An empty Altoids Peppermint Tin and transforms it into a beautiful little scrapbook keepsake…

Simply by using paint, ribbon and papers you can transform an empty tin that you would otherwise throw away into a cute mini scrapbook album that has 17 pages inside to add photos and journaling to.

And being small and lightweight it makes the perfect gift to mail to loved ones who live far away.

Please read on for details on how to make it plus a link to my free printable tutorial and this week’s blog candy…

I first learned to make these a few years ago – my wonderful talented friend and team member Annette taught me how to make these and I had forgotten about them until I came across a couple in my closet – including one that my hubby had ‘borrowed’ on the understanding he had to return it for me to alter…well, he pretty much altered it himself, but more about that later…

I painted my tin using Making Memories acrylic paint in the color Plum and I used papers from Springtime Vintage DSP and Rose Red Seam Binding to decorate my lid and inner pages.

My sentiment?  Taken from the set You’re a Gem and my flower is from the FREE Sale-a-bration set Bliss – I added a few Pearls to the center for a cute touch.

So what’s inside? When you open the lid this is what you see…

I decorated the inside of my lid to match the outside and used that gorgeous sentiment from the stamp set Bliss which I punched out using the Decorative Label Punch

See that beautiful Seam Binding bow? Undo that and this is what happens…

A cascade of beautiful little scrapbook pages to fill with photographs, journaling and embellishments…17 in all…

And on the other side the pages are covered using similar papers from Springtime Vintage DSP – I chose to match in with this side but you can make the other side a completely different color & theme which also works well.

I absolutely LOVE how these turn out – and they are very mailable too – you can fit some much into these and even when you’ve added photos and embellishments, the tin has plenty of depth to accommodate them.

WANT MY FREE TUTORIAL SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN CUTE EASTER BASKET? Click HERE to find it in my Project Tutorials section where you will find a printable version too!

So that story of what happened to my tin that my hubby borrowed? He was going off on a dirtbike ride in Mexico and wanted a small tin to house some tools to put in his toolbag on his motorbike.  I only had a couple of Altoids Tins available and so I told him he could only borrow it and that I needed it back to make these mini scrapbooks.

Well, off he goes and on his return he proudly gives me back my tin…umm…not quite in the condition it left in…you see, offroad motorcycles take quite a beating as does everything on it…evidently the tools in there had distressed my tin quite nicely…and this is how it was returned to me…


Mmm…not quite suitable for what I wanted it for, but I just had to keep it because it always makes me smile when I come across it!

OK onto this week’s Blog Candy…leave me a comment to let me know what you think of my Altered Altoids Tin and you will be entered into a drawing where one lucky winner will be drawn on Friday…

That lucky winner will receive a kit including an empty Altoids Tin and supplies to decorate and fill it – so be sure to come back Friday and see if you are the winner!

And don’t forget that there are only 2 weeks left of Sale-a-bration! Just two weeks left to get those freebies including the beautiful Bliss stamp set which will be gone for ever after March 31st – click HERE for more information.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR STAMPIN’ UP! SUPPLIES ONLINE!

Tutorial Tuesday recycles…
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28 thoughts on “Tutorial Tuesday recycles…

  • March 16, 2011 at 4:08 pm
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    I just wanted to thank you for all of the great tutorials. This tin is a great idea and also one that I had forgotten about.

  • March 16, 2011 at 4:12 pm
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    What a great project…thanks for sharing!!

  • March 16, 2011 at 6:18 pm
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    This is adorable! My mother does not live close so I am constantly sending her pictures of her grandkids. What a great way to send her pictures! I can’t wait to try it!

  • March 16, 2011 at 6:57 pm
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    Sarah, these are soooo cute! i really need to make one for my favorite niece. Her 12th b’day is next month so need to get busy. What a great idea!! She is going to love it!!

  • March 16, 2011 at 6:57 pm
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    This is absolutely adorable! I’d love to win it, but I’ll plan to make two for my DILs to store pics of my darling little grandaughters.

  • March 16, 2011 at 6:57 pm
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    Soooo cute!! I can’t wait to make my own!

  • March 16, 2011 at 7:07 pm
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    Very pretty with the colors you used. I have a bunch of the tins I have been saving for quite awhile. I have never made the little scrapbook in them and that is such a cute idea. I will have to try one.

    I think you need to do something fun for your husband with the one he altered. Maybe using the little SU tool stamps on it. Maybe a piece of map to fold out with a couple little notes or something written on them for him when he goes on another road trip? Maybe add the little spoke or sprocket punches on there in metalic colors?

