REMNANTS OF THE PAST ALTERED ALTOIDS TINS - PLUS VIDEO TUTORIAL OF SIX DIFFERENT ALTERED TINS - NEW COLLAGE SHEETS

I’ve been altering tins for a long time and I just finished a new one so I thought it would be a good opportunity to do a video tutorial that includes the new project as well as some of my older Altoids tin related projects.

The Remnants of the Past project is vintage themed and involves hinging two tins together (minus the lids), using one tin for a shadow box and the other for an accordion folded book.

On the outside of the tins, I used a paper tearing technique to frame the vintage ephemera images then accented the torn area with paper roses.

Inside on the left is the book.  The last page is attached to the tin and when folded, tieing the lace holds the book in place. 

The papers I used are from the Architecture  2  8x8 Paper Pack.

All of the images in the project are from my NEW Remnants of the Past Collage Sheets.

REMNANTS FROM THE PAST #1 Collage Sheet
& 
REMNANTS FROM THE PAST #2 Collage Sheet

These two sheets are packed with vintage ephemeral all sized to work with smaller projects like altered tins and ATCs.  To purchase these sheets, click on the images below.

Remnants of the Past Digital Image Set

If you liked my Remnants of the Past #1 and #2 Collage Sheets, you will live the download set.   This set is packed with vintage ephemeral all sized to work with smaller projects like altered tins, and ATC’ although with a download set, you can adjust the size of the image to fit your project.  It contains all of the images from the Remnants of the Past #1 & #2 Collage Sheets plus 7 more for a total of 122 images.  To purchase the image set, click on the image below.

PROJECTS I’LL BE COVERING IN THE VIDEO TUTORIAL

In the video tutorial, I’ll be covering all of the projects pictured below.  Some use two tin bases, some use one, and one uses the leftover lids.  Included are a variety of themes and techniques.  Below the video are the links to the supply list for each project (carried by AlphaStamps) and links to the original project post where applicable.

VIDEO TUTORIAL

Click here for the supplies used for the project pictured on the right.

Click here for the original blog post for the project pictured on the right.

Click here for the supplies used for the project pictured below.
Click here for the original blog post for the project pictured below.

Click here for the supplies used for the project pictured below.

Click here for the original blog post for the project pictured below.

Click here for the original blog post for the project pictured on the right, which also includes the supply list.

Click here for the original blog post for the project pictured on the right which also includes the supply list.

Click here for the complete supply list at AlphaStamps

REMNANTS OF THE PAST – DETAIL SUPPLY LIST

Remnants from the Past #1 Collage Sheet

Remnants from the Past #2 Collage Sheet
or
Remnants of the Past Digital Image Set

Architecture  2  8x8 Paper Pack

Blank Altoids Tins – Used 2

Small Square Brass Hinges – Used 3

Rectangular Bronze Filigree - Small

Cream Lace from Advent Calendar Kit

½ Inch Pale Peach Paper Roses

Tiny Paper Roses – White

Stitched Leaf Ribbon – Moss Green

"BIRDIE DARLING" - ALTOIDS TIN BOOK

As a follow-up to my previous post about creating a book from two Altoids tin lids, comes another book made from the bottoms of two tins.  This one is just as easy to make as the book using the lids.

The bird theme is inspired by an Alpha Stamps collage sheet;  Bees, Birds & Butterflies.

The advantage of using the bottoms of Altoids tins is that there is a deep area that can hold dimensional items.

The tins are held together by a hinge, and I added feet to give them more height.

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 19:11 in the video below.

WRITTEN TUTORIAL

Start by removing the lids from 2 Altoids Tins.  Next, bend flat or snip off the hinges.

Paint or ink the edges of the tins.  I used Aged Bronze Patina paint as it sticks to metal.

Paper the inside and the outside of the tins.  I used Serendipity Chronicle paper on the outside and House of Roses Old Letters paper on the inside.

Add the décor to the inside of the tins.

I decorated the left side using chipboard leafy corners, a 3 inch chipboard cage, roses sniped from a rose garland, a connector charm, and a bird from the Birds, Bees and Butterflies collage sheet.  Popping up the items gives the piece more dimension.

On the right side, I used more of the leafy corners and roses, plus the lovely little girl image.

Hold the tins together with the insides facing each other and attach the hinge.  I used E6000 glue for this project to attach the hinge to the tins.  I added a bead to the holes in the hinge.  Alternatively, you could use brads to attach the hinge to the tins.  If you choose this method, punch the holes in the tins before adding the paper.  If you want to hide the prongs of the brads, attach the hinge to the tins before adding the paper to the inside.

Next, attach the swirly connector charms on the opposite side, or you could add a latch. They have been painted with Aged Bronze Patina Paint.

