How to Make an Altoids Tin Into a Jewelry Box

With enough dedication, an Altoids tin could be an excellent jewelry box.

There's something about the fact that it's made of metal and has hinges that makes it difficult to throw away an Altoids tin. It's a product in itself, and the ways to re-purpose the tin are numerous. Turning an Altoids tin into a jewelry box is a project that could go a number of different ways, depending on your personal style and intentions. Whatever way you choose, recycling the tin into a jewelry box is one of the most inexpensive ways to store your treasured jewelry in a box that's just as special.

Things You'll Need

• Mild detergent and cloth
• Clay
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brushes
• Knife
• Wax paper
• Roller
• Felt

Instructions

1. Clean the box. Use any basic detergent, such as dish soap. Especially clean the inside well so that the mint oils don't taint the jewelry. Dry it well so that any exposed metal, such as in the hinges, don't rust.

2. The green movement has inspired a lot of interest in things natural and rustic. If it's your style, or the style of whomever you're making the box for, give the box a rougher look. Dent the box. Scratch it. The "time capsule" look will give a vintage flavor to the box and any jewelry inside it.

3. Apply two coats of acrylic paint of the color of your choice to the top half of the tin. Let it dry. Do the same to the bottom half with either the same or different color. Paint any sort of design that you wish, or just leave the base colors as they are. Put felt on the inside of the tin, if you wish, using cement you can purchase from a craft store.

4. Cover your box in polymer clay. You can purchase this clay, which comes in different colors, from a craft store or by mail order. Flatten out the clay on a sheet of wax paper. Cut out a section for the bottom. Flatten it out evenly with a miniature roller, such as a Lucite roller, and trim any excess. Do the same for the top. Cut strips to wrap around the sides, and apply those. Trim around hinges. Heat in an oven for about 15 minutes at 300 degrees.

5. The rest is wide open to your own creativity. Attach rhinestones. Inscribe poetry on the inside. Some people have bypassed all of these steps and used the Altoids tin as it was, both inside and outside, for storing their jewelry.

Tips & Warnings

• Some artists who make handcrafted jewelry have used plain Altoids tins for shipping their jewelry to customers.

References

• Chasing Green: 25 Ways to Re-Use Altoid Mint Tins
• Curiosity Discovery: How Do You Turn An Altoids Tin Into a Jewelry Box
• Recycled DIY: Altoids Tin Jewelry Box
• Crafting A Green World; Crafty Reuse: Ten Ways to Repurpose an Altoids Tin