Recycled Altoids Tin First Aid Kit


We've been on a spring roller coaster here lately. I started this project to recycle an Altoids tin on a day when I spray painted in my winter coat.


I left the tin outside just long enough on each layer just long enough for the spray paint dust and fumes to subside, then I brought it inside to dry, then readjusted the tin and brought it back out again.


Because it was cold and I kept adjusting it, the spray job was not as good as it could have been. I blame impatience--quality spray paint jobs are all about light coats. I also accidentally left the tin in the above position to dry. It made a bit of a mess along the hinge. I let it dry for a few days, scraped off any excess paint and sprayed it one last time.


After I was reluctantly satisfied with the paint job, I found a piece of scrapbook paper and grabbed some mod podge.


I traced around the tin on the back side of the paper with a pencil. Then I used a scissors to cut out the paper on the inside of the line (I used the width of the scissors as a guide).


Then I painted some of the decoupage glue on the tin lid with a foam brush and stuck the paper onto it.


After letting it dry just a bit so the paper wouldn't bubble or curl from being too wet, I painted another layer of mod podge over the top of the paper.


Since the spray paint was scratching easily (maybe a primer would help, who knows), I painted the glue over the whole tin so that it would be sealed and not scratch. I used the edge of my paper plate to rest the lid on so that the lid wouldn't stick to the base (like it did with the paint).


After it dried, I decided to turn my Altoids tin into an emergency kit for my purse. I glued a strip of magnetic tape (recycled, found in my stash) onto the lid with some super glue to stick some safety pins. I thought about putting on a another strip to keep a couple of needles strung with thread, but decided to pass for now.


Instead I decided to create a little first aid kit. I grabbed a couple antiseptic wipes, a little first aid cream packet, a variety of band-aids (regular, butterfly, and fingertip), and little plastic container filled with ibuprofen.


It filled the tin up nicely, and now I'll be ready for just about any situation. What else should I put in my old Altoids tin?



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