For this project, I used a die-cut chipboard piece for the base of the front and back covers, so I assembled them separately from the tin.  After assembly was complete, I glued them to the front and back of the tins.

On the front cover, I started with a lovely chipboard cage backed with Serendipity Chronicle paper and an image from The Garden collage sheet.    On top of the cage, I used various paper flowers, a bronze swallow charm, a bronze bird on a branch, calla lily leaf charms, and the words “Birdie Darling,” which are from the Birds, Bees & Butterflies collage sheet.

Notice that there are flowers on the top.  Those are glued to the top of the back tin.  You can also see the chipboard wrought iron archway (attached to the back) peaking over the top from the front of the tin.

On the back cover, I started with the chipboard wrought iron archway and added more of the leafy corners, paper flowers, and birds from the Birds, Bees & Butterflies collage sheet, which is also where you’ll find the urn and the paper bee.  The gold dragonfly and bee are from my stash.

The final step is to attach the brass box feet, which makes the piece more interesting and heightens.

SUPPLIES

Click here to jump to the supply list at Alpha Stamps

If you are interested in seeing another example of an Altoids tin book, click here.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND BOOK - USING ALTOIDS TIN LIDS

This month at Alpha Stamps it’s all about Alice and Altoids tins.  What a perfect combo as I LOVE anything Alice and altering tins.

Most of my Altoids tin projects only require the container and not the lid.  I end up with lots of leftover lids which I hate to throw away.  To the rescue is an easy book project that uses just the lids!

The two lids serve as the front and back covers for the book inside with a closure made from a ribbon attached to the lids.  

Inside is a book made from frame inserts (hinged together) that are sized to perfectly fit the lids.  The inserts come in two style sets; one Alice in Wonderland themed and one with various scalloped edges.

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 22:18 in the video below.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS & WRITTEN TUTORIAL

To create the pages for the book, I started by painting the frames.  Next, I glued the frames to Alice in Wonderland illustrations.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF MY ALICE IN WONDERLAND THEMED COLLAGE SHEETS & DIGITAL IMAGE SETS AT ETSY

I also added some images to the front of the frames like the title banners and cards.  You’ll notice that I didn’t use any dimensional embellishments on the pages as it would make the book too bulky and it wouldn’t fit inside the tins.  Just stick with paper images and not too many of those.

Decide which page you want as the first and which as the last and cover the backs of these pages with decorative paper.

The end result is 6 unique pages.

PUTTING THE PAGES TOGETHER

Below is the order and method in which I assembled the pages.  Note that the photos I took were of the book sitting in the tin covers but as you assemble the pages they are not in the tin.

I glued a hinge to the Alice with Caterpillar page and then glued the other side of the hinge to the Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum page.  Since the Alice with Caterpillar page will be the first, the back side is covered with decorative paper.

I glued the Alice and Cheshire cat page to the back of the Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum page.  I glued a hinge to the Cheshire cat page.  I then glued the other side of the hinge to the Tea Party page.

I glued the Red Queen page to the back of the Tea Party page.  I glued a hinge to the Red Queen page.  I then glued the other side of the hinge to the Alice and Cards page.  Since the Alice and Cards page is the last, the back is covered in decorative paper.

NOTE:  Another option is rather than making a hinged set of pages that fit inside the tin covers, you could simply decorate the inside of each of the tins as if it were a shadowbox book.

MAKING THE BOOK COVER

I started by wrapping the edges of the lids with decorative checkered ribbon from my stash.  I ran the ribbon through my small Xyron machine to apply adhesive before attaching it to the lids.  I used the Xyron machine as the adhesive won't seep through the ribbon as wet glue would. 

Note:  After you pull the ribbon through the machine, rub the ribbon with your finger before removing it from the waxy paper dispensed from the machine.  This will ensure that the adhesive sticks to the ribbon.

With the lids stacked together (insides facing each other), I used Glossy Accents to attach a ribbon.  The ribbon needs to be long enough to go around both lids and to tie into a bow.  I used Glossy Accent because it sticks to metal.  In this case, it doesn’t matter if the glue seeps through the ribbon as it will be covered with paper.

The last step is to cover the back of each lid with decorative paper.

In the pictures below, you can see how the finished ribbon looks on the spine of the book and how the ribbon ties on the other side of the book.

COVER DÉCOR

This is where you can go crazy with the dimensional embellishments.

In the background, I used more images from the Alice collage sheets.  In the center is a miniature wood book that I painted and added pages of the Alice in Wonderland book.  At the bottom of this post are the pages for your use.

Surrounding the book are lots of bits and bobs such as a mushroom, teacup charm, clock, key, roses, and a heart stick pin.

MINIATURE ALICE BOOK PAGES

These are sized to fit the wooden book.  Feel free to download and use them in your art.