Craft Ideas on Decorating a Tin Box

Scrapbook Materials

• Use items found in the paper crafting section of the craft store to dress up a plain tin box. Lightly sand the outside of the tin box. Cut a strip of paper that fits around the tin box. Spread a layer of decoupage medium around the box. Wrap the paper around the box and paint another layer of decoupage over it. Add a few drops of paint to the decoupage medium before adding the second coat to tint the paper, such as some brown to make the project look antique. Repeat the process with the box's lid. Add scrapbook embellishments such as paper flowers, ribbon and chipboard letters with foam dots to finish decorating the box.

Paint

• Use your artistic skills to dress up that boring tin box with a little paint. Sand the tin box to give the paint something to grip. Spray paint the tin box if there is a single color you want for the entire background of the box. Otherwise, just paint the box with acrylic paints and a paintbrush like you would any other painting project. Let the paint dry. Paint a layer of sealer over the top of the entire surface of the box to prevent scratches to the box's surface. Sprinkle fine glitter into the sealer while it is still wet to give the box a shimmering surface.

Vinyl

• Use self-adhesive vinyl to personalize your tin box. Use masking tape to tape down a piece of vinyl to a cutting mat. Cut shapes and letters from the vinyl with a craft knife. You can print out a template to tape over the top of the vinyl to use as a guide or freehand the shapes and letter. Cut simple designs such as polka dots or stripes or a more intricate design like an underwater scene. Peel and stick the vinyl cutout to the tin box. You can also use multiple colors of vinyl to give the design dimension