You Asked For This (Altered Tin Tutorial)

So, rumor has it, you guys want an Altered Altoid Tin tutorial.....the Instagram crowd sure seem to and some of you have asked me....so, even though it is pretty simple, here we go----

First you need to get your hands on some hinged tins.....I pick most of mine up at Scrap SF....I like the older Altoid tins that don't have that embossing on the metal on the lid. You can still buy some like that if you look around. I just found some with flat lids at Walgreens...Trader Joes has mints in good tins too...

Sometimes I spray paint the tins first -- it isn't necessary for the larger tins but I find it very helpful with those tiny Altoid tins......
Michaels (and Amazon) sell that Krylon spray paint. 

You want to shake that can like crazy before spraying...in fact, setting it it hot water for 15 minutes is a good idea and then shake it....You want light spraying -- like misting -- and do several times.....if you spray too heavily the paint will run and make a mess..you don't need to cover up the writing on the larger tins because you are going to cover them with paper....and don't spray the inside....

A couple of sprayed tins...with the tiny tins, I just use washi tape to decorate. The seems too small to cover with paper..

Here is a little one with washi only....outside and.....

inside......I put tape inside on the lid and bottom..and done! (You need to seal the tape, so keep reading...)

For the larger tins, just use a pencil to trace around the tin and cut it out with a scissors. I cut INSIDE the pencil line, rather than on it because the tracing is often too large to fit exactly if you don't...you may have to do a little trimming....but that's ok.

You need to cut FOUR pieces-- for the outside top and bottom of the tin  and for the  inside top and bottom....Do all your cutting first.

This is what I use to both glue and seal --- Liquitex Matte Medium. Good stuff. Works for collages too.

Pour some into a paper cup and brush on to the surfaces you are gluing and place the paper on the tin....I use my fingers to really press the paper onto the tin and smooth out any wrinkles....press down the edges with your fingers..

You can glue all four pieces pretty easily. The matte medium dries pretty quickly and I just stand the tins up....
I always try to make two or three or four tins at a time. It just seems easier to have a little assembly line going. While one is drying you can work on the next one..

...like this....Then you can add some washi tape to the outside like this....pretty isn't it?
The narrow rolls of washi work best for this. You want to seal the washi and the paper with a few light coats of matte medium.

This tin came in a naturally pleasing blue and black so I didn't spray paint it . Just added washi and paper.
**This is important** see the two bumps where the tin closes? Be sure NOT to put paper or washi there or the extra thickness will make it impossible for the tins to close and open properly.

I used the regular, wider tape and rolled it over to the bottom of the tin and paper will cover this up....

Another tip is -- use WALLPAPER if you can find some.  I had some pretty vintage wall paper in my closet and just tried it out and it really works well since it was designed to be used with a liquid adhesive. Maybe you can find some pieces of wallpaper on eBay or Etsy or in a wallpaper swatch book.

So, that's about it -- it is pretty easy, so go ahead and have some fun. My favorite part is filling the little tins up when I'm finished making them. The tiny Altoid tin is perfect for postage stamps. And, those larger ones have endless possibilities....
I suggest try making one without spray painting it for the first one...keep it simple...
and you can ask me if you run into any problems.
They don't come out perfect but they are a lot of fun anyway.
And special thanks to my pal Dori who sent me my first Altered Altoid Tin and quite a few more after that and got me started making them myself.
This is just how I do it.....

I'd sure like to hear from you if you make some -- let me know how they come out! And if you are coming over from IG, please leave a comment on the blog and let me know, because you know....you guys egged me on to do this post...
Have fun and keep me posted!
SEND GOOD MAIL --  GET GOOD MAIL

Why My Suitcase Weighed 51 Pounds

My first stop in Portland (after lunch and before even checking in to my hotel) was SCRAP PDX. I went with my pal Karen (Sewmanyinterests on IG) and we were so entranced we forgot all about the parking meter -- for two hours! Luck being with us, no ticket.

The PDX Scrap was three blocks from my hotel, did I mention that?
And -- I went back the NEXT day with Miss Polly & JJAlltheWay.....

I could have taken this guy home for $85.....he may have been handy for the Fast Trac carpool lanes but I passed. I would have had to buy another plane ticket for him.

Karen knew exactly where the boxes -- and boxes -- of rubber stamps were......

It kills me to say this but they had way more stamps I've ever seen here in Scrap SF.
These are only some of the bins...

And more stamps here....you can see why it took us so long to go through all of these...we didn't want to miss anything good.

My basket didn't look too bad -- at first. I forgot to take a photo of it at the check-out but it was considerably fuller.
Rubber stamps, two sizes of Rolo cards, blueprints of PDX, vintage magazines, some old photos, red letter stickers, large vintage index cards with tabs, a cigar box.....

