Ginas Designs: Tutorial - Altered Tin by Betsy Skagen

As my Guest Designer time comes to an end, I want to share one of my favorite kinds of projects with you: altered tin ornaments.

I'm Betsy Skagen of Paper Calliope, and on this Thanksgiving Eve my heart is filled with gratitude for getting to spend the last month here at Gina's Designs. It has been a fun and delightful adventure.

Usually I make my altered tin ornaments with Altoids tins...but a gal can only eat so many mints. In fact, I must 'fess up to possession of quart-sized Ziploc bags of uneaten mints. Hmmm...maybe I could use them to make altered art igloos? Perhaps puree them to create faux snow? Or maybe fashion ATCs featuring Victorian ladies with dandruff?

Surely it would be better to find alternative tin sources that don't involve more mints. I recently found some on Amazon, but didn't realize until they arrived that they are a square rather than rectangular. Thankfully, they still work just fine for ornaments.

Tutorial: How to make the Altered Tin Winter Birds Ornament

Step 1: Remove the lid and hinge from the box. Save the lid to make a second ornament.

Step 2: Trace the box base onto cardstock that features an outside holiday scene with tree branches. I printed mine from GraphicStock, which I have found to be a great resource. If interested, you can use my GraphicStock discount to subscribe. Cut out the square you traced, trimming as necessary, to make sure it fits perfectly inside your box.

Step 3: Trace and cut a second cardstock square so it fits the outside base of the box.

Step 4: Measure the sides of the box and cut two strips (one for the outside and one for the inside) of holiday cardstock to fit it. Make the width of the outside side strip just a hair wider than the inside strip.

Step 5: Cover the inside base of the box with matte medium and adhere the holiday scene cardstock square you prepared.

Step 6: Cover the inner sides of the box with matte medium and adhere the cardstock. Place the seam where the bottom of the ornament will be to make it less conspicuous.

Step 7: Cover the entire surface with matte medium and let dry.

Step 8: Cover the outside base of the box with matte medium and adhere the second cardstock square you prepared.

Step 9: Cover the outside sides of the box with matte medium and adhere the remaining cardstock strip. Again, place the seam where the bottom of the ornament will be.

Step 10: Cover the entire surface with matte medium and let dry.

Step 11: Cut a miniature fence to fit across the tin. Adhere it to the box with a strong adhesive. After it dries, dab faux snow onto the fence and onto the base of the tin. Sprinkle with glitter and let dry.

Step 12: Bend the end of a small artificial pine branch 90 degrees downward to form a small tab. Dab faux snow on the branch, sprinkle with glitter and let dry.

Step 13: Adhere the branch tab to the side of the box with a strong adhesive.

Step 14: Punch a hole in the top of the tin.

Step 14: Paint Gina's Birds Shape Set with black gesso. Let dry.

Step 15: Cover the birds with gloss gel medium. Press assorted colors of Primary Elements onto the birds.

Step 16: Make a small loop of metallic pipe cleaner and thread through the hole in the ornament. Add a metallic bead on the inside and secure with a strong glue.

Step 17: Adhere metallic pipe cleaner around the edge of the tin with strong adhesive.

Step 18: Adhere birds with strong adhesive.