, only to find that one of the tins is upside down or the tins are hinged on the wrong side (been there, done that).

Once the glue from the hinges was dry, I glued brads with the prongs removed, to the holes on the hinges.  The brads are colored with Mushroom Alcohol Ink.

On the front side of your tins (opposite side from where you glued the hinges) glue a latch to your tin.  Another option for a closure is to use ribbon.  Glue ribbon to each undecorated back of the tins (in the middle of the tin).

For additional decoration I added paper hinges and brads with the prongs removed to the holes on the latch and paper hinges.

Below are the finished hinged tins with latch.

THE BOOK COVERS

For the front and back book covers, cut two pieces of chipboard that measure 3” wide by 4 3/4” wide.  The covers will be about 1/2” larger than the tins on each side.  If your chipboard is thin or you just want thicker covers you can glue layers of chipboard together.  You want the covers thick enough that they won’t bend when you stand up the completed book.

Cover your chipboard with decorative paper on both sides.  You can add flat elements at this stage like images, rub-ons, stamping etc. but don’t decorate the covers with dimensional embellishment as it will make assembling the book harder.  In addition to covering my chipboard with paper, I also inked the edges with Ranger Distressed Ink.

Assemble the book by gluing the tins to the chipboard covers.  Start by gluing the tins to the center of the front cover.  Next, glue the tins to the center of the back cover.  Before gluing, make sure that your covers and tins are facing the right direction.  I used Glossy Accents to glue my covers to the tins.

Decorate the front cover.  I started with bits of paper ephemera to create a frame.

I glued resin frames to words from a vintage dictionary.

I collaged together resin frames, paper ephemera and a metal key.

After attaching the resin frame collage, I added other paper and metal elements to finish the cover.

Finished Front Cover

You can also decorate the back cover, inside covers and outside of the tins if you wish.  Just make sure that anything you add does not get in the way of opening and closing the book.

Finished Inside

Finished Latched Side

Finished Hinged Side

Click here to download a PDF version of this tutorial.