    Anyway, thanks for the inspiration and I love visiting your blog for all the great ideas and tutorials. Thanks!

  • March 16, 2011 at 7:13 pm
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    That is a perfect idea! I love how yours turned out, it’s beautiful. Your so awesome putting up your tutorials for free. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful ideas,and for offering such great blog candy. Yolanda-tryingtobecreative.blogspot.com

  • March 16, 2011 at 7:23 pm
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    I love this! I have never seen anything like it before…I will have to go buy some altoids and make one of these. I love your ideas!!!

  • March 16, 2011 at 7:37 pm
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    Love it, Love it, Love it!
    Love the colors,
    Love the DSP,
    Love the stamp set!

  • March 16, 2011 at 7:45 pm
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    Absolutely Adorable! I would love to win it! Thanks for being so generous and for the chance to win an awesome giveaway!

  • March 16, 2011 at 9:26 pm
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    Great tutorial! I think hubbies “altered” tin is charming. :-). Sandy

  • March 16, 2011 at 9:34 pm
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    Actually Wifey, it was full of spare nuts and bolts, not tools :-) When I put the bolts in they were all black and greasy, when I opened it up, all the bolts were shiny like new. As I learned, stuff in the rear pack of a dirt bike on a thousand mile plus trip gets beaten up …. a lot :-)

  • March 16, 2011 at 9:35 pm
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    Sarah, at least your husband remembered to return the tin!

    Beautifully decorated! Who would think the little tin would hold such a pretty surprise.

  • March 16, 2011 at 9:42 pm
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    This was so nice to see this post and brought back good memories. I made one for Lara in fact. My addition to this blog post is that it is easy to make a “collage” on picasa so that you can fit 2 or 4 pictures in one 4×6 photo so that when you have it printed at your favorite local photo store, you get 2 or 4 small pictures for the price of ONE picture and the size is just perfect for your altoid scrapbook! It is so easy to do on Picasa, the google photo application.

  • March 17, 2011 at 12:01 am
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    Your altered tin is gorgeous and so clever. Would make awesome favors for your Easter dinner table and then your guests could add photos from the event to their own personal tin. Makes perfect sense to me. Love that your hubby commented on your blog. : ) Thanks for all your tutorials and blog candy offerings!

  • March 17, 2011 at 12:08 am
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    This is exactly the idea I’ve been looking for, something my mother-in-law can put in her purse with photos of her three great-grandbabies (my granddaughters). I sure would love to win your kit, because Altoids are way to strong for my mouth. Thank you so much for the tutorial–this is so cute!

  • March 17, 2011 at 3:49 am
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    Hoq cute is this!! Love it! I enjoy your blog very much, you do such cute things. Loved the tin story about your husband, gotta love’em.

  • March 17, 2011 at 6:04 am
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    Judging by everything else you have made and posted, I have no doubt that if you really wanted to, you COULD do something creative with that rather beat-up tin your husband returned to you. Your altered tin is a true work of art and will be a wonderful keepsake for the lucky person who receives it.

  • March 17, 2011 at 6:43 am
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    I think this tin is very cute. I would like to make one for our teacher; placing each child in our class this year and a keepsake for her at the end of the year. Keep creating, You are awesome at what you do. Thank you for the great ideas.

  • March 17, 2011 at 8:27 am
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    I have a stash of Altoid tins that I could not bear to part with…now I have a use for them! Thank you for so generously sharing your tutorials with us!
    Lisa

  • March 17, 2011 at 11:19 am
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    love it! this would be so cute to take out of your purse and show some family pics off!
    no one would expect it:)

  • March 17, 2011 at 9:00 pm
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    This is absolutely darling! I can’t wait to give it a go. I guess now I need to go buy a box of Altoids!

  • March 17, 2011 at 10:24 pm
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    Oh goodness! That tin story is priceless! Love your scrapbook. I’m thinking this would be a good thing just to carry to show folks what we do as demos. Maybe do ATC’s on the pages. What a great blog candy and tutorial.

  • March 18, 2011 at 6:07 am
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    Your website is so very informative, thank you for sharing your talent. This Altoid tin would be beautiful with scriptures added to all the pages.

  • March 18, 2011 at 7:50 am
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    I love how you decorated your Altoid tin. It would make a great end of the year gift for a teacher. Thanks so much for the inspiration and tutorial.

  • March 18, 2011 at 1:49 pm
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    Love this, will have to go buy some just to get the tin, thanks
    Eileen

  • March 19, 2011 at 5:41 pm
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    Thanks for the inspiration and the chance to win! Oh, and thanks for the laugh as well, I have one of those DH’s,too!

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