I found the little WISH YOU WERE HERE stamp-- perfect for my PDX postcards (which I barely had time to write).

Postal themed stamps...

I wanted that file cabinet but it would have been a bit tricky to get home on the plane...

I loved the vintage office supply section....

They had loads of Rolodex files in need of some altered rolodex card love......I wanted to buy them all and give them good homes...but....the plane....

Maybe I should...

My SCRAP PDX cigar box with some of my rubber stamps....I was a very happy re-purposer.....
And I went back the next day with JJ and Polly and got in some more trouble.
All I can say is, paper weighs A LOT.

Google "center for creative re-use" and you might find a Scrap near you!

AND THE POUCH WINNERS ARE ---
Michele C (airmail pouch)
&
Bleubeard....I mean Elizabeth for the KITTY pouch....

LEAVE YOUR ADDRESS in a comment (I will NOT publish it) OR send me a message using the Blogger Contact Form on the top right of the blog and I will mail those off asap.
And, everybody else, thanks for reading and commenting and stay tuned...
there may be more giveaways...

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL

Yes I Do Use Them ALL.........

A tiny break from PDX posts (but they'll be back).....today I thought I'd show you some of my favorite postal pouches.....
(and since so many people asked me on Instagram where I got these, I'll tell you the secret -- Belle & Union -- look online).

I am the lucky person who has a number of lovely friends who actually  MAKE me these zippered pouches -- just because they know I love them so much.
The fabulous Dori Singh made me all these and when I say they are in constant rotation, believe it.

Another mail art pal, CeCe in NYC, made me these three beauties years ago and they too are well used and well loved.
The nice thing about getting gifts like these from friends is that you think of the friends every time you use them.

Even with all the beautiful handmade pouches I have, I still buy them occasionally ...I am pretty sure you ALL have that Blue Q pouch (bottom).
And, even though i live in SF, I couldn't resist a SF skyline pouch I found ages ago in some toursit shop...since it's plastic it is good for leaky things.

Then we have the Tyvek pouches I made in my pal Monica's workshop....these are fun to make and fun to use too....
and with zippers from Scrap and re-purposing tyvek envelopes you receive in the mail they are practically free!

Collected and gifted from various sources....the two at the bottom are from Japantown....and that cool one at upper right I found on Amazon. It is quite a lot larger than any of the others and very handy.....

And, when in Paris......

My pal Patti ( pmarti5 on IG) made me the cool case up top....

You KNOW I have plenty of stuff to put in them...like this little notebook I covered with cool paper and carry with me because you just never know when you need to jot a note or make a list or get an idea...
I put my altered Altoid tins in some and mail art supplies in others....

....and rolls of washi tape fit perfectly in that kitty pencil case from Diaso....

OK -- and here are two for you!!
The Kitty pencil holder (no washi included) and the air mail pouch are up for grabs. Just leave me a comment about which one you'd like and I will randomly pick two people to send them to.
It's the least I can do after torturing you with these beauties.
BUT--remember--you can get out your sewing machine and make a pouch too -- or call a friend. Or, make a Tyvek pouch or two.
You can do it.
And, yes -- I really do use them all and I love every one.

Special thanks to my my very special friends who have made me pouches.
I love and use each and every one of them.

(Give-away Over -- winners on the next blog post. Thanks to all who commented.)

SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL!!!

My Fabulous Vintage Paper Fair

That's right -- Greetings from California.
.25-cents and how could I resist?
(You know the answer to that)

I never go into the VPF really knowing what I will find -- it's more fun that way. I just settle in with the 25-cent cards and see what pops up.
And these sure did.....what lovely sweet sentiments.....

I kinda think sending your sweetie babies in box might scare him or her away...but that's just me. I'm more like the gal on the bottom card -- mad if I don't get mail!
And, BTW, I haven't been getting any good mail and I am getting cranky.

I do always look for any cards with a postal theme...

This year I discovered BIRDS.....I wonder why I never thought of looking for bird postcards before?

And I found lots of birds delivering letters...that's what birds do, right? Deliver mail and deliver babies?

I admit I do always have my eyes peeled for flower postcards. There is just something about them....

I found three very charming and falling apart old books....cheap.....and I know I will think up a wonderful project to do with them...

My fav this year? I just happened to flip a few cards over and WOW -- those  postmarks!! And the cursive and the stamps.
Who cares what's on the front?

I mean, just look at that handwriting. So beautiful.

And those postmarks......as Miss Polly from PDX would say, "I'm swooning"....

Want to come over and sift through the cards? Such a simple pleasure...
it doesn't take much more than some .25cent postcards to make me insanely happy...

I leave you with a couple of post boxes....
SEE YOU IN THE MAIL!!!!!!