Altered Altoid Tins

Postal Themed Altered Altoid Tins
Finally!!! I have been making these tins for a while now and couldn't show them since the majority of them went for Christmas presents....
They are such fun to make and even more fun to fill up. One arty blurred shot and one sharper..

What tiny treasures can you put inside?
Mini stapler and tiny scissors, postage stamps, small rolls of washi tape, address labels, small rubber stamps, buttons for crafting, sewing kit.....
What can you think of?

All packed up and ready to go!

Of course I had to make a few for myself too...I have all kinds of things stored inside mine.

Besides the postal theme I go on a bird theme as well....

You have to decorate the bottoms of the tins too....no surface left untouched.

Some stamp bundles packed into this one. I'd like to get this so I hope my pal Polly liked  receiving it......I mean, really? Who wouldn't love a postal themed tin with bundles of stamps inside?

All you need are empty tins, like Altoid tins, and some cool paper and washi tape and glue....I used matte gel medium.....

I'm not the first to alter Altoid tins. In fact, my pal Dori is the one who started me thinking about doing it. She has sent me several that I absolutely love. I have one that she made me filled with earrings.
I won't put a tutorial on here because tutorials are out there all over the place. Check Pinterest.
I found doing a few at a time with the same theme worked best for me. It is much slower just doing one at a time. I found old Altoid tins at ScrapSF without that embossed top that the new ones have have. And Trader Joe's mints have good tins too. If you really want a tutorial I will do it but I think you can figure it out....

So, there you go, now it's your turn.
What will you put inside?

And you are wondering who won the 2017 planner?
(drum roll, please)
MISS IOWA
Congrats to Miss Iowa. Please send me your mailing address via the Blogger Contact Form or in a comment) I won't publish it.

I may be making some more notebooks to give away so stay tuned. Thanks for all the comments and good wishes and for the suggestions on what you might like to see on the blog.I've been blogging less and posting on IG more because it seems there is more response to IG but I enjoy blogging and would like to continue if there is the interest.
Happy Holidays to all of you out there and thank you for all your lovely comments and good wishes and good mail throughout 2016.

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Pretty Pictures & Things I Collect

A number of people have asked what do I collect?
It might be better to ask, what don't I collect?

Here are some pretty things sitting around my studio. I like living with them.
I love Japanese and Chinese calligraphy.....

.....and French cursive writing....and postal images of all kinds......
I have a very large collection of very old French postcards with people dressed up as letter carriers and ladies swooning with mail in hand...

If it is old and if it is paper I'd probably like it...

Old books, of course -- but you guys already know that -- that would be a whole other post.

Love old wooden rulers...

Flower and bird postcards and beautiful old handwriting in all languages...

I like outdated bank notes - love the bird on this one from the NL.

Anything and everything French. Well, you asked....

I love old airmail mail envelopes and bingo cards and typewriter and tape tins and old letters....

Stamps -- this is an old letter from Japan.

So, there are just a few of the things I love and collect.....but I just go to ScrapSF and the Vintage Paper and see what I come up with....I really don't spend a lot and I don't troll eBay for this stuff. My little sister is totally confused and does not get this at all.
I do not want things from department stores or malls....give me the old and torn and worn and I am happy.

I am on the look out for old passports if any of you out there have one to trade.
(You'll see why very soon)

Want to see any more or does this satisfy your curiosity?

And now, how about telling me what YOU collect?

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Stacks of Heaven

Honestly, I think this must be what heaven looks like. can you imagine little cherubs hovering overhead?
I can. And, there would be food too.....

SF Library Spring Book Sale
This really is too much fun. The Friends of the Library does this TWICE a year. God bless 'em!

This is my friend's cart while we were waiting in line to pay in line to pay....(she is lucky I didn't grab that Birds book right out of there...) Just kidding, Monica! I wouldn't think of it.

My other friend's stash (she only bought FIVE books?????). Well, she was riding home on her bike...Strange Birds and Their Stories????

My cart....why yes, it is filled all the way up to the top...

And, spilling over a little bit....

I got a typewriter book....

...and three shorthand books....just in case one wasn't enough...

And an old Paris par Arrondissemont....
I love these little books with the most beautiful maps in Paris tucked inside...I always look for these and they are hard to find. This one just fell into my lap.

You can still use them today...in Paris the streets don't change...

How could I pass this up? By the FUNK Brothers?

You know you've always wanted to know this..

...and this....

And this one is already coming in handy....I am checking up on all my Aries friends...

I was tempted by a Red Handed and Red Headed Devil...you know who you are (and thanks!)

Ahhhhh....the yearbooks......do you miss those hair styles?
Happily I went to HS after those were popular.

I bet this was the French teacher...oohlala.

She looks more like a teacher than a student...love the pearls.

What would they think of 2015? No iPhones for this crowd.

I always look for flower and bird books....but so does everyone else....scored a couple this time for a change...

I am going to have to think up something special for these pages....so pretty...

I hope Ray doesn't mind that I have Olga's book now. 1943. Wow.

So, another day at the Library book sale. May they never run out of books.
And thanks for the fun, Monica and Leslie and Red.

Now it's time to PLAY. Yes, I am ripping things up. I have to make things to justify bringing more books home. They really spur my creativity.
Cards, collages, altered books....let the making begin!
And guess what? Tomorrow is DOLLAR DAY.
I believe I have to go troll the tables and see what treasures I can come up with for $1 each.
Happily the books I like are usually not what the scanners are trying to scoop up so hopefully I will find some more treasures.

What would YOU do with all these books?
I could always use a few more good ideas. Next Book sale is September in case you want to plan your SF trip now. See you there